If you were in a Kendall car accident caused by a negligent driver, then you may be entitled to damages in an auto accident claim. Personal injuries often arise as a result of getting hit, necessitating an insurance claim to compensate the victim for their losses.
The issue is that most people don’t have the knowledge and experience that a car accident attorney has. A car accident lawyer helps people who have been injured in all types of motor vehicle accidents in Kendall.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Motor Vehicle Crash Data Querying and Reporting, there were 294 fatal car accidents in Miami Dade County in 2020, with September being the deadliest month (35) followed by June (32), October (30) and January (27).
1-800-Injured is a lawyer and medical directory that can connect you with a local car accident lawyer in Kendall within minutes, saving you time and money. 1-800-Injured connects Kendall residents with law offices in their area when they need legal counsel. If you are looking for a lawyer in Kendall, then call 1-800-Injured now.
Should I get a lawyer after a car accident in Florida?
Kendall accident victims should definitely contact a personal injury lawyer before contacting the insurance company. That is because the insurance company is a for-profit business seeking to reduce how much they pay you in your settlement.
Kendall personal injury lawyers, by contrast, help car accident victims to get the financial compensation they deserve. An accident attorney will advise you on what not to say to the insurance provider and what steps you should take.
Choose A Personal Injury Law Firm That Can Handle Your Accident Claim
Personal injury lawyers specialize in practice areas such as auto accidents, medical malpractice, construction accidents, and more. When looking for a law firm, you should be sure that you are talking to an accident lawyer in Kendall. In fact, it is recommended that you ask them about their history of handling cases similar to yours.
Severe injuries lead to high medical bills and other damages. Car accident attorneys work to establish liability so that you can get the financial compensation that you deserve for those losses. This requires a strong background in handling complex car accident cases. Just because someone went to law school and passed the Bar exam does not mean that they practice in the field of law for which you need counsel.
Fortunately, most attorneys have a website where you can see what their practice areas are, learn more about them, and maybe even read their blog or watch a video they produced about the area of law in which you are seeking representation. It’s not uncommon for people to talk to another attorney to get a second opinion and then make a decision of who they ultimately want to hire.
Common Causes Of Car Accidents In Miami-Dade County
Drivers owe each other a duty of care. When they violate traffic laws and safety rules or drive in a way that is unreasonably careless, they can be held liable if they cause an auto accident.
Aggression and Speeding
Reckless driving is defined under Florida law as willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, as well as fleeing a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle. Running red lights and speeding make a driver more likely to cause an accident in Kendall and South Miami.
Alcohol
Drunk driving is dangerous because alcohol reduces inhibitions, reaction time, and coordination. A drunk driver may not stop in time if the car in front of them brakes suddenly or a pedestrian enters a crosswalk. According to Florida law, driving under the influence of alcohol, chemical substances, or controlled substances is a criminal offense. In 2021 there were 5,111 alcohol-confirmed car accidents in the state of Florida.
Distractions
Texting, applying makeup, talking on the phone or even using a GPS are all types of distracted driving, which caused 424,000 injuries in 2019 in the US. There are three types of distracted driving:
- Manual
- Cognitive
- Visual
Car accident attorneys investigate claims to find the cause of the accident and who should be held liable for the resultant damages.
Common Types Of Car Accident Injuries
A car accident can cause serious injuries like broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains, internal bleeding, back injuries, and head and neck injuries. Because injury victims absorb much of the energy from the impact during a motor vehicle accident, they need extensive medical treatment, which then result in high medical bills.
Housed within 33 vertebrae is the spinal cord, which is a long bundle of nerves that spread out to the rest of the body. Damage to the spinal cord affects the nerves in that area. The most severe type of spinal cord injuries are paraplegia, also known as tetraplegia, which is damage from the cervical spine down. The victim is unable to control their legs, arms or torso, and their life is changed forever.
A Kendall car accident can also cause traumatic brain injuries (TBI) like hematomas, hypoxic/anoxic brain injury, concussion, hemorrhage, or coma. There are two types
of TBI: open TBI and closed TBI. Closed TBI is an injury within the skull, like brain bleeding or bruising. Open TBI occurs when the skull has been penetrated during the car accident. Car accident victims who have suffered the physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms of TBI may be entitled to financial compensation.
How much can you sue for a car accident in Florida?
Each case must be evaluated on its own merits. Kendall car accident lawyers look at all your losses and learn more about how the accident has affected you, then calculate an amount that they believe is just and fair.
There is no cap on the amount of compensation for which you can sue. An accident that leaves the victim with thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical costs, lost wages, and emotional distress could be worth a million dollars or more.
There are two types of damages you can receive from a personal injury claim: economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages compensate crash victims for their medical expenses, future medical care, lost wages, future lost earning potential, and property damage. Your Kendall car accident lawyer will calculate the total of your financial losses in your auto accident claim. The more severe your injuries, the more expensive your care is. Therefore, the more serious the accident, the higher the economic damages.
Accidents in Kendall have a psychological component. Noneconomic damages are nonfinancial losses like emotional distress and pain and suffering. Car accident victims who have suffered permanent injuries like paralysis, amputation, facial disfigurement, or the loss of the use of an organ should address these immense losses in their claim.
To win damages in your car accident case, you will need to provide evidence of your losses, like medical records from the medical professional who initially treated you after your Kendall car accident. Other types of evidence that a Kendall car accident lawyer will compile include:
- Evidence to prove your income, like tax returns, pay stubs, and W-2 statements
- Footage from traffic cameras or surveillance cameras from nearby homes or businesses that captured the accident
- Testimony from eyewitnesses
- Testimony from expert witnesses
- The police report
How long does it take to settle a car accident case in Florida?
In general, it could take one to two months for you to receive a settlement check. Of course, that will depend on whether your case goes to trial and how long before you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). When you meet with your Kendall car accident lawyer for your free case evaluation, you should ask how long they think it will take to settle your claim, and if their law firm has the resources to take your case all the way through to trial if necessary.
After your accident attorney determines that you have a valid case, they immediately begin the process of proving liability and your damages. During the discovery phase, your car accident attorney will collect evidence. They may visit the site of the car crash in Miami-Dade County, talk to the passengers to get their testimony and get an expert witness to create models of the crash.
Often, these cases settle before going to court, which could take about four to six weeks. There’s no way to know how long a trial will last, so attorneys try to settle cases so that their client does not have to wait years before getting the compensation they need to pay their medical debts and other losses.
What You Should Do After An Accident In Kendall
Always report a car accident immediately by dialing 911. Never leave the site of an accident since that is against the law. Check on the other driver and check to see if you are blocking traffic or at risk of getting hit again.
Get the name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and auto insurance information from the other driver. Make sure also to get the contact information for any witnesses or passengers in their vehicle. Do not admit fault, apologize for the accident or blame the other driver.
Get pictures of the scene of the car accident. They will be useful in determining liability in your personal injury case.
You should seek medical attention within 24 hours of the accident. Go to the nearest emergency room and tell the doctor that you were involved in an accident. They can assess you for any of the aforementioned serious car accident injuries.
Contact an attorney. A lawyer and medical directory can connect you with law offices and experienced attorneys who offer free consultations to potential new clients. Be sure to talk to a car accident lawyer before you talk to the insurance company since the latter is less likely to help you. A car accident attorney is on your side, while the insurance company is not.
What You Should Not Do
There are some things that could harm your case and delay a positive outcome. First, don’t post anything on your social media about the accident. Most insurance companies hire private investigators who, like your attorney, conduct an investigation into your claim. Posting something online that can be misconstrued by the insurance company can harm your case.
You should also avoid stopping your treatment suddenly. If you stop complying with your doctor’s orders, the insurance company may deny your claim. The best thing for your health and future is to follow the instructions given to you by medical personnel.
Kendall Car Accident Lawyer
Getting into an accident is one of the most stressful things anyone ever goes through. 1-800-Injured is a lawyer and medical directory that helps you save time, money, and frustration when finding a personal injury lawyer.