West Palm Beach Car Accident Lawyers

West Palm Beach is a city located in the South of Florida and is situated approximately 68 miles North of downtown Miami. Car crashes occur every day, and leave thousands injured or dead. According to preliminary statistics reported on the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website, there were 26,717 car crashes reported in Palm Beach County in 2019. This number has decreased slightly since 2018, from 26,962 crashes. While this number is decreasing, it is still incredibly high. Those injured in these crashes were taken to a combination of JFK Medical Center,Good Samaritan Medical Center, and St. Mary’s Medical Center, among other hospitals. In 2018, there were 183 fatalities from these car crashes, while in 2019, there were 167. If you are one of the many injured in a car accident in Palm Beach County, contact Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers to pursue fair and just compensation.

For the fifth year in a row, the highest number of crashes have occurred at the intersection of Okeechobee Boulevard and Military Trail making it the most dangerous intersection in Palm Beach County. In 2018, 123 crashes alone were reported at this intersection. The second most dangerous intersection is the intersection of Glades Road and State Road 7 with a whopping 118 crashes recorded. Three intersections in Palm Beach County were tied for the third most dangerous in Palm Beach County with 97 crashes each.

While the number of car accidents in Palm Beach County is on a slowly decreasing trend, the most common causes for car accidents remain the same. We have a great deal of experience handling accident cases including:

• Accidents Involving Drunk or DUI Drivers
  • In the United States, 28 people die each day from crashes involving a drunk or DUI driver.
• Rear-End Collisions
  • In Florida rear-end collisions, the rear driver is presumed to have been negligent and is at fault unless proof is shown otherwise.
• Distracted Drivers
  • In 2016, nearly 50,000 crashes in Florida alone were attributed to some form of distracted driving. These crashes included 3,500 serious injuries and 233 deaths. Distractions include, but are not limited to: cell phone use, reading, applying beauty products, or interacting with a passenger or pet.
• Inexperienced Drivers
  • Inexperienced drivers, frequently teenagers, are involved in many accidents as their driving skills are not yet fully developed. Also, many teenage drivers show carelessness, or even recklessness, while driving.
• Crashes Involving Motorcycles, Bikes, Pedestrians, or Commercial Vehicles
  • Accidents involving motorcycles, bikes, pedestrians, or commercial vehicles make up a large percentage of accidents in Palm Beach County

Victims of car crashes can experience a wide range of injuries from minor to serious. The legal team at Frankl Kominsky will try to help you navigate the claim process for your injuries due to a car accident. Some of the most common injuries accident victims experience are:

• Whiplash
  • Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful and/or quick back-and-forth movement of the neck. It is a common injury resulting from rear-end collisions.
• Back Injuries
  • Back injuries include herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, and muscle sprains and strains.
• Neck Injuries
  • Neck injuries are similar to back injuries in that they include damage to vertebrae or discs in your neck. Whiplash is also categorized as a neck injury.
• Broken or Fractured Bones
  • Broken bones can happen in any type of car accident and any part of the body. Most commonly broken bones resulting from a car crash are located in the arms and legs, although it is common for the victim of a car crash to have a broken or fractured collarbone as well.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is damage to the brain that is caused by a sudden jolt or blow to the head. Traumatic brain injuries range in severity, but all are serious as they can affect brain function. Treatment for TBIs varies greatly, from rest and medication, to intensive hospital care.
• Spine Injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries are defined as damage to the spinal cord that results in loss of function or mobility. As such, spinal cord injuries are extremely serious. In many cases, function or mobility can be lost forever.
• Soft Tissue Injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries are injuries in which damage is done to muscles, ligaments, or tendons on the body. These soft tissue areas of your body can be strained, stretched, or even torn depending on the severity of the accident.
• Cuts and Bruises
  • Cuts and bruises may seem like they are not as serious as the other injuries on this list, but severe cuts or bruises may result in a lot of lost blood or internal bleeding. It is important to get any injury, no matter how severe, checked out by a medical professional.

After a car accident, it is important to know your legal rights and what claims you can pursue. Below is a list of damages you can try to recover after a car accident. The experienced attorneys at Frankl Kominsky will work with you every step of the way to assist you in receiving the compensation you deserve.

• Past and Future Medical Bills
  • If you have been injured in a car accident and seek medical attention, you may be entitled to compensation for both past and future medical bills pertaining to the injury you sustained in the accident.
• Lost Wages and/or Benefits
  • If you are injured in an accident, it has the possibility to affect your job performance, or your ability to attend your job for a long period of time. If this is the case, you may be able to pursue a claim for lost wages and/or benefits for the money you lost due to your injury.
• Reduced Earning Potential
  • Similar to lost wages and/or benefits, you are entitled to compensation due to lost or reduced earning potential. This includes missing an important job interview or sales meeting.
• Diminished Quality of Life
  • Quality of life is different for each and every person, but in general, it refers to the well-being, health, and ability to enjoy everyday life. If a car, motorcycle, or bike accident diminishes your quality of life in any way, you may be entitled to compensation.
• Loss of Consortium-research
  • A loss of consortium claim can be filed by the spouse or dependent of the injured person. Loss of consortium claims that the injured person is not able to provide the same amount of love, support, etc. as they were able to prior to their accident.
• Temporary or Permanent Disability
  • If the injuries you sustain from a car accident leave you permanently or temporarily disabled, you can file a claim after your accident. Temporary disability is an injury that prohibits you from working for a short period of time.
• Disfigurement
  • Disfigurement is any action that permanently alters your appearance. If this happens due to a car accident, you can file a claim for compensation.
• Vehicle or Property Damage
  • No matter the severity of your accident, vehicle and/or property damage will most likely occur. Know your rights and what you can claim for.
• Pain and Suffering
  • Injuries that you claim for do not always have to be specific. Any type of injury, or just the crash itself, has the ability to cause pain and suffering, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional.
• Funeral and Burial Expenses
  • In the event of a death caused by a car accident, funeral and burial expenses can be claimed.

After a car accident occurs, there are certain steps you may choose to take. The personal injury lawyers at Frankl Kominsky will assist you in navigating these steps so that you may pursue the compensation you deserve. These steps include the following:

• Obtain accident reports from police
  • Immediately after the accident occurs, the police must be contacted. When an officer arrives, they will ask you a series of questions pertaining to the accident and create an accident report from the information you share.
• Eyewitness statements
  • Once the police are contacted, it is important to try to obtain eyewitness statements from anyone in the area that witnessed the accident. These accounts will help solidify your case and make the accident report more clear. It’s also important to collect any contact information from any witnesses.
• Video & Pictures from the scene of the accident
  • It is vital to take pictures from the scene of the accident. If you are ever unsure of what to take pictures of, take more than you think you will need. Make sure to include both vehicles, any damages or injuries that were sustained, any landmarks or defects with the road, pertinent road signs, etc. We always recommend taking videos of the scene of the crash, property damage, and traffic signs and signals like a ‘no U-turn’ sign.
• Seek immediate medical care and gather your medical records
  • If you believe that you have sustained any type of injury because of your car accident, you must seek immediate medical care. Make sure to save any bills and medical records directly pertaining to your care as they may be used for documentation in your claim.
• Other documentation of your injuries
  • Other documentation includes statements from mental health physicians, physical therapists, etc.

The State of Florida has a specific law called the Florida PIP 14-day rule . This law requires individuals injured in a car crash to seek medical attention within 14-days, or two weeks, of the accident. If you do not see a doctor or other medical professional within this 14-day window, your claim will most likely be denied. Even if you believe your injuries to be minor, it is imperative that you be examined by a medical professional . Some injuries are not readily noticeable and need a trained eye to be properly identified.

Frankl Kominsky can try to help you with every step of the process, from making a claim to litigation. Once you contact Frankl Kominsky, the first step will be establishing a claim with your insurance company. Our lawyers will work with you to try to properly establish a claim that fits your individual case.

The second step of the process is the investigation process. Once your claim is filed, your insurance company will assign someone to your case. This person will likely begin investigating the events leading to the accident and the accident itself. Your legal team will collect all documentation necessary for your claim. This includes accident reports, photos of the vehicles, accident scene and injuries, witness statements, medical records and bills, documentation of lost time from work, calculations of pain and suffering, and any other information to establish your claim.

After your accident is investigated, your legal team at Frankl Kominsky will go through the negotiations process. During these negotiations we will attempt to obtain a favorable settlement for your claim. Demands will be made for compensation and if necessary we will proceed with litigation.

At Frankl Kominsky our attorneys strive to provide diligent representation to injured parties from vehicle collisions in Palm Beach County and throughout Florida. No matter the accident, we will fight for your rights to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. If you or a loved one are injured in an accident in Palm Beach County and need representation, call Frankl Kominsky at 561-800-8000 for a completely free consultation. An experienced and dedicated lawyer will work with you through the entire claims process to pursue the compensation you deserve.