Did another driver’s negligence cause your injuries? Contact an experienced Pompano Beach car accident lawyer for a free consultation to understand your legal rights and determine if you can receive financial compensation.
The value of hiring an experienced car accident lawyer is immeasurable. Usually, people find themselves having to learn about the complexities of a car accident after experiencing one themselves. However, a car accident lawyer specializes in the ins and outs of car accident cases and litigation. Following the aftermath of a car accident, you should be focused on recovery, not mountains of paperwork, which is why speaking with an accident lawyer is an important step following an accident. After consulting with a car accident lawyer, they will gather the necessary evidence to substantiate your case. This may include photos of the scene to document property damage and sensitive information such as medical bills and records from medical visits. It can also include documentation from the other driver and local authorities, including insurance info and police reports.
Additionally, your attorney will organize your evidence in a presentable way that increases your chances of settlement success and the settlement amount. The especially beneficial aspect of hiring a car accident lawyer is their experience negotiating with insurance companies and defense attorneys on the other side of your case. The communication style and tactics used by the car accident industry often make or break a case, so attempting to defend yourself alone is not advised. This is especially true for car crash victims who have experienced catastrophic injuries – don’t fight alone.
How many car accidents and serious injuries happen in the Pompano Beach area?
Any city with a high concentration of pedestrians and drivers is vulnerable to accidents, and unfortunately, car accidents are far too common in Pompano Beach and South Florida. With traffic congestion and overly confident drivers visiting a popular destination, the numbers soar year after year. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle Commission in 2019, Broward County recorded the second most number of car accidents in the state of Florida. Pompano Beach’s neighbor, Miami-Dade County, came in at number one. These two Southern Florida counties ultimately accounted for more than one-quarter of all Florida car crashes, totaling near 105,000 car accidents.
Accidents in Pompano Beach are highly prevalent at intersections where the volume of cars and pedestrians is high and where there are multiple turning lanes. A deadly car crash occurred in Pompano Beach just recently, in February 2021, involving seven vehicles on North Dixie Highway. The cause of the accident was an inattentive driver who sideswiped a truck then subsequently struck another car stopped at a traffic light. The second vehicle hit due to the negligent driver’s fault was propelled forward, causing four motor vehicles to collide. The driver of the second vehicle passed away due to the force of being in between multiple cars through no fault of her own. Wrongful deaths are often the focus of auto accident claims.
What are the most common causes of car accidents in Pompano Beach?
The causes of car accidents vary, but it comes down to a few common reasons in most cases. Although any form of distracted driving is a top cause of accidents, one of the major causes is those who drive while under the influence (i.e., drunk driving on the way home from a bar). Other culprits include inattentiveness to important driving signals such as other cars moving lanes and traffic lights changing colors, driving while using the phone to answer a text message, and even changing music stations. The truth of the matter is that distracted driving diminishes the driver’s ability to focus on the road and to operate their vehicle that weighs thousands of pounds. Any form of distraction, so long as the attention is taken away from the road, can have catastrophic effects.
Another common cause of car accidents is reckless driving. Dangerously exceeding the speed limit, disobeying the law such as not wearing seatbelts, disregarding unsafe driving conditions such as ice, rain, or snow, and driving at night, especially when tired, are a few precursors for reckless driving. Ignoring these common causes can result in sideswipes, rear-end collisions, and rollovers, all of which cause a host of legal issues because so many aspects are affected, such as other injured people, property owners, and medical professionals.
What are the most common types of accidents in Pompano Beach?
The most common types of car accidents in Pompano Beach are frontal collisions and those involving pedestrians. The reason for this is the street layout in highly traveled areas of Pompano Beach. A map of Pompano Beach accidents shows that accidents of this sort are especially prevalent on East Atlantic Boulevard towards the Atlantic Ocean beach area.
How does negligence play a role in my claim?
Negligence laws in Florida are a unique consideration when determining the viability of your claim. Florida adheres to something known as a no-fault policy. In other words, regardless of your fault as the driver in contributing to the car crash, you must first pursue recovery under your own insurance policy before pursuing the other driver. This includes bills from medical treatment, financial losses due to missed work, and car damage. All of these things will need to go through your insurance, and any remaining costs can be sought from the offender’s insurance company.
Once you can pursue the other driver, claims are handled according to Florida’s pure comparative fault statute. This means that each party is responsible for the damages he or she caused. Following the presentation of facts and their cases, each party is allocated a percentage of fault, usually by a jury if the cases reach trial rather than settlement. For instance, Driver A is responsible for 80% of a car accident due to texting while making a turn, but Driver B is still allocated 20% of the blame because he exceeded the speed limit. Therefore, if the damages totaled $100,000, Driver A would be responsible for damages of $80,000, and Driver B would be liable for the remaining $20,000.
What if my insurance does not cover all of my expenses?
Florida’s PIP insurance laws (Florida Statute section 316.065) require that every driver maintain a policy of at least $10,000/per person for bodily injury, $10,000/property damages, and $20,000/per accident. Because Florida is a no-fault state, you must first look to your insurance to cover your costs. If you maintain the minimum insurance amount, after expenses of $10,000, you must pursue a civil claim against the other driver and his or her insurance company. A judge may order the offender to pay for partial cotsts, if not all that are not covered by your insurance policy.
Effective January 1, 2022, Florida House Bill SB 54 changes the statutory minimum insurance requirements to $25,000/per person for bodily injury or death of one person, $10,000/property damages, and $50,000/for bodily injury or death of two or more people in any one crash.
What if the other driver does not have insurance?
Florida law requires that every driver have a minimum insurance policy. Otherwise, they may revoke or suspend their license. However, if the other driver lacks car insurance because Florida is a no-fault state, you must first turn to your own insurance to recover for the cost of your accident. Afterward, options to pursue an uninsured driver include filing a lawsuit in civil court or negotiating a settlement out of court. If the other party fails to make payments to you for an agreed-upon amount, you may sue for garnishing their wages or placing a lien on their property.
Will my insurance rates go up after an accident?
Amongst other high costs of having a car accident, insurance rates are a big concern of car accident victims. Regardless of whether your car accident occurred in Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, Boca Raton, or any other part of Florida, statutory law prevents insurers from raising your car insurance rates following an accident unless you were substantially at fault. This includes liability, personal injury protection, medical expenses, and collision premiums. What meets the substantially at fault standard, though? While the statute does not define this threshold, case law suggests that you must be more at fault than not to exceed this threshold for your insurer to legal raise your rates.
What compensation can I receive after an accident?
The types of recovery possibilities for a car accident victim range. However, the direct consequences you may be compensated for include:
- Compensatory damages -these damages compensate victims of automobile accidents for expenses associated directly with their accident. This includes hospital visits, prescribed medication, and damages to your car.
- Lost income – this refers to the loss of future income that you would have earned if the accident had not occurred.
- Pain and suffering – car accident victims frequently suffer from physical, psychological, and emotional trauma following severe accidents. This includes changes in lifestyle due to spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries.
- Punitive damages – while harder to recover, punitive damages compensate a driver for his or her car accident claim due to the at-fault driver’s poor conduct.
A personal injury lawyer will best determine the value of your personal injury case after considering all factors involved. This is why car accident victims must contact a Florida Pompano lawyer, who can advocate for your case.
What evidence do I need to support my claim after a car accident?
Evidence is critical to the success of your personal injury claim after a car accident. Your firm will use the following information to support your case: photographs of the accident scene, your car, and of injuries to your person. You will also need medical documents such as medical costs, physical therapy plans, and other additional evidence such as police reports and witness statements.
How can a Pompano Beach car accident lawyer help me?
Obtaining the assistance of an experienced Pompano Beach car accident lawyer is critical to ensure you have the proper guidance during each step of your claim. Unlike other attorneys, a personal injury attorney understands all types of car accident claims resulting in mild or severe injuries and how to manage each type, including proper handling of medical malpractice and evidence. Working from start to finish, a Pompano Beach car accident lawyer will investigate all factors that caused the accident. From there, they present the case to establish appropriate levels of fault for each responsible party, deal with insurance companies, and negotiate a settlement amount that aligns with the value of your case.
Contacting Ward Law for legal advice has never been easier. Simply fill out our contact form for legal help, and we’ll get in touch with you via phone call or email to set up a free legal consultation. One of the best law firms in the country with years of experience, we’re ready to help you.
How much will a Pompano Beach car accident lawyer charge me?
If cost is a concern in determining whether to hire a car accident lawyer, know that car accident lawyers typically don’t charge on an hourly basis. Instead, they charge what is called a contingency fee. This means that when a car accident victim comes to a lawyer for assistance with a claim, the lawyer takes a pre-set percentage of the recovery amount as his or her fee. This fee ranges from 25-40% and depends on what the client and attorney agree on so long as it is reasonable and fair to the client. Your lawyer has your best interest in mind and will only recover if you recover.
When do I have to file a claim in Pompano Beach?
While you may file a claim at a later date, Florida law imposes restrictions on when claimants must file legal proceedings by to maintain their validity. For example, according to Florida Statute 95.11(3)(a), a claimant must file a car accident lawsuit within four years of the date of the incident. If the accident involved death and the claimant wants to pursue a wrongful death claim, he or she must do so within two years of the accident. If not filed within this timeframe, a claimant relinquishes his or her right to pursue a claim.
When should I contact an experienced Pompano Beach attorney?
Despite having the statutorily prescribed length of time to file your suit, it is highly recommended that you consult with an experienced Pompano Beach area car accident lawyer as soon as possible to determine your options. Additionally, hiring an attorney in the beginning will properly guide you through what to expect for your claims process and how to handle your interactions involving the accident. Ward Law is ready to help you today – fill out our online form or give us a call today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your options.