Car Accident in Florida
Several thousand people in the United States are involved in motor vehicle accidents every day. Some auto accidents result in serious injuries and disabilities. A very large percentage are fatal accidents. Florida, like most states in the United States, has associations related to the safety of roads, vehicles, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Despite the various programs, the number of motor vehicle accidents is not decreasing. Terrible weather conditions, distracted driving, texting, and a simple failure to follow traffic rules are a small list of factors that indicate the occurrence of Florida car accidents. Experienced attorneys provide invaluable assistance to victims, survivors, and parties in motor vehicle accidents.
Florida Car Accident Lawyers
The task of professional Florida car accident lawyers is not only to file a claim but also to perform a number of assignments and tasks where client protection comes first. No matter who you were in a Florida car accident, an experienced lawyer’s job will be to protect your status and pursue compensation or restitution. Every state in the United States, like Florida, has its own laws governing the field of traffic. A car crash attorney protects the interests of clients with Florida laws and regulations in mind.
Compensation that will be awarded to you based on the claim will help cover medical expenses, possible rehabilitation after treatment, and other damages, including those that exceed the standard PIP coverage. Each driver must have a minimum coverage that is $10,000 (PIP standard). Florida car accident consequences may not always cover this amount of coverage, and only a knowledgeable attorney can help victims receive compensation that is tens or hundreds of times greater than the minimum PIP coverage.
The Cause of Your Car Accident Is Important
In order to determine how much compensation you are entitled to following a Florida car crash, you need to consider the cause of the incident. After you call the police to the scene of a motor vehicle accident, a report will be filed as well as a due diligence review of the road conditions and vehicles. Witness and other road users’ testimonies will also be taken into account. The detailed examination and witness statements will be the determining factors that will ultimately affect the amount of the compensation payments. An experienced car accident lawyer in Florida will conduct their own investigation and gather the evidence necessary to ensure that the client is ultimately awarded fair compensation.
The reasons for the Florida car accident will affect the amount of compensation, which can be as follows:
- Poor roadway conditions and poor road maintenance by supervisors.
- No warning signs or traffic lights at the scene of the accident.
- The driver was drunk or under the influence of drugs.
- The operator of the vehicle had signs of “distracted driving.”
- The driver made a mistake while making a vehicle maneuver.
- The poor condition of the vehicle.
All of these factors can greatly affect the amount of compensation paid, and a lawyer will seek to ensure that his or her client receives a substantial amount for the consequences of a Florida car accident.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
Many mistakes participants in motor vehicle accidents make occur at the scene of the accident. If you follow the minimum rules for what to do after an accident, you can expect to receive compensation payments in the future.
- After the accident, stop your car and, if possible, get out of the vehicle and inspect the accident scene.
- Call 911 and give all necessary information about the accident. Inform the operator if the victim needs immediate medical attention.
- Wait for the police officer and medical services to arrive. Do not impede the investigation. Never tell the police officer who you think was responsible for the accident.
- Document the scene of the car accident on your cell phone. The video and photos will be evidence for a lawsuit before a court panel.
- Gather contact information for witnesses and others involved in the motor vehicle accident. Make sure the witnesses’ information is recorded in your report by the police officer.
- Contact your insurance company and tell them what happened in the Florida car crash. Under no circumstances should you sign documents with an insurance agent, especially if the insurer is representing the other party. Otherwise, there is a chance that you will receive minimal compensation.
- Within fourteen days, visit a doctor and record your medical condition. This is an important consideration, as your future medical bills and rehabilitation expenses will depend on it.
- Next, we recommend that you contact Top Auto Accident Attorney Florida and get free instructions from them on how to proceed. Remember, you have four years to file a claim, and an experienced attorney will always help protect your interests in court or before the insurance company.
How Often Do Car Accidents Happen in Florida?
According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), the following statistics were recorded for 2018-2019 for motor vehicle accidents in Florida.
2019 | 2018 | % 2018/2019 | Average data for 2 years | |
Total number of accidents
| 401,867 | 403,626 | -0.44% | 402,747 |
Total number of drivers
| 689,474 | 693,561 | -0.59% | 691,518 |
Average number of accidents per day
| 1,101 | 1,106 | -0.44% | 1,103 |
Fatality rate (mileage per 100 million VMT)
| 1.41 | 1.41 | 0.00% | 1.41 |
Fatal accidents
| 2,951 | 2,917 | 1.17% | 2,934 |
Fatalities
| 3,185 | 3,135 | 1.59% | 3,160 |
Injured in accidents with disabilities person
| 236,753 | 236,157 | 0.25% | 236,455 |
Number of accidents with injuries, followed by disability
| 14,252 | 15,152 | -5.94% | 14,702 |
Injuries with subsequent disability
| 18,063 | 19,196 | -5.90% | 18,630 |
Property damage | 231,896 | 233,490 | -0.68% | 232,693 |
As you can see from the statistics, severe car accidents have not seen a downward trend in recent years. Florida car fatality attorney assistance will enable the victim’s relatives to receive fair compensation as well as other benefits related to funeral and life support for the family members of the deceased.
The High Cost of Florida Auto Accidents
The exact amount of compensation depends on the circumstances of the incident, and an attorney will help you prepare a claim with all the necessary calculations. According to statistics, Florida ranks among the top ten most expensive states in the United States in terms of average car accident expenses. For example, in 2018, the average expense check was $1426.46, and the state ranked 4th in the United States for these figures. And that amount includes:
- For liabilities: $1,009, 94
- For collisions: $361.79
- For complex costs: $149.26
The figures were taken from the average costs of the state’s auto insurance system.
You May Be Entitled to Compensation
Can the person involved in the incident be entitled to compensation payments? Yes, state law says so. By contacting car accident lawyers serving Florida, you may be able to file a claim against both the insurers and the at-fault party. There may also be an out-of-court settlement if the parties come to an agreement, which can be worked out by the parties with the help of attorneys. However, the parties may not always be able to reach an agreement in court, and then the case goes to court, and therefore the costs and expenses associated with the case increase. The ideal lawyer knows that the following types of compensation can be included in a claim:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Medical expenses, including current and future
- Loss of employment and wages
- Loss of future earning capacity (disability)
- Punitive damages
- Wrongful death of a person
To find out how much compensation you can receive for a car accident, we recommend contacting our car accident lawyers. Based on the case, the likelihood of receiving compensation will be voiced and a program of actions will be developed, the implementation of which will be observed with the help of an experienced attorney.
What Factors Affect My Settlement?
A car accident settlement depends on many factors. Timely filing of a claim is important. The state has a rule that requires you to file your claim within four years of the accident. Florida car accident lawyers recommend considering the following factors when considering a claim:
- What type of insurance you and others involved in the accident have.
- What type of injuries you sustained.
- What property damage your car sustained.
- Whether there were other consequences from the accident (e.g., you lost your job or you were diagnosed with a permanent or temporary disability).
- Whether there is an indication of wrongful death of the party involved in the accident.
- Whether the road companies responsible for the quality of the roadway are at fault.
There are also additional factors that affect the settlement issue. To clarify what situations are available for a settlement, we recommend contacting an experienced car crash attorney.
Types of Motor Vehicle Accident Claims
Based on the practice of professional lawyers, the injured parties in a car accident are often not aware that they can file more than one type of claim. There is an important stipulation: You need to study the case in detail so that you can understand which claim you should file with the insurer or with the court. Top-rated attorneys always help you win your case in court and obtain fair compensation for the injured party.
- Negligence: It is necessary to clarify what condition the auto driver was in at the time of the accident. Signs of negligence include drunk driving, distracted driving, refusal to yield the road, aggressive driving, etc.
- Faulty Vehicle: A vehicle’s defective condition that caused an auto accident should be treated as a separate claim. Typically, the lawyer you have assigned your case to will make a request for an examination to confirm that the auto is technically defective. The claim is then filed directly with the manufacturer of the vehicle or the manufacturer of the parts.
- Road Conditions: Faulty traffic lights, lack of warning signs, poor road conditions, etc. are highlighted in a separate lawsuit. In this case, the claim is filed against the highway department and in some cases state authorities if they are at fault. Many top-rated attorneys have helped to get impressive settlements from state authorities.
An important part of filing a claim is getting it right. If you have been injured in a car accident or if you have a loved one killed, contact a Florida car fatality attorney who will prepare claims against the at-fault party, the insurance company, and/or the state bar.
Get the Most Out of Your Florida Accident Claim
Our attorneys do not recommend you file a claim on your own because you don’t know many of the nuances of state law. In the general practice of Florida car fatality attorneys, there have been situations where relatives of the victims expected to get no more than $35,000. After they had contacted an experienced attorney, they were able to increase their compensation to $430,000. After examining the case of the deceased, it turned out that the vehicle was defective and the cause of death was the manufacturer’s faulty parts. The lawyer requested a re-examination of the accident documents and found that the police officer in the report did not conduct an additional examination of the technical condition of the car. After persevering, the examination confirmed that substandard vehicle parts were the cause of the accident. On this basis, two claims were filed in which the victim’s relatives were able to recover compensation not only from the insurance company but also from the manufacturer.
Safety Tips
It is impossible to be completely safe on the road, as there are a number of extraneous factors. However, these tips from experienced drivers will help reduce the risk of serious consequences:
- Always wear a seat belt.
- Put children in a child safety seat.
- Check the technical condition of the car before you drive and have it inspected periodically.
- Do not drive for more than four hours.
- Stop to rest for at least 30 minutes if you feel tired.
- Respect other road users and give them priority when necessary.
The insurance system will help you to minimize financial risks if, for some reason, an accident happens. In severe situations, an experienced lawyer will always be there to help you.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Accident Lawyer?
The exact cost of a professional lawyer will depend on the success of the case. Professionals will never charge until you win your case in court or until the matter is resolved through pretrial dispute resolution. After you win the case, you pay a fee according to the rate.
Get a Free Consultation
Any car accident leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the victim or his or her family members. In order to receive fair compensation, we offer you a free consultation with our lawyer. You may call us or send us your case for analysis. After that, you will be given an initial free consultation and a proposed program of your further actions.
References and Resources:
https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-auto-insurance
https://theleachfirm.com/personal-injury/car-accidents/
https://rushandfriscolaw.com/practice-areas/car-accident-attorney-gainesville-fl/
https://www.thefloridafirm.com/auto-accident-claims/
https://www.kogan-disalvo.com/florida-car-accident-lawyer/
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2019.pdf
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