Undocumented immigrants are hidden in plain sight. Although they shop at the same stores and supermarkets, walk around the same community parks and drive on the same roads as legal residents do, they often fear contacting the police when they are victims of car accidents. So why is this? While obtaining a police report can help cover medical costs related to the accident, collect wages lost from being out of a car or in the hospital — and not to mention the emotional cost caused by anxiety and pain — undocumented immigrants often (and mistakenly) avoid getting involved with the police out of fear of being deported back to their home country. And many times, they feel that not having a legal status in the U.S. could eliminate any legal right to file a claim anyway. But according to Jany Martínez-Ward, partner of The Ward Law Group representing Spanish-speaking victims of motor-vehicle accidents, this is not the case at all and is a common misconception. “Immigrant victims do have rights and should not hesitate to report an accident they have no fault in,” says Martínez-Ward. “Their legal status aside, immigrant victims should definitely report an accident in order to regain losses caused by an accident they had no fault in.”
About The Ward Law Group
The Ward Law Group is one of the largest law firms in South Florida representing victims of motor-vehicle accidents. With over a decade of experience in handling personal injury cases, the attorneys at The Ward Law Group — Gregory Ward and Jany Martínez-Ward — have a track record of achieving results. The Ward Law Group team consists of bilingual lawyers, paralegals and case managers who advocate for the rights of Spanish-speaking victims. The firm operates in a “contingency fee” basis, which means that payment is a fixed percentage of cases only after recovery. If a case is not successful, clients do not pay attorney fees. For legal advice that you can trust, contact The Ward Law Group today or call 855-DOLOR-55 for a free consultation.
Jany Martinez Ward
Partner
Jany Martínez-Ward is a Founding and Managing Partner of The Ward Law Group, PL, a Florida law firm representing victims of car accidents. She focuses her practice on providing legal representation to Hispanic clients that have become injured in a car accident as a result of the negligence of others. In 2018, The National Trial Lawyers Association recognized Jany as one of the top attorneys in the state and among the top 40 under 40 attorneys.
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