Car Accident Lawyer Fort Lauderdale, FL
Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers Dedicated to Fighting for Clients’ Rights in Broward County and South Florida Car Accident Cases
For most of us in Fort Lauderdale, getting behind the wheel of our car, van, truck or SUV is second nature. We treat it like it’s no big deal and everything will be fine during the drive. However, driving is one of the most dangerous activities we are likely to engage in.
It may not feel this way, but you are more likely to be involved in or die in a car accident than you are to be killed in a plane crash. Yet so many more people are more scared to fly than drive. This just goes to show that people’s assumptions, feelings or beliefs aren’t always correct.
Another way people can be mistaken is what to do after a car accident in South Florida. Most people think things will always work out, especially when someone else caused the accident. Unfortunately, this isn’t always true.
Car insurance companies and at-fault drivers will usually try to avoid paying anything if they can. This makes it hard for the victim of a car accident to be fully compensated for their injuries and property damage.
If you find yourself in this situation, the Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyers of Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. can help you obtain a full and fair recovery following your accident.
Common Types of Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Claims
The Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. help victims of negligence get compensation for all types of motor vehicle accidents. With more than $30 million recovered and decades of experience, we have practically seen it all. Some of the specific types of car accident claims that we handle include:
- Fatal car accidents
- Fatigued driving accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Head-on collision accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Taxi accidents
- Fender-benders
- Distracted driving accidents and texting while driving accidents
- Single vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Drunk driver accidents
- Accidents resulting in traumatic brain injuries
- Vehicle rollovers
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Accidents caused by vehicle defects
- Tire blowout accidents
- Car accidents in construction zones
- Whiplash injuries
Basic Steps to Follow After a Fort Lauderdale Car Accident
The experience Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. has in dealing with car accidents helps us understand how car insurance companies operate. The most important thing you can do for yourself after a car accident is go see a doctor.
Even if you don’t feel like you’re hurt or injured, it’ll be good for you peace of mind. And oftentimes, injuries can exist without you noticing them.
Regardless of your condition after an accident, seeing a doctor can help move a personal injury case forward. It’s easier to prove damages with the help of medical documentation.
One thing to remember is that the “no-fault” law in Florida requires all those injured in a car accident to seek medical care no more than 14 days following the crash. This helps the victim retain their right to seek compensation under personal injury protection, or PIP.
You should also make sure you take the following steps after a Fort Lauderdale car accident:
- Call 911 so emergency personnel can respond.
- Collect insurance and contact information of all parties involved.
- Take pictures of the vehicle damage, insurance cards and the accident scene.
- Identify any witnesses and obtain their contact information.
- Talk to and exchange contact information with witnesses.
- Report the accident to your insurance company.
- Takes notes about that accident for future reference.
- Speak to an attorney about your car accident.
Never admit fault without talking to an attorney first. This doesn’t mean you need to lie, but you can explain to a police officer what you recall from the accident without adding the words, “and it was my fault.”
Even if you truly believe this, you could still be mistaken. Or, the other driver might be at fault, too. But if you mistakenly admit this to a police officer, they may put it in the police report. Then, your chances of making a full recovery for your accident will be so much harder.
Identify the Cause of Your Fort Lauderdale Car Accident
In order for you to acquire compensation from a car accident, you need to pinpoint who was at fault. This requires determining the cause of the accident.
In most instances, a single person’s negligence could have led to the accident. In other instances, there might have been multiple drivers or vehicles at-fault in the crash.
If there are multiple people at-fault, the car accident legal team of Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. will investigate the crash and determine the comparative negligence of all involved. Common causes of car accidents we’ve dealt with include the following:
- Hazards in the road
- Inclement weather
- Drunk drivers
- Failing to check a blind spot before merging or changing lanes
- Distracted driving
- Manufacturing defects in a car part
- Blown tires
- Poor driving habits of another driver
Our Fort Lauderdale lawyers know how difficult it can be to live with an injury after a car accident. We also know what it takes to find evidence that supports your claim.
Compensation Recovery Options Following a Fort Lauderdale Car Crash
If you have lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, or if you have suffered an injury in a car accident, you should at least talk to a lawyer. Maybe you don’t need to hire one, but you don’t know what you don’t know.
The experienced personal injury attorneys from the team of Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. can discuss your case. During that discussion, they can determine your legal options and potential compensation. Your compensation recovery options in Fort Lauderdale may include the following:
- Lost wages (present and future)
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Costs for rehabilitation
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of support
- Funeral expenses
Contact a Skilled and Trusted Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney
The team at Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. takes extreme pride in providing our clients with trusted, knowledgeable, and compassionate legal representation. We understand the stress you will endure when injured in a crash and how you might fall into tough financial times.
Ideally, things will work out and you’d have no need for our services. But should that not happen, we’re here to help. Call the office or fill out this online contact form to schedule a consultation.
The initial consultation is free and we speak both Spanish and English. We also have offices in Lake Worth and Pompano Beach. But if coming into one of our offices is too difficult, we’re more than happy to see you at your home or in the hospital.
