A car accident can happen for many reasons, but they are mainly due to a driver’s negligence. Some car accidents are simple and straightforward, while other car accidents are quite complicated. In any case, it is important to prove fault in a car accident.
If you were involved in a car accident, then you will need to enlist the services of a car accident lawyer in order to prove fault in the State of Florida. If you fail to prove fault, then insurance companies will take advantage of the uncertainty and pay you the least amount of compensation possible.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience and knowledge in proving fault in car accidents for clients who live throughout the State of Florida. Our law firm understands the complex nature of car accidents, and we will explain the traffic laws to you.
If you have questions in regard to a car accident, then you should reach out to a car accident attorney straight away. Our team of car accident lawyers will answer all of your questions and simplify the process for you. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today.
What Does Negligence Mean in a Car Accident?
The term negligence is used when a person is careless, and their careless actions result in causing harm to another person. In this case, they will be held legally liable for the damage caused to the other person. However, the prosecution must prove four elements of negligence in order for the careless person to be held liable for damages:
- Duty of care – Every person has a responsibility to act with mindfulness and caution to ensure the safety of themselves and other people.
- Breach of duty – A person behaved carelessly and breached their duty of care.
- Causation – A person’s careless actions caused another person to suffer injuries or damages.
- Damages – A person’s careless actions resulted in quantifiable damages.
Every personal injury claim is based on the concept of negligence in the State of Florida. Negligence must be proved in all cases.
You can read more about negligence laws in Florida Statute 768.81.
Common Ways to Prove Fault After a Car Accident
All car accidents are different, and they will each require an investigation into the facts and details. If you were involved in a car accident that was not your fault, then you will need to find ways to prove that the other person was at fault – otherwise, the fault could be pinned on you. Our law firm highly recommends that you follow these steps in order to determine fault in a car accident:
Always Call an Ambulance After a Car Accident
It is essential that you call an ambulance after a car accident in the State of Florida. You should pick up the phone and make the call as soon as you exit the motor vehicle. Do not listen to the other drivers involved if they insist that you should not call an ambulance to the scene of the car accident. The at-fault driver might try to change their story or deny facts following the crash. It is imperative that you call an ambulance, even if there are no signs of injury. In most cases, an injury will take time to appear.
Always Call the Police After a Car Accident
Once you call an ambulance to the scene of the car accident, then your second call should always be to the police department. The police report that the officers will make of the accident will contain essential information that you can use to establish that the other party was at fault. The police report will include the other party’s statement to the police, a narrative of how the accident happened, the evidence that the police officers found during the investigation, the conclusions from the police officers, and any traffic citations that were issued. In addition, a police report is a vital piece of evidence for your personal injury claim.
Gather Photograph and Video Evidence at the Scene
If you can, do your best to take photographs and videos of the scene of the accident. It is important that you document the accident and gather evidence by taking photographs and videos of the property damage, injuries, motor vehicles, road marks, location, and more. The more evidence that you have, the more chance that you have to prove fault in a car accident.
Get Eyewitness Statements and Contact Information
If there were people who witnessed the car accident, then you should collect their contact information (such as names, phone numbers, and email addresses). The eyewitnesses will help you in a number of ways, such as giving their perspective of the crash, the behavior of the drivers, and their statement about the car accident. The more statements that you have, the clearer the narrative will be.
Look for Traffic or Surveillance Cameras
It will be helpful for you to look around for a traffic or surveillance camera at the scene of a car accident. If your car accident happened in a parking lot or close to a business, then you should try to contact the business to see if they have camera footage of the crash. It is important that you reach out to the business quickly because most surveillance cameras have a limited storage capacity, and they will usually clean or refresh the hard drive within 24 hours.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
There are many steps to follow after a car accident, and you will need the assistance of a car accident lawyer to help you every step of the way. If you sustained a serious injury in a car accident, then you will need all of the help that you can get. It is important that you hire a car accident lawyer with the necessary knowledge and skills to build your claim against the at-fault party and develop your case.
A car accident lawyer from The Law Place will ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve and guide you through the legal system with efficiency. Call our office to set up a free consultation now.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Compensation for Car Accidents
If you or someone you love were injured or sustained damages in a car accident, then you will need the support of a personal injury attorney in the State of Florida. A personal injury lawyer from The Law Place will explain the traffic laws and tell you what kind of compensation that you could be entitled to receive following a car accident.
- Medical bills – We will seek compensation for hospitalization, surgery, visits to the doctor, physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescription medication, and more (past, present, and future)
- Lost wages – We will seek compensation for lost wages, future lost earnings, and a reduced earning capacity since you have missed time at work.
- Property damage – We will seek compensation for property damage, including the costs to repair or replace your motor vehicle, phone, and other property that was damaged in the car crash.
- Pain and suffering – We will seek compensation for types of pain and suffering, including physical pain, emotional suffering, and mental anguish.
- Wrongful death – We will seek compensation for funeral expenses, medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and more after someone you love was killed in a car crash. You can read more about wrongful death in Florida Statute 768.21.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Florida’s Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents
A personal injury claim has to be filed within four years after the car wreck in order to recover compensation under the statute of limitations in the State of Florida. However, a wrongful death claim has to be filed within two years of the person’s death in order to recover compensation under the statute of limitations in the State of Florida.
You can read more about the statute of limitations in Florida Statute 95.11.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Contact The Law Place Today
If you or someone you love were involved in a car accident, then you could be entitled to compensation in the State of Florida. It is important that you have a car accident lawyer on your side to prove fault.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience when it comes to establishing fault for car accidents in the State of Florida. Our team of car accident lawyers is skilled at dealing with complex cases, ranging from car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and more.
If you want to know more about proving fault after a car wreck, then you should seek legal advice from a car accident attorney now. A car accident attorney will discuss the details of your case and answer all of the questions that you have in mind. Furthermore, we will update you on the process of your case without adding more stress to your life. The phone lines to our office are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation today.
