It is so easy to communicate in today’s world. People can speak to each other whether they are on the next street or on the next continent through phone calls, emails, instant messaging, video chatting, etc. These technologies allow people to stay connected and feel like they are having a face-to-face, personal conversation.

Legal professionals around the world are beginning to adopt videoconferencing as an alternative to traditional meetings. Depositions, mediations, and other litigation matters can be conducted through video conferences. There are a lot of benefits to conducting a conversation online rather than in person or by phone, but there are a lot of downsides as well. Either way, this new means of communication is having a big effect on how certain cases are being resolved and its significance needs to be considered.

Video Conferences in General

At the Coye Law Firm, we participate in videoconferencing mainly for Social Security disability and workers’ compensation cases. Many clients pursuing these types of claim are injured or disabled and unable to leave their homes. Video conferences provide a face-to-face interaction between the client and legal professionals without the need for strenuous transportation. Video conferences can be set up at any time and virtually anywhere, so meeting times are more flexible. Because those involved in the chat may never need to leave their homes or offices, videoconferencing also saves time and money.

Case by Case Conferences

Florida is a big state and has many courts to reflect it’s size. If a client appeals a workers’ compensation claim, their case isn’t handled by a local court, but by the First District Court of Appeals, which is located in Tallahassee. Workers’ comp clients in the Keys would have to travel 10 hours to appear at a live hearing in Tallahassee. The workers’ compensation system has adopted video conferencing as a courtesy to clients who prefer not to travel to the state capital. Clients and attorneys can choose to appear at a live hearing if they want to, but our firm has yet to see anyone take this option. These cases can require many short meetings, so clients and attorneys both recognize the benefit of appearing virtually rather than in person.

Social Security disability hearings are designed to show the claimant’s impairment or pain to a judge. Claimants are also expected to testify on their vocational, educational, and workplace history as it relates to their disability. After their disability is assessed, the judge then grants them monetary benefits to make up for their limited ability to work. Video conferences let clients with limited mobility appear at their hearings, but a judge may not be able to assess their character or veracity as well. Because this essential element of the SSD process is impeded by a video conference, the client and/or their lawyer may request a live hearing instead. The Coye Law Firm is making efforts to test video technology and conduct conferences in SSD claims from regional offices. Instead of having to travel across the state or country, judges can meet online with our attorneys and clients at a regional SSD office.

Drawbacks to Video Conferences

Cost is an important consideration in any part of the legal process. It costs money to hire court reporters, rent conference rooms, purchase equipment, and ensure that all of the necessary professionals are able to participate. If the benefits outweigh the costs, then an attorney may schedule a video conference during a case’s resolution if it isn’t already required. As more offices and systems switch to paperless or efficient communication methods, video conferences are becoming a more prevalent means of resolving a legal claim.

Is cost the only thing that keeps legal professionals from embracing this new technology? Not quite. Credibility is an essential part of any case. Visual cues and body language are instrumental in communicating effectively, while appearance and facial reactions can help to bolster a client’s credibility. Unlike telephone calls, video conferences let legal professionals see the client’s reactions. However, the technology hasn’t accounted for normal conversation cues such as eye contact. Many people become nervous when they are on camera or being recorded, so communication can be stifled this way also. Soft-spoken clients may have trouble voicing their concerns through video. If additional evidence needs to be submitted, it can take extra time to fax documents or send files, although all evidence should be submitted before a hearing. These difficulties have been noted in practice rather than anticipated before a video conference.

Daily Applications of Video Conferencing

Despite all of the benefits and drawbacks, the Coye Law Firm has integrated video conferencing into our daily routine. One of our attorneys, Dan Smith, communicates on a regular basis with a client who lives in Japan via Skype. Our firm set up a deposition for this client using the same program, which saved him an expensive and exhausting trip. You can contact our office via Skype by calling username CoyeLawFirm. Our regional offices benefit from video conferencing programs such as iChat and Jabber because our attorneys can share documents instantly and meet clients when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.

Client reactions are emerging slower than the technology; some believe that their day in court is less personal or ineffective if they only appear in front of a judge on a television screen. Obviously it will take time for everyone to adjust to the changing means of communication during a case. Since the beginning, our firm has taken advantage of how the latest technology increases communication efficiency. As the legal system adapts, so does our practice. The attorneys of the Coye Law Firm want to help clients resolve and understand their specific case. Visit our website to learn about our firm’s experience, qualifications, and ways we can help you.

Wade Coye

It is a rare case that involves only one area of the law. If laws and the legal system were straightforward and easy to navigate, there would be significantly less demand for legal assistance, i.e. attorneys. People call lawyers to understand their options, work on their problems, and ultimately recover from them. Some attorneys serve clients by being well-versed in many practice areas and others do this by specializing in a limited range of cases. There are advantages to focusing on a few practice areas, but some attorneys lack the knowledge or initiative that complex issues require. For example, car accidents in other states are inherently complicated because each state has different laws governing the sources and process of claiming benefits. If you live in a different state from where the accident occurred, it is intimidating to say the least.

Every day, Americans travel from state to state by car with their families or friends. This form of travel can give people great freedoms in their vacations or visits, but it can also carry some risk. If you have ever been involved in a car accident in another state, you know it can be difficult to sort out even without serious injuries. Each state has different laws governing insurance and liability. The insurance and personal injury lawyers of the Coye Law Firm want to help you recover quickly from these overwhelming circumstances.

Unfortunately, some attorneys may say “you need to find an attorney in that state” or “I’m not experienced in insurance claims” when you call their offices. This sort of “tunnel vision” comes about when legal professionals only take on cases in a small number of practice areas. The attorneys at the Coye Law Firm know that this strategy doesn’t do the most to help clients. We want to help people solve the many problems that they need help with. Out of state car accidents, as mentioned above, are a prime example of the coordination, investigation, and communication that attorneys need to resolve a client’s complex problem.

Out of State Drivers in Florida

The first thing that tourists or other visitors from out of state need to know is that Florida is a no-fault state. This means that, regardless of who is at fault in an accident, a person’s injuries are paid for by their own insurance policy under most circumstances and up to the limits of their Personal Injury Protection. The system is designed to prevent law suits and pay benefits quicker, but it can also be confusing and limiting for people who don’t know what areas of liability exist in their accident. For example, you can use health insurance or workers’ compensation benefits in some circumstances to help cover extra medical bills or lost wages if necessary. These other forms of insurance can be repaid by any recovery you receive from the at-fault driver in court. As you can see, skillful coordination is needed in these accidents.

So what does this process mean for you and your accident? If you are an out of state driver and get into an accident in Florida, your own insurance may pay for your injuries if you are from a no-fault state and have a no-fault policy. Accident victims from non no-fault states may recover their full payment from the at-fault driver in some circumstances. Your ability to sue for more money may be limited in a no-fault state. In Florida, your injuries and other damages must surpass a certain threshold in an aspect of your policy in order to bring the case to court. Visitors from other no-fault states may have some familiarity with the system and can have a significant amount of coverage to protect themselves. People from non no-fault states, however, can feel overwhelmed and confused when seeking compensation for their injuries. A lawyer can help you understand insurance policies, laws, and areas of liability. A personal injury attorney from the Coye Law Firm can get you the benefits and peace of mind you need in the aftermath of an out of state car accident.

Florida Drivers in Other States

The Florida no-fault law requires that resident drivers have a minimum of $10,000 for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage liability. Just like the name implies, “no-fault” insurance pays for the policy holder’s injuries regardless of who caused the accident. Of course, your insurance policy may limit or deny claims that occur in other states based on the contract. For example, you might be required to be in the car listed on your policy. But if you are covered and in a car accident and break your arm, your own insurance pays for the hospital bills up to the amount you have insured. If your injuries go over the amount you have insured under the car insurance policy, then your health insurance can pick up the rest of the bill. You can choose to pursue benefits from the at-fault driver, but there is no guarantee that you can recover benefits this way. Property Damage Liability coverage pays for any damage you may cause in an accident up to the amount that you have insured. Both of these coverages also protect family members, as well as some unrelated passengers if they do not own a vehicle or have their own PIP coverage.

What happens if you get into an accident in another state? The short answer: it depends. Some other states (including Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, and Utah) have no-fault laws as well. Although the no-fault system is designed to limit the amount of law suits, the injured driver’s ability to sue for damages varies based on the way the state’s law is written. For example, drivers in Massachusetts can file a suit if their injuries surpass a certain quality, i.e. their injuries are classified as “disabling” or “severe.” In New York or Florida, a person can file suit if the damages exceed their covered amount in a certain area, such as coverage for medical bills. If the victim is disabled and can prove that they need costly long-term care, they can pursue damages as well. Additionally, no-fault benefits often only cover your injuries if you are in the vehicle listed on your policy.

Compounded Laws: Interstate Accidents

What happens when a driver from New Jersey gets into a car accident with a driver from Florida while they are both traveling on I-95 in South Carolina? Road trips can be a great way to see the country, but each state has its own set of laws that govern who is at fault, who pays for damages, and how the legal system protects those involved in an accident. It is important to know that wherever your accident occurs, that is where the case or claim will be filed, and the laws of the state dictate the process of delivering benefits. This area in which the accident occurs is referred to as the “jurisdiction.” So, in this example, the case will be filed in South Carolina and the recoverable benefits are governed by their laws. The cases can be moved in rare circumstances, but victims should be prepared to communicate with attorneys in many areas of the country in these situations. Again, the benefits you are entitled to and the process of getting them is governed by the state in which the accident occurred. The Coye Law Firm can communicate with other attorneys and multiple insurance carriers in order to speed up your recovery.

The Coye Law Firm helps injured victims in many ways. Our lawyers are experienced in many practice areas, thorough in their research, and able to practice in many parts of the country. Additionally, our firm maintains professional relationships with other firms around the United States. These connections help Florida residents or visitors work from their home states and recover the benefits they are seeking. If you have been in a car accident in Florida or anywhere else in the country, contact the Coye Law Firm to recover quickly, both physically and financially.

The information contained in this post is not intended to be or replace legal advice. Consult an attorney at the Coye Law Firm to receive legal advice tailored to your situation.

Wade Coye

I’m sure you have heard it. “People bring more lawsuits when the economy is bad so we need to limit lawsuits, so the economy will get better” Or some variation on this theme. The veiled insinuation is that people manufacture lawsuits because they have experienced some type of economic decline so are more willing to sue businesses and people for reasons other than some harm caused that is attributable to a particular defendant. Comments such as this are inaccurate at best and at worst are a lie created to develop protections from our legal system. If you think about it, how could you have more job injuries when less numbers of people are working and how could you possibly have more car wrecks when people are not driving. The answer is: you can’t. A close check of on the job accidents and car wrecks reveals that both numbers drop during recessionary times. Unfortunately misguided statements such as this become cannon fodder for extremist groups who seek to limit a persons right to go to court when damaged.

Economic declines affect lawsuits, but not in ways that are commonly suggested in the media. For instance, if someone is injured in a car wreck and has already lost a job and benefits such as health insurance, this person and their family may have incurred hospital and doctor bills that remain outstanding, which, while perhaps ultimately the responsibility of the defendant, nevertheless contribute to increases stress for the injured person and ultimately requires the payment of higher damages by a defendant. Because health insurance typically pays medical bills at a previously negotiated lower reduced rate, the total outstanding bills paid for damages to a person are therefore lower when a person has health insurance. An uninsured person who is injured has a claim that necessarily requires payment of more bills than a person who has some form of insurance.

When people don’t have a job, there are many consequences and the impact is felt in many different ways. But people do not file lawsuits and pursue legal matters because they want to or because they think there is going to be some type of a payday. Lawsuits are filed because a person or corporation was negligent and someone was damaged. Our legal system provides one of the best ways to resolve disputes about liability in our society and efforts made to eliminate this right do not promote justice and fairness.

Wade Coye, Attorney

Any discussion of universal healthcare necessarily requires inquiry into the types of insurance that already provide some level of care for a person’s health. For instance, many people access healthcare through health insurance that is paid for by tax dollars already: federal, state, and local employees, medicaid, medicare, federal workers compensation, and military benefits such as veterans benefits. In the private sector people receive health care from individual and employer sponsored group health benefits, workers compensation policies, auto no-fault policies and other accidental and health policies. Some of these policies pay based upon specific conditions and some pay for health care no matter the situation.

All of the above pay for much of the care that is obtained in this country and is necessarily something which bears significant consideration in a discussion of so-called universal healthcare.  Each of the above has overlapping and duplicate coverages for some, and for others is the sole financial resource to obtain healthcare.  The funding for the different types of coverages are paid for by a combination of state and federal regulatory frameworks, compensation plans, and tort liability. No discussion in the national media has completely reviewed these issues or the likely effect that universal healthcare will have on the existing means of obtaining medical treatment.