Southwest Ranches Florida Car Accident Attorneys

Lying at the heart of Southwest Ranches is a town of people proud of its heritage and story. Back in 1997, the people living in this area opposed plans for Pembroke Pines to incorporate the land. In the months that followed, the locals of Southwest Ranches filled the courthouses and believed in their ability to create their own city. Eventually, this is exactly what happened and now we have a beautiful, rural town with natural sidewalks and landscapes.

Many positives came from the decision, but one of the drawbacks has been the number of car crashes taking place in Southwest Ranches. Unfortunately, the need for rustic appearances has made roads and pathways darker than normal when the sun disappears. While some roads are nothing more than trails, others have no sidewalks and it makes for a dangerous environment for cars, cyclists, horse riders, and pedestrians.

In addition to this, The Injury Firm has witnessed an increase in the number of cases containing driver distractions all over the state. This includes:

• Using a mobile device
• Speaking to somebody in the rear-view mirror
• Watching videos on a device
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Speaking to somebody on a phone
• Texting or even playing a game while driving

In a location that is already laden with hazards, drivers need to keep their wits about them at all times. When this doesn’t happen, an accident is almost inevitable. If you’ve been injured in an accident in Southwest Ranches, you may be able to make a personal injury claim against the negligent party. If successful, you’ll receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and possibly more.

The Statistics and Laws in Southwest Ranches and Florida

In Florida, we have around 17 million drivers on the road. Despite the best attempts of safety organizations, around 395,000 accidents occur every single year from small knocks to full car crashes. As we’ve seen, a sad number of cases are still caused by the negligence of one or more drivers. While some attempt to use a mobile device while driving, others drive recklessly. Either way, it poses a risk to other road users and increases the likelihood of an accident.

In Southwest Ranches and the whole of Florida, you can make a personal injury claim with the help of a car accident attorney. While you recover from the auto accident, The Injury Firm’s professionals consider insurance policy coverage, the negligence of the other road user, apportioning fault, and gathering evidence.

When it comes to car accidents, Florida follows a ‘no-fault’ law and this means that victims of car crashes claim for damages on their own insurance. In severe circumstances, we highly recommend contacting a car accident attorney to make a claim and even a personal injury lawsuit. Even when claiming on your own insurance, you still need to prove liability.

Recovering Damages in Southwest Ranches

When attempting to recover compensation, the amount a victim receives all depends on the extent of the car accident, fault, and injuries. However, your car accident attorney may push for the following.

Compensatory Damages - Firstly, this comes in two forms; economic and non-economic. As the name suggests, the first covers all monetary and tangible losses while the second covers intangible losses caused by the accident. Examples of economic damages include medical bills, lost wages, loss of potential future earnings, house expenses, and predicted future medical care. Meanwhile, non-economic damages can include the following:

• Loss of companionship
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium

Of course, the damages claimed will depend on the accident in question. If you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one, for example, it will likely include loss of companionship and funeral costs. If you’ll need physiotherapy and medical care for several years, this is reflected in the claim put forward by your legal team.

Punitive Damages - Although less common, some cases will seek punitive damages, and this is where the negligent party acted recklessly intending to harm another. If the negligent act was deliberate, a judge may award punitive damages.

 

 

When working with a car accident attorney, one of the things they will do to prove fault is to gather evidence. Even when it seems obvious that another driver was at fault, proving this to a point where compensation is necessary isn’t a simple task. Often, victims of accidents believe that all valuable evidence is left at a crash scene. In reality, your car accident attorney will help with the following:

Photographs - Firstly, this includes photographs of the accident scene, your vehicle, and your injuries. Even if it’s too late to get pictures of the crash scene, your car accident attorney will still advise keeping a picture diary of your injuries. Considering you have to prove that a return to work isn’t possible, these pictures have the potential to influence your case.

Even after the event, the car accident attorney may travel to the crash site and photograph the traffic signs, obstructions, skid marks, debris, and other items that help the case and prove fault.

Police Reports - When emergency responders and police officers show up to an accident, one of their obligations is to complete paperwork. In the official report, the officers will write their observations and other notes on the accident. Often, this is invaluable for victims because it will contain information on the behavior of drivers, traffic citations, and even suspicions of drug/alcohol consumption. Your attorney will request a copy of this report and use it while compiling the personal injury claim.

Statements - While the two individuals involved in a case are liable to defend their own cause, the word of an independent and impartial witness goes a long way to proving guilt. Car accident attorneys will attempt to gather statements from witnesses whether written or recorded.

Documentation - To claim for medical bills and future medical care, the judge needs to understand the extent of your injuries. Currently, there’s no better way to do this than through medical records. Other important documentation includes:

• Medical notes (preventing you from working)
• Towing records
• Garage/mechanic invoices
• Doctor statements

Crash Type - We’ve spoken about ‘car crashes’ today with no differentiation, but there are lots of different types of accidents. While some are small fender benders, others are considered ‘no-doubt crashes’. This describes accidents where the fault is obvious (such as rear-end collisions). In most cases, a rear-end collision is the fault of the driver behind because they were too close and couldn’t react to changes from the car in front. Alternatively, they may have been distracted. Another example would be somebody going straight over an intersection hit by another car turning left.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Southwest Ranches

Step 1: Get Medical Attention - If you’re involved in a car accident, the first thing to do is contact emergency services and get the medical treatment you need. Not only is this to look after your health, but the documentation will also help to prove the seriousness of your injuries later. If there’s a passenger with you or somebody well enough, get them to talk to eyewitnesses and maybe even take a recorded statement on the spot. At the same time, they can take photographs of the scene.

If there’s nobody well enough, don’t panic - your car accident lawyer will help with the gathering of evidence. At this point, your health and safety are the priority.

Step 2: Contact The Injury Firm - In Florida, the statute of limitations for car accidents is four years. As long as you claim within this time, your case is heard, and compensation is possible. Although this seems like a long period, it gets harder and harder for an attorney to prove liability the longer you wait. With this in mind, we recommend getting in touch with The Injury Firm as soon as possible.

There are many benefits to choosing The Injury Firm, and this includes our experience, expertise, caring nature, skill at gathering evidence, resources to take a claim to court, and our professionalism. When you contact us early, we have a great opportunity to help with your car accident personal injury claim while you recover from the accident.

For success, we need to prove three things:

• The driver failed to act safely and responsibly according to the laws of the road (and therefore placed others in danger)
• This negligence caused an incident
• You experienced injuries as a result

If we can do this, you stand a chance of recovering respectable damages. The earlier you reach out, the higher the chance of success.

Choose The Injury Firm Today

At The Injury Firm, our car accident attorneys will protect your legal rights following a car incident in Southwest Ranches. We have years of experience dealing with car crashes and negligent drivers, so we know what to expect from a claim and case. With us, you receive the compensation you deserve and start the next chapter of your life with positivity.