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Miami Car Accident Lawyer
Hurt in an auto collision in Miami? If someone else hit you, they should have to compensate you for the consequences — including expensive medical bills, the money you’ve lost because you’re too hurt to work, and the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle. Unfortunately, there’s a penny-pinching insurance company with a high-powered defense team standing between you and the justice you deserve. You’ll need to level the playing field if you want to recover the money you need to get back your life.
That’s why you should contact Gregg M. Goldfarb, LLP for a no-cost consultation. Gregg partners with premier counsel throughout Florida to get accident victims the legal firepower they need to win their cases. Contact Gregg today for a free, no-obligation consultation and case review to learn more about what a Miami car accident lawyer can do for you.
What Are Common Causes of Car Accidents in Miami?
Carelessness and recklessness on the part of motorists are to blame for many car accidents in Miami. Some of the most common driver-related causes of auto wrecks include:
- Speeding or traveling too fast for conditions
- Tailgating/following too closely
- Reckless driving, such as excessive speeding, street racing, or swerving through traffic
- Aggressive driving/road rage
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Not using turn signals or checking mirrors when turning, changing lanes, or backing up
- Distracted driving, especially using a cell phone while behind the wheel
- Drowsy/fatigued driving
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs
- Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
What Are Common Types of Car Accidents in Miami?
The circumstances behind a car accident will affect what injury (or injuries) results from it, as well as suggest who might be to blame. Some of the most common types of auto collisions in Miami include:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Sideswipe collisions
- Side-impact/T-bone collisions
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle/pile-up accidents
- Rollover accidents
Common Injuries Caused by an Auto Accident
The force imparted by a vehicle on impact can do serious damage to whatever it hits. That’s why car accident victims often suffer severe injuries like:
- Lacerations and abrasions
- Degloving injuries
- Burns from post-crash vehicle fires
- Dislocated joints
- Ligament sprains/tears
- Muscle and tendon strains/tears
- Broken bones
- Neck and back injuries, such as herniated discs, whiplash, or spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage and internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Traumatic amputation or limb loss
What Should You Do if You Are Involved in a Car Crash?
After a car crash in Miami, you should act quickly to protect your options for pursuing financial recovery for your injuries and losses. Consider taking the following steps:
Report the crash to law enforcement as soon as possible if you or the other driver did not call the police at the accident scene.
Seek medical attention to get checked for injuries you suffered in the accident.
Follow your doctor’s recovery plan and instructions, including medical restrictions on working or physical activity.
Report the accident to your car insurance provider as soon as possible.
Obtain copies of the police accident report and medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
Gather bills, invoices, or receipts of your accident expenses, including car repairs and medical treatment.
Find your pay stubs or income statements if you miss time from work or suffer a reduction in your earnings during your recovery.
Avoid discussing the accident or posting photos/videos of yourself on social media while undergoing medical treatment and pursuing your car accident claim. Insurance companies will sometimes monitor a claimant’s social media for evidence that may contradict their story.
Finally, contact a Miami car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal options and pursue the financial resources you need for your recovery.
What Damages Could You Be Entitled to from a Car Accident?
If a negligent or reckless driver hits you in Miami, they could owe you financial compensation called damages for the harm you suffered as a result. These damages could cover your:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses, including hospital bills, prescription costs, medical/mobility equipment purchases, and physical/occupational therapy
- Long-term care expenses if your injuries cause physical disabilities that interfere with your daily activities
- Ongoing and future losses of income if you cannot work or if you earn less because of injury-related disability
- Physical pain from your injuries and medical treatments
- Emotional trauma or distress from the crash or your injuries
- Reduced quality of life due to disabilities or permanent, visible scarring and disfigurement
- Vehicle repair expenses, replacement or reimbursement for the value of your car if it was totaled
Who Could Be Liable for an Auto Wreck?
Anyone whose actions or inaction contributes to an auto wreck can be at least partially liable — that is, legally responsible — for its consequences. In most cases, one or more of the involved drivers is liable. However, depending on the circumstances of the accident, other parties may also bear liability. For example, an at-fault driver’s employer may be liable if the car accident happened during the driver’s work duties.
The owner of the at-fault driver’s vehicle may also bear liability for a car wreck if they negligently entrusted their car to the driver. Entrustment could be considered negligent if the owner knew or should have known that the driver posed a significant risk of causing an accident, such as if they were intoxicated or had a history of collisions.
Car or auto part manufacturers may also bear responsibility for an auto accident caused by a mechanical problem or defect. In some cases, the government entity that designed or maintained a roadway could be to blame if it was inherently unsafe or not kept in safe condition.
A Miami car accident law firm can review the facts and evidence in your case to identify the party or parties who may bear responsibility to compensate you for your harm and losses.
How Long Do You Have to File an Auto Accident Injury Lawsuit in Miami?
Under Florida’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims, you typically have only two years to file a car accident lawsuit after getting into a car wreck in Miami. In limited circumstances, you may have longer to file your lawsuit. A Miami car accident lawyer can review the facts of your case and determine how long you have to file your claim.
Although two years might sound like plenty of time to pursue your car accident claim, remember that you or your attorney will need time to investigate the crash, prepare a solid legal case, and negotiate with insurers. If you file your car accident lawsuit after the expiration of the limitations period, the court can dismiss your case regardless of its merits. Don’t risk this happening to you — get in touch with a Miami car accident attorney as soon as possible.
What Happens if You’re Partly to Blame for an Auto Accident?
Even if you share some blame for a car accident, you may still have the right to pursue a legal claim against other parties partially responsible for the crash. Under Florida’s comparative negligence law, you can still file a car accident claim against the other driver or another at-fault party if you have an equal or lesser share of fault than they do.
However, any share of responsibility you bear for the car accident can proportionally reduce your financial recovery. A car accident lawyer in Miami can advocate on your behalf in your car accident case to fight for maximum financial recovery even if the other parties claim that you bear some fault for the crash.
What Can a Miami Car Accident Attorney Do for Your Case?
In the aftermath of a car crash in Miami, you deserve to focus on healing and getting your life back on track. Unfortunately, without the help of a legal advocate, that focus might come at the cost of pursuing your case to its fullest. A Miami car accident lawyer can handle all the aspects of preparing and pursuing your legal claims so you can devote time and energy to your physical and emotional recovery.
Here are just a few of the ways a car accident attorney in Miami can pursue maximum financial recovery for you by:
- Thoroughly investigating the crash to secure evidence for your case, including accident scene photos, surveillance/traffic camera footage, eyewitness testimony, police accident reports, and cell phone records
- Working with motor vehicle accident reconstruction experts where necessary to turn the evidence into a compelling account of the accident and who caused it
- Documenting your injuries and losses, including anticipated future expenses, to demand full compensation in your car accident case
- Pursuing every avenue to obtain the financial recovery you deserve, including obtaining money from your PIP coverage or filing claims against at-fault drivers
- Negotiating for a full and fair settlement to avoid the need for a trial
- Aggressively advocating your case in court if that becomes the best path toward getting you the full amount you deserve
Contact a Miami Car Accident Attorney Today
Did you suffer injuries in an auto accident? Then get the help you need to pursue financial recovery for your medical bills, vehicle repairs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact Gregg M. Goldfarb, LLP today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your legal options. We can review your situation and connect you with the right legal team to pursue your claim to its fullest. Hablamos español.