Car accident lawyers handle all kinds of cases as they seek compensation for their client’s injuries. The cases often come down to a culprit causing an accident because of a bad choice on the road.
Some fail to pay enough attention and end up defending distracted driving lawsuits, while others are more reckless. Other drivers end up with serious DWI or DUI charges on top of the lawsuits. Let’s take a closer look at the biggest causes of car accident lawsuits.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving might not be the first thing you expected to see on this list, but the FLHSMV recorded as many as 266 deaths in one year due to distracted driving. That figure doesn’t include all the other cases where distractions led to serious or minor injuries.
With the former, families can make a case of wrongful death and sue for damages via car accident lawyers. Those skilled attorneys can still help compensate for financial loss and pain and suffering in the latter.
The biggest issue right now with distracted driving is the use of mobile devices. We’re so connected to these devices that we struggle to be without them, even when driving. The worst cases arise when drivers start taking calls or texting on their phones.
Even if there’s a hand-free mode with the phone on speaker, you’re still paying more attention to the conversation than the road ahead. Some drivers insist that one quick text can’t hurt. But, just a brief moment of inattention can see you miss a child running into the road or a light changing.
The same goes for using mobile devices for navigation. Are you really focused on where you’re going or the voice telling you where to go?
Distractions while driving don’t end there. Unfortunately, there will be times when there are distractions that aren’t 100%the driver’s fault, and they end up causing a collision by complete accident. These often occur when there are other people or animals in the car.
Your attention goes to them as soon as the kids in the back seat start screaming at each other or asking questions. If the animal is a distraction because it is not securely in its seat and causing problems, that is your fault.
Other examples of distracted driving include taking the time to change something within the car, such as the radio or air conditioning, or looking at something outside the vehicle. Ironically, you can easily cause an accident and get sued for paying too much attention to a different accident on the road.
Driving While Under The Influence
There are also many cases in Florida where some form of substance-impaired a driver’s ability to handle their vehicle or the road conditions, and this caused an accident. DWI cases and DUI cases are a different story from car accident lawsuits.
Culprits will have to face criminal charges to determine their guilt and consequences. However, that doesn’t mean that victims of these cases can’t also file compensation claims with car accident lawyers. Drunk drivers can end up crashing into other cars and buildings, driving onto sidewalks, and even causing hit-and-run incidents with pedestrians.
DWI cases often fall into two categories. On one side, you have all those who genuinely didn’t realize they were over the limit and caused an accident. It could be that they felt perfectly sober but were still over the legal limit from the night before. That’s why first-time offenses in Florida don’t carry the same penalties.
Drivers can pay the fines and learn their lesson. Even so, if they caused serious harm to another driver or pedestrian, that injured party still has a right to compensation. On the other side, you have the repeat offenders who knowingly get behind the wheel while drunk and don’t care. The penalties are much higher at this point.
There’s also the issue of driving while under the influence of drugs. This doesn’t have to mean intoxication through too much alcohol. It could be that cannabis users don’t appreciate the impact of the drug on their cognitive functions and end up putting people at risk.
Whatever the substance, it should be noted on the police report. Car accident lawyers can use these reports and witness statements to help make a case against the driver.
Reckless Driving
Then, there’s the issue of reckless driving. This term is more broad because many examples of car accidents fall under this category. In these cases, the problem wasn’t that some form of distraction or substance impaired the driver and wasn’t in complete control of these actions. In these cases, the driver knew exactly what was going on and didn’t care what the consequences were.
One of the most common forms of reckless driving is, of course, speeding. Speeding results in so many tragic accidents and deaths because the faster the car goes, the longer the stopping time, and the harder the impact. Even a slight increase in speed could be the difference between stopping before hitting a child in the road or failing to. The faster the car goes, the greater the chance of fatal injuries.
Yet, many of Florida’s drivers feel it’s OK not to follow the speed limits and assume nothing will happen. That’s why it’s so important that speeding drivers pay for the damage caused.
Other forms of reckless driving are related to an inability to follow the rules of the road. Again, this could be an entitled driver who thinks they are above the law and can get away with it.
Sooner or later, that carelessness will get someone killed. Illegal turns, failing to yield, improper use of intersections, and passing on the wrong side could all lead to collisions. Those collisions could see victims experience severe physical and mental trauma. Then, there are all those who run red lights or drive up onto sidewalks, putting pedestrians at risk.
Seeking Help From Car Accident Lawyers
All drivers and pedestrians must be aware of these risks. Not only can drivers who are victims of car accidents use this information to their benefit, but it’s also a learning opportunity for those who didn’t know better.
If you’ve been in an accident that wasn’t your fault because of one of these factors, talk to a car accident lawyer to discuss your case. If you haven’t, avoid all these issues so you don’t cause an accident yourself.
