Car Accident Lawyer Serving Belle Glade

Belle Glade is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida with a population of over 17,000 people. The city sits on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee. The soil in Belle Glade makes it extremely conducive to large-scale production of sugarcane. This has also inspired the name of the area’s most popular golf club, Belle Glade Golf Club ^[1]. Due to Belle Glade’s proximity to Lake Okeechobee, city residents enjoy sport fishing and a thriving agricultural industry. Belle Glade also offers residents and visitors the Torry Island Campground.

Belle Glade & Palm County Crash Statistics

In a recent report, the following intersections were listed as the Most Dangerous Intersections in the city.

Belle Glade Road & Gator Boulevard
S. Main Street & Dr. M.L.K. Jr. Blvd

Accidents reported at these intersections and throughout Belle Glade include:

• Car Accidents Involving Teens or Inexperienced Drivers
• Traffic Accidents as a result of a Rear-End Collision
• T-Bone and Side Impact Accidents involving Distracted Drivers
• Pedestrian Fatalities involving Drunk and Intoxicated Drivers
• Passengers injured in rideshare services like Lyft and Uber

Belle Glade can be a location for serious car accidents requiring immediate medical care. Other types of automobile accidents include: accidents involving motorcyclists, bicyclists, or colliding with a semi-truck, commercial truck, or a company vehicle.

Should you become involved in a Belle Glade car accident, an experienced Car Accident Lawyer serving Belle Glade may be able to assist you with some of the aftermath surrounding your accident. While there are some who feel that they should just let the insurance company deal with everything, there are specific reasons as to why one would seek the help of an experienced car accident attorney.

Whiplash, Neck Injuries, and Soft Tissue Damage: early signs of whiplash or neck injuries include pain and stiffness, pain that worsen with movement or pressure, loss of motion, headaches, and tenderness in the upper back, shoulder, and arms

Herniated Discs: individuals injured in a Florida Car Accident could experience herniated discs. Discs act as cushions to protect the spine and separate the vertebrae. A herniated disc can occur when a disc is displaced. Often, the herniated disc then places pressure on the spinal cord or its surrounding nerves. Car accident victims may experience sudden and intense pain in the lower in the back along with numbness in the legs.

Spinal Cord Injuries: car accident victims who experience severe spinal cord injuries have reported the following, Lumbar Spine Injuries and Thoracic Spine Injuries. If left untreated, these injuries can progress and lead to secondary medical problems like blood clots, bleeding, and leaking of spinal fluid.

Traumatic Brain Injuries: early signs and symptoms of a moderate to severe injury includes persistent headaches, convulsion and seizures, vomiting and nausea, loss of coordination, agitation or unusual behavior, and slurred speech.

Other injuries could include: fractured or broken bones, lacerations, burns, bruising, and internal bleeding.

In Belle Glade, like the rest of the state of Florida, motorists are subject to the no-fault statute. (SB 896: Motor Vehicle Insurance). As such, motorists are required to carry a PIP policy (which stands for “Personal Injury Protection”). This required policy needs to have a minimum of $10,000 coverage and will cover a percent of the insured’s medical bills and lost wages.. A motorist, of course, is also allowed to carry an additional policy, as well. This is a good idea, since $10,000 can easily be too little in order to cover a serious medical issue. Not to mention other expenses that may arise, as well.

Belle Glade, Florida: What to do when PIP is Exhausted?

Of course, various situations can happen in which an auto accident’s injuries are far too serious to be covered by a PIP policy and another personal policy that is owned. There is also the concern that personal insurance policy premiums might increase significantly. In any case, the injured motorist may opt to also file a claim against the driver who is considered to be “at fault”. This is commonly seen in situations involving medical expenses, hospital stays, permanent disabilities or time away from work.

One example of this might be a situation in which the injured driver was hit from behind and suffered a case of whiplash. This is a very common injury in car crashes and can carry a wide range of serious repercussions. But, let’s say that in this case, the driver’s whiplash also involved disc bulges or herniation. In time this injury has become a far more serious issue that required doctor visits, physical therapy, and possibly surgery with extensive recovery time.

Traffic safety is in the best interest of every motor vehicle operator. In Belle Glade (and the rest of Florida), statutes have been enacted in order to ensure that the roadways are kept safe. It is the job of Belle Glade Law Enforcement Officials to ensure driver safety for all. Examples of these statutes can be seen in the laws that pertain to driving too close to another vehicle:

Florida Statute 316.0895 (1) states that “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon, and the condition of, the highway.”

Florida Statute 316.0895 (2) states that “It is unlawful for the driver of any motor truck, motor truck drawing another vehicle, or vehicle towing another vehicle or trailer, when traveling upon a roadway outside of a business or residence district, to follow within 300 feet of another motor truck, motor truck drawing another vehicle, or vehicle towing another vehicle or trailer.”

There are many other statutes that pertain to vehicle accidents that involve reckless drivers and those drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Belle Glade Car Accidents and Comparative negligence

In a Belle Glade car crash, one may also encounter Florida’s Comparative Negligence statute. ( Florida Statutes 768.81 ). First of all, when dealing with a car accident personal injury claim, one of the main issues has to do with “negligence”. In other words, was there a negligent action performed and did this action lead to the accident and subsequent damages?

However, the vehicle accident must also need to be placed within the proper context. For example, an accident may have occurred because one of the vehicles made an illegal turn.

However, the other vehicle may have been speeding. In essence both drivers share the blame for the accident. This is where the court will need to decide as to the percentage of culpability for each driver before making a decision as to the percentage of damages that the injured party may be entitled to.

In any case, in a car accident lawsuit, there are four main questions that are asked:

• Did the other driver owe the injured motorist a “duty of care”
• Was the duty of care actually breached?
• Did the breach result in the accident?
• Were there damages that came about from the accident?

When it comes to Belle Glade’s Comparative Negligence statute, you may learn that you’re only able to get a certain percentage of the damages that were asked for. Only 12 additional states have the Comparative Negligence stipulation. Therefore, it can be a good idea to consult with an experienced car accident attorney. You would, of course, want to try to receive the maximum percentage of the owed damages.

When you add up all the expenses that may arise from a serious injury, it’s a simple matter to see how they can far exceed the coverage that the average motorist may possess. In addition, while the motorist is trying to deal with serious injuries and their subsequent recovery time, the insurance company may present them with an offer to settle their claim. This is designed to let the injured person know what the insurance company is willing to pay.

When you compare the numbers on the payout scale to the actual costs that are incurred, then you may see that the injured person will need to pay most of the expenses out-of-pocket! Now imagine considering that while being unable to work.

At this point, an injured motorist may be able to see just how helpful an experienced car accident lawyer, who serves Belle Glade might be. The first consideration is that the majority of us don’t have any legal experience when it comes to filing a claim. Now, one would also need to be able to list all of the expenses that might be encountered as a result of the accident.

Let’s not forget that the at fault driver is also likely to have their own legal representation or is being assisted by their insurance company. Trying to recover from an injury while dealing with the opposing insurance company, is something that most people are just not ready for. In this situation, it is advised that you consult your own car accident attorney, who serves Belle Glade. Your initial consultation with the attorney is free of charge, so there’s really nothing to lose.

Medical Bills related to your injuries as a result of the crash, which could include emergency transportation via ambulance or flight, cost of treatment at a local hospital, urgent care or to be treated by a primary care physician, chiropractic treatments, MRIs, and prescription medication.

Extended Medical Care, Custom Accessibility, or Rehabilitation: which includes home healthcare, walkers or wheelchairs, stair lifts, long-term care facilities, and home renovation for accessibility.

Lost wages and Loss of Future Income including time missed from work to seek medical treatment, follow up doctor appointments, MRIs and more.

Property Damage for your vehicle

It’s easy to see why you should want to hire the services of our experienced car accident attorneys.

Our car crash lawyers have the resources and experience that is needed in order to try to represent your interests, while you deal with your own debilitating injuries. They understand exactly what the opposition will attempt to do, when it comes to trying to keep you from getting the full amount of damages that you deserve. Let our accident lawyers allow you to focus on getting better as opposed to dealing with the legal issues that involved pursuing an injury claim.

Whether your accident was caused by reckless driving, drunk driving, distracted driving, mechanical failure or a host of other causes, it’s important to have someone on your side who is familiar with how to handle a negligence claim, negotiate with the insurance company and if necessary, litigate the claim in court.

What to do at the Scene of the Crash

1. You should never leave the scene of the accident.
2. If you were involved in a car accident, call 911 or the local police to the scene of the accident.
3. If you were injured, have the medics or EMS services examine your injuries and transport you to a local hospital, if necessary.
4. Take Video and Photos of the property damage to all vehicles involved and the scene of the crash including traffic signals and signs.
5. Take witness statements and collect their name, phone number, address and email.

What to do after a Car Crash

1. Gather your medical records and bills including your discharge papers.
2. Obtain a copy of the crash report and drivers exchange.
3. Call our Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation. If you hire our personal injury lawyers, we can open a claim for property damage and personal injury.
4. After the crash, the at-fault party's insurance company will call you. The insurance adjusters may ask for a recorded statement - we recommend speaking with an attorney first.

When you or someone one you love is injured in a car accident in Belle Glade or neighboring cities in Palm Beach County, we recommend that you seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney, who can try to assist you in receiving the best care and compensation that you rightfully deserve.

At Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, our accident attorneys have over 40 years of combined legal experience, we have assisted more than 8,000 accident victims, and we have recovered over $200 million in verdicts and settlements.

Our injury firm and legal team speak Spanish and Creole and we are available 24/7-365 to help crash victims in Belle Glade and Palm Beach County. Call (561)-701-9992 to speak with our team today!

^[1] "Belle Glade - Golf The Villages." https://www.golfthevillages.com/championship-golf/champDetail.asp?course=BELLE%20GLADE. Accessed 17 Mar. 2020.