Motorists making left turns in busy intersections of West Palm Beach face a challenging maneuver that, if not done carefully, can result in a serious injury accident.
If you suffered physical injuries or significant vehicle damage in a left-turn accident, you might be eligible to recover compensation for your monetary losses.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can advise you on the legal options available to pursue compensation for your damages. If you have a viable claim, we can help you hold the at-fault party responsible for such costs as your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us at 1-800-747-3733 for a free legal consultation with our car accident lawyer in West Palm Beach.
Investigating Your West Palm Beach Left-Turn Accident
At Anidjar & Levine, our West Palm Beach personal injury lawyers do the legal legwork of investigating your left-turn accident so you can recover the compensation that you are owed. During our investigation, we will examine the circumstances of your accident to determine liability. In most cases, drivers turning left are liable for an accident if they fail to yield the right of way to vehicles approaching from the opposite direction. Florida statutes also require drivers to yield the right of way to cars passing on the left, and to pedestrians in an intersection or crosswalk.
Common Causes of Left-Turn Accidents
Some left-turn accidents happen because of the following:
- Distracted driving (talking on the phone, eating, texting)
- Driving while impaired
- Failure to obey traffic signals and signs
- Speeding
- Drowsy driving
Another cause of left-turn accidents is inattentive driving, which is very similar to distracted driving. Although inattentive drivers may not take their hands off the steering wheel to use a device, they may take their minds off the road when they daydream, talk to passengers, or think about a situation angers them.
Collecting Evidence to Support Your Accident Case in Florida
To build a solid left-turn accident case, we can collect evidence to support your damages claim. We may gather evidence that includes:
- A police report that provides a narrative of the accident and any citations
- Surveillance or traffic camera footage of the crash, if available
- Eyewitness testimony
- Your medical records that show the nature and extent of your injuries
- Photographs of the accident scene and your injuries
In complicated cases, our West Palm Beach personal injury lawyers work with an accident reconstruction expert who reviews photographs and physical evidence of an accident and might visit the accident scene. A reconstruction expert’s analysis of the crash supports the arguments in your case.
Proving Negligence in Your Left-Turn Accident Case
Besides proving liability, we also use the evidence we collect to establish the at-fault driver’s negligence. Our case must show that the driver should have followed the rules of the road and exercise care when making a left turn. However, the driver breached this duty by causing an accident. As a result of the driver’s negligence, you suffered injuries and damages.
When Comparative Negligence Might Apply to Your Injury Claim
In most cases, drivers making left turns are at fault for causing accidents. However, there are times when left-turn drivers—or their auto insurance company—claim the negligent actions of other drivers contributed to the accident. For instance, the left-turn driver may claim that an approaching vehicle ignored a red light or stop sign and caused the left-turn driver to hit the vehicle.
In this type of situation, the legal doctrine of comparative negligence applies to the personal injury case. Comparative fault bases the amount of compensation individuals filing claims receive on their percentage of fault for the accident. If an auto insurer found that you were 20 percent at fault for causing the accident, your damages will decrease by 20 percent.
If you were partially at fault for the accident, our proficient attorneys would work hard so that you can receive compensation for your injuries and other damages.
Recovering Damages for Your Left-Turn Accident in West Palm Beach
Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to car accidents, and this means that your own auto insurance company will pay for some, or all, of your damages—regardless of who was at fault for the accident.
Florida requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance which covers your medical bills and lost wages, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Your insurance may not cover all of your damages if you only carry the minimum $10,000 in PIP benefits. If this is the case, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver liable for the left-turn accident.
Besides medical expenses and lost wages, Florida Statute 627.737(2) allows accident victims to recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and mental anguish, if they can prove that they, or their loved one, have sustained the following injuries:
- Significant and permanent loss of an essential bodily function
- Substantial and permanent scarring or disfigurement
- Permanent injury other than scarring or disfigurement
- Death
Contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for Help from a Florida Accident Lawyer
Our firm handles all aspects of an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit so that you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries instead of being burdened with legal paperwork.
Among the many benefits of hiring a car accident lawyer, we have years of experience filing and negotiating claims with insurance adjusters and making sure that our clients receive full and fair compensation for their damages. We usually resolve claims without going to court. However, we may file a lawsuit if the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement.
You can rely on us to protect your rights and to fight hard so you can get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 1-800-747-3733 to schedule a free legal consultation with our left-turn accident lawyer in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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