West Palm Beach Auto Accident Lawyers
When you climbed behind the wheel of your car and left home this morning, you probably never considered the possibility that you might be involved in an auto accident. Car accidents are by their nature unplanned and unexpected. When an auto accident causes personal injury, it can mean enduring intense physical pain, emotional challenges and financial hardships. Our West Palm Beach auto accident firm understands these overwhelming challenges because we have represented many auto accident victims in successfully obtaining millions of dollars in financial compensation for their loss or injuries.
Unsafe Driving is an Epidemic Causing Many Auto Collisions in South Florida
While it is easy to assume that car accidents are something that happens to others, the reality is that every driver faces a substantial risk of being involved in a serious auto accident. There are approximately 5.5 million car accidents in the U.S. each year that result in more than thirty thousand fatalities and millions of injury victims. Many of these car accidents are caused by negligence, such as driver carelessness or inattention. It is the preventable nature of many of these serious injury accidents in West Palm Beach, and throughout Florida, that makes them all the more tragic. The most common preventable car accidents are caused by factors like driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, distracted driving, speeding and similar unsafe driving practices.
Drivers on the roads of Florida are no safer than those in other areas of the country with high rates of unsafe drivers. A quick look at the annual rate of traffic citations given in Florida for unsafe driving practices provides insight into the high risk of being involved in an accident with an unsafe or indifferent driver:
- More than 58,000 DUI criminal violations
- Almost a million traffic citations for speeding
- Tailgating (following too close) 22,000 traffic citations
- Over 265,000 violations for running red lights
- More than 190,000 traffic citations for careless driving
The above list of statistics provide both a window through which the danger of driving on Florida roads may be properly viewed and the avoidable nature of many accidents. If you are involved in a collision with another driver in Florida, the basis for liability under Florida law will generally be negligence. Negligence is basically a driver exhibiting driving behavior that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to others including drivers of passenger vehicles, motorcycles, SUVs, tractor-trailers, bicycles and even pedestrians. Because we have provided effective and successful legal representation to many Florida car accident victims, we are qualified to handle the full spectrum of Florida auto accidents based on all types of negligence including:
- DUI/DWI (Drunken driving accidents)
- Fatigue based accidents
- Collisions caused by drivers distracted by cell phones (distracted driving)
- Drivers who disobey traffic signs and signals
- Aggressive drivers who tailgate or exhibit other unsafe impatient driving practices
- Fatigued or tired drivers
- Drivers that fail to check mirrors or blind spots
- Accidents caused by violation of right-of-way rules including unsafe turns
- Crashes involving drivers impaired by illegal drugs, prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications
- Reckless driving practices like street racing
- Speeding and weaving in and out of traffic
- Failure to adjust driving behavior to adverse road or traffic conditions
- Defective components in motor vehicles
- Dangerous Florida roads that are poorly designed or maintained
Proceeding in the Aftermath of a Serious West Palm Beach Car Accident
While this is far from an exhaustive list of car crashes caused by negligent drivers in Florida, it provides a sense of the diverse nature of the causes of Florida car accidents. If you are involved in a car accident in West Palm Beach, or anywhere in Florida for that matter, you should take certain steps to protect your health and preserve your car accident claim. The most important actions to take if you are injured in a car accident in Palm Beach County include the following:
- Seek medical attention even if your symptoms are minor because serious injuries sometimes do not have obvious symptoms until days or weeks after an accident.
- Call the police so an accident report can be prepared.
- Exchange driver’s license and insurance information with the other driver.
- Inform the officer of how you think the other driver caused the accident.
- (Very Important!) Take photographs of your injuries, vehicle damage, vehicle position and relevant features of the surrounding roadway/area that may have played a role in the accident (i.e. foliage obscuring a stop sign).
- Preserve any debris from your vehicle that may have fallen into the roadway after the crash.
- DO NOT SPEAK TO OR SIGN ANYTHING FROM THE OTHER DRIVER’S INSURANCE COMPANY!
- Seek advice of an experienced West Palm Beach auto accident lawyer at 1-800-558-1227.
Types of Motor Vehicle Collisions in South Florida
Florida is a state with a high population rate made up of a diverse cross-section of drivers including elderly drivers whose cognitive, physical or sensory skills may be in decline and out-of-state tourists that are unfamiliar with our roadways. This diverse mix of drivers along with significant traffic congestion can be a dangerous combination. West Palm Beach auto accident attorney James S. Cunha provides thorough investigation of Florida car crashes including frequent use of accident reconstruction experts and in-house investigators, effective negotiation with insurance companies and tenacious courtroom advocacy. We represent those injured in Florida motor vehicle collisions involving all types of vehicles including:
- Passenger car collisions
- SUVs rollovers
- Motorcycle crashes
- T-bone intersection collisions
- Driveway backup accidents
- Public transit accidents
- Freeway collisions
- Commercial trucks (big-rigs) accidents
- Multiple vehicle pileups
- Single car accidents
- Dangerous head-on collisions
- Rear-end accidents
- Parking lot collisions
- Run-off-the-road accidents
- Bicycle-motor vehicle crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Vehicles sideswiped by other vehicles
- ATV collisions
- Bus crashes
Substantial Damages for a Wide Range of South Florida Car Crash Injuries
When a Florida driver is involved in a collision, a Florida car crash victim may suffer severe and permanently debilitating injuries. A car accident victim may need extensive medical care and endure long periods of disability from employment. In some cases, an accident injury victim may suffer permanent injury or disability. Some of the more common serious injuries in a car accident include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Paralysis (paraplegia and quadriplegia)
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash injuries to the neck and back
- Severe burns resulting in permanent disfigurement
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Broken bones and fractures
- Damage to internal organs
- Damage to the joints and dislocations
- Fatalities
If you experience severe injuries in a West Palm Beach auto accident, you may experience months of medical treatment and rehabilitation and long periods of disability from employment. Dedicated West Palm Beach auto accident lawyers at the Law Offices of James S. Cunha understand that you may face overwhelming challenges when suffering serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident anywhere in Florida. Our experienced Florida personal injury team may be able to help you obtain a wide variety of damages including:
- Lost income
- Hospital and medical costs
- Pain and Suffering
- Impairment of life experience
- Disfigurement or disability
- Property damage
- Loss of consortium (impairment of marital relationship)
- Burial and funeral costs (in the event of a fatality)
- Punitive damages for reckless misconduct while operating a motor vehicle
Zealous Advocacy for Victims of Negligent Drivers
At the Law Offices of James S. Cunha, we are loyal and passionate about our clients’ cases and consistently seek the best possible outcome to their car accident claim. We bring a substantial level of skill, knowledge and diligence along with the ability to think outside of the box so that we can be the most effective advocates for our West Palm Beach motor vehicle accident clients.
No matter where you are located, our experienced West Palm Beach auto accident lawyers are just a phone call away. Even if you just have questions following a Florida motor vehicle accident, we can provide initial answers to help you determine the best possible approach to helping you obtain the financial compensation that you deserve so call us today at 561-429-3924 or Toll Free at 1-800-558-1227. We offer a no obligation, free consultation so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Contact us Today!
No Recovery, No Fee!
The Law Offices of James S. Cunha, P.A. assist clients with Family Law Matters, Divorce, Personal Injury Commercial Litigation matters, Business Law, Family Law, Wrongful Death, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration, Tax Law, Insurance Regulation & Defense and Criminal Defense in West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Delray Beach, Boca Raton in Palm Beach County. We also offer legal representation to clients who reside in Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Hendry, Broward, and Miami-Dade.