Car Accident Attorney in West Palm Beach, FL
Car crashes are one of the leading types of unintentional, and preventable, injuries and deaths in Florida and here in West Palm Beach. Risk factors that increase road violence and unintentional injuries include high speed limits, wide traffic lanes, large surface streets, a lack of traffic law enforcement, a lack of public transportation and pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, and a pervasive car culture that results in low fines and penalties for repeat traffic offenders. Sadly, all of these elements exist in West Palm Beach. As a result, there are around 165,000 injury crashes and 21,000 incapacitating injury crashes in Florida annually, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. If you were injured, our
West Palm Beach car accident attorneys can help you recover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and other damages from the at-fault party.
THE FOUR MOST COMMON CAUSES OF CAR COLLISIONS
- Distracted Driving—Attempting to do any task other than driving is considered a form of distracted driving. However, the most serious and dangerous forms of distracted driving include texting, talking on the phone, using a phone for GPS, email, or for social media, and reaching for items in the back seat or the floor. Cell phones and car ‘infotainment’ screens have drastically increased distracted driving over the last few years, leading to hundreds of thousands of preventable collisions around the country.
- Aggressive /Impatient Driving—Aggressive or impatient driving is also on the rise. Raising speed limits and speeding in general are a major cause of all types of crashes, and speeding is one of the leading types of aggressive driving, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Other forms of aggressive or impatient driving include tailgating, switching lanes rapidly, slamming the brakes, and honking.
- Drunk Driving—Intoxicated driving causes roughly one third of all traffic fatalities, and hundreds of thousands of serious injuries. Driving while using prescription narcotics, such as opioid painkillers, is also a major threat to other road users.
- Fatigued or Drowsy Driving—Drowsy or fatigued driving, or falling asleep at the wheel, can result in fatal head-on collisions, side-swipe collisions, and T-bone collisions in intersections. Drowsy driving is a serious problem for night shift workers, truckers, and other commercial drivers.
WHAT TO DO AFTER A CAR CRASH
- Move to a safe place off the road;
- Check on your passengers and other potentially injured people;
- Call 911 for medical help if necessary, or the non-emergency number to report the crash to the police;
- Get the other driver’s identification information, such as their phone number, driver’s license, insurance, license plate, and make and model of car;
- Take pictures of the damage to each car and the debris on the road;
- Collect contact information from any witnesses;
- Give your statement to the police;
- Call your insurance company; and
- Contact an attorney.
OUR WEST PALM BEACH CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS CAN HELP TODAY
If you or a family member were injured in a West Palm Beach car collision, the experienced car accident lawyers at Hale Law can help you seek financial compensation for your many serious damages. Call us at 1-800-800-1414 to schedule a free consultation today.