Articles Tagged with Car accident

A car accident, whether minor or serious, can damage your physical and emotional health, as well as damage your vehicle. Unfortunately, Florida has one of the highest auto accident rates in the United States, due in large part to the many visitors to our Sunshine State who don’t know the area and may be distracted as they look for their destination. It’s important to know what to do in the case of an accident and when to reach out for legal help. 

What to do after a car accident

Be prepared to take these important steps if you’re ever involved in a vehicular accident in Florida:

Florida is a destination state year-round. Visitors from around the country and the world flock to Florida because of our state’s natural beauty, many attractions, amusement parks, and resorts. The presence of a large number of tourists creates unique traffic conditions in the Sunshine State because so many drivers are unfamiliar with the region. This almost guarantees a lot of distracted drivers or erratic driving, which translates into car accidents.

If you are in a car accident in Florida, whether you’re a native or a visitor, there are several things you should NEVER do in the aftermath of the accident.

  1. Never skip calling 911. Even if the accident seems minor and no one is hurt, it’s important to have police or medical personnel come to document the event and provide immediate medical attention. 

You may not think accidents caused by road construction are common, but according to OSHA, every year more than 40,000 people are injured in work zone accidents, and every day three people on average die in accidents due to highway construction. 

Nearly 20% of the U.S. highway system is under construction in peak seasons, with active construction sites estimated to be about every 100 miles. 

Partly because of our wet weather and partly due to heavy traffic, road construction is common in Florida. While sometimes accidents can’t be avoided you can help keep yourself safe when going through work zones by staying alert and slowing down. 

Florida is a destination state for so many people from around the world because of our incredible natural beauty and our many attractions, amusement parks, and entertainment venues. The downside of this is that many drivers aren’t familiar with the area, giving Florida a very high auto accident rate. 

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida involving a motor vehicle, whether you were driving or riding in a vehicle, operating a bicycle or motorcycle, or were a pedestrian, and the accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, and loss of income.

What you should do right away

Texting while driving is a primary offense in Florida. That means that a police officer can pull a person over for texting while driving. So if you have been in an accident and you suspect another driver involved in the accident was texting at the time of the accident, this could affect the determination of cause and therefore the amount of your compensation. It is critical to collect the proper documentation to prove texting while driving. 

Sources of evidence

If someone involved in an accident was texting while driving, this can be proven in several ways:

Florida’s no-fault laws require every driver to carry personal injury protection (PIP) offering up to $10,000 coverage for financial losses, such as medical bills or lost wages. In the case of an accident, your Florida PIP policy will be activated, even if you’re injured as a pedestrian. 

However, injuries from a pedestrian accident can often be serious and resulting expenses can be high. That is why you should consider taking additional steps to recover financial losses and reimbursement for pain and suffering. But who is liable? 

Determining negligence

Contact Information