Serious car accidents can occur on busy highways, dual-lane roads, parking lots, and parking garages. Most of the time, these accidents happen when other people drive recklessly or carelessly.
If you recently suffered injuries in a Florence car accident, you should immediately retain the legal help you need. If you wait too long to hire legal counsel to represent you in your case, the statute of limitations may prevent you from recovering monetary compensation and damages for your injuries. Therefore, you should act as quickly as possible.
Once you retain legal counsel to represent you in your case, your attorney can enter an appearance, file a personal injury claim with the insurance company on your behalf, and pursue a favorable settlement offer from the insurance company adjuster.
Your lawyer can also explore litigation options if the insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly for your accident-related losses. An experienced Florence car accident lawyer will be your advocate every step of the way and work to ensure you recover full and fair monetary damages for all your accident-related injuries.
Common Locations for Florence Car Accidents
Many people consider the intersection of Helton Drive and Cox Creek Parkway in Florence to be the most dangerous intersection in the area.
Other dangerous local intersections include:
- Indian Springs Drive and Florence Boulevard
- Hermitage Drive and Helton Drive
- East Drive, South Court Street, and Hicks Boulevard
- Cox Creek Parkway and Florence Boulevard
- Chisholm Road and Cox Creek Parkway
- Huntsville Road and Florence Boulevard
- Cox Creek Parkway and Cloverdale Road
- Cox Creek Parkway and Huntsville Road
- Darby Drive and Cox Creek Parkway
- Cox Creek Parkway and Helton Drive
Many intersection accidents result from another driver’s failure to yield the right-of-way at the appropriate time. However, other accidents may result from speeding and other traffic law violations.
In addition to the above-named traffic intersections, serious accidents may occur in the downtown area, in parking garages and lots throughout the region, driveways, and local highways, including Highway 43 (Woodward Avenue).
If you suffered injuries in an accident in one of these locations, consult an experienced car accident attorney as quickly as possible.
Your lawyer can meet with you to discuss the circumstances of your accident and, if necessary, retain an accident reconstructionist to investigate your accident circumstances. Your lawyer can then determine if you can file a personal injury claim or lawsuit and help you move forward with your case.
After filing a claim on your behalf, your lawyer can negotiate with insurance company representatives and work to recover a fair settlement offer.
How Do Car Crashes Happen in Florence?
Car crashes at dangerous intersections or on highways and other roads typically occur when people drive carelessly and negligently. If another driver violated their legal duty of care and caused an accident and you suffered injuries, you may be eligible to receive various types of monetary damages in your case.
Distracted driving causes many motor vehicle crashes in Florence.
Drivers must constantly observe the road and look out for other cars and pedestrians. Often, however, various electronic devices in their car, including cellular phones, tablets, and GPS navigation systems may distract a driver. Loud music or adjusting their radio may distract a driver. Finally, vehicle passengers may distract the driver. Unfortunately, all these activities may cause a driver to take their eyes off the road and cause a severe accident.
Another common cause of traffic accidents in Florence is road-rule violations. Drivers have a duty to follow all standard traffic rules and regulations. When they violate one or more road rules, they deviate from their duty of care and are likely to cause a severe traffic accident or series of accidents.
Some of the most common road-rule violations that cause traffic accidents in Florence include failing to use a turn signal when switching lanes in traffic or when making a turn, exceeding the speed limit, failing to yield the right-of-way at a traffic intersection or highway merge lane, failing to use mirrors and backup cameras at the appropriate times, and driving erratically or recklessly.
Reckless driving is also sometimes called road rage, and it occurs when a driver overreacts to a particular roadway situation.
For example, a driver may become upset when other drivers are not traveling fast enough. In response, the driver might aggressively honk their horn, weave around traffic, or cut off other vehicles in traffic.
However, these reckless and aggressive driving maneuvers may lead to a single accident or a series of collisions that affect many cars, drivers, and passengers. Numerous individuals may suffer severe and debilitating injuries in these types of multi-vehicle pileups.
Another common cause of traffic accidents is intoxicated driving. When people drive while they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they may lose control over their vehicle or cannot stop their car in time to avoid a collision. Alcohol and many drugs delay a driver’s reflexes and reaction time. An intoxicated driver may also experience blurred vision, dizziness, and other symptoms that cause them to lose control and crash their vehicle.
Passenger vehicle drivers with a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of at least 0.08 percent are per se intoxicated. If a driver ultimately incurs a conviction for DUI, they may have to pay criminal fines and serve jail time. In addition, if they cause a traffic accident that brings about injuries to someone else, they may have to pay the accident victim monetary compensation and damages through their insurance coverage.
You are not alone if you sustained injuries in a Florence car accident resulting from another driver’s negligent behavior. Once you retain experienced legal counsel to help you, they can assist you with every step of your case, including the claims filing, negotiation, and litigation processes. Your lawyer can highlight the strengths of your case and work to maximize the total monetary damages you receive via a favorable settlement offer or litigation result.
Types of Florence Car Accidents
When Florence drivers act carelessly and recklessly while behind the wheel, several different types of traffic accidents may happen that range in severity from minor to catastrophic.
One common type of traffic accident is a rear-end or tailgate accident. In this accident scenario, the front of one vehicle hits the back of another car, pushing the front vehicle forward.
This type of accident usually occurs when one driver tailgates another driver or follows them too closely. The force of a rear-end collision may cause an accident victim’s body to abruptly move forward and backward in their seat, leading to a soft tissue whiplash injury or a traumatic head injury.
Similarly, head-on collisions happen when the front of one vehicle hits the front of another car traveling in an oncoming lane. These accidents may occur when a driver negligently passes another car in a no-passing zone or operates their vehicle while distracted or intoxicated. Since these accidents frequently happen when people drive at a high rate of speed, they may cause the accident victim to suffer permanent or even fatal injuries.
Another common type of accident is a parking lot or parking garage accident. In these accident scenarios, a driver usually fails to use their rearview mirror or backup camera when pulling out of a parking space.
When a driver fails to look behind them, they may negligently strike an oncoming vehicle or pedestrian, leading to severe injuries. If a pedestrian falls to the ground and the negligent driver pulls out fast enough, the pedestrian can even suffer fatal injuries in the collision.
Sideswipe accidents, on the other hand, happen when a driver negligently causes their vehicle to slide into another travel lane, often with a significant amount of force. In this accident scenario, the car on the receiving end may hit another vehicle, guardrail, or stationary object along the side of the road, causing the vehicle occupants to sustain injuries.
Finally, a failure-to-yield accident happens when a driver negligently fails to yield the right-of-way to another vehicle at the appropriate time. These types of accidents occur at traffic intersections and highway merge lanes, including those equipped with traffic lights, stop signs, and yield signs.
When these accidents happen at traffic intersections and occur with significant force, the vehicle on the receiving end may spin or overturn, causing the vehicle occupants to sustain serious injuries.
If you suffered injuries in one of these types of Florence car accidents, you should get the legal help that you need right away. Your attorney can begin the process by filing a claim on your behalf and negotiating it with the insurance company adjuster. Your lawyer can also explore litigation options if the insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly.
Injuries in a Car Crash
The injuries that a driver or passenger suffers in a car accident depend upon various factors, including where they are seated in their vehicle, the force of the collision, the number of vehicles involved, the number of crashes, the location of the accident, and their bodily movements in the car at the time of the collision.
Some of the most common injuries that car crash victims in Florence Suffer include concussions and other traumatic head injuries, internal organ damage, internal bleeding, open lacerations, bruises, soft tissue contusions, paralysis injuries, complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries, fractures, and broken bones.
Many of these injuries require ongoing medical treatment, such as medical procedures and physical therapy. If your medical provider prescribes a treatment regimen for you, it is extremely important that you complete that regimen and that you do not discharge yourself from care at a particular medical facility.
When an insurance company sees that an accident victim discharges themselves, or if they notice significant gaps in the accident victim’s medical treatment, they may become skeptical about the alleged injuries. Consequently, the insurance company may not offer the accident victim the full compensation they deserve.
By following through with your medical treatment regimen, you show the insurance company that you are taking your case seriously and that your injuries warrant significant monetary compensation.
While you complete your medical treatment, your car accident attorney can begin gathering the documents necessary to prove your case, including police investigation reports, witness statements, medical bills, and medical treatment records.
After you finish most of your medical treatment, your lawyer can submit a settlement demand package to the insurance company and pursue the full compensation you deserve.
Pursuing Monetary Damages for Your Car Accident Injuries
The monetary damages a Florence car accident victim can recover are very accident specific. Monetary damage awards vary significantly from case to case and often depend upon important factors, including the nature and extent of the accident victim’s injuries, whether the accident victim suffered a permanent injury, the overall cost of the accident victim’s medical expenses, and whether the accident victim missed time from work and lost income.
Moreover, if the accident victim suffered a permanent injury in their accident or has an injury that is unlikely to get better, they may be eligible to recover greater monetary damages than if they suffered a relatively minor injury.
First, accident victims can also pursue monetary recovery for their related medical costs, both past and future.
If a medical provider determines, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, that the accident victim suffered a permanent injury, then the accident victim may be entitled to recover their anticipated medical costs, such as the cost of a future medical procedure. Also, accident victims who have missed time from work can recover their lost income. They can also claim loss of earning capacity if their injuries prevent them from returning to their former job or occupation.
In addition to these out-of-pocket losses and economic damages, car crash victims in Florence may be eligible to receive monetary damages for their intangible losses. These damages compensate accident victims for their inconvenience, mental distress, loss of spousal companionship, physical pain and suffering, permanent disability or disfigurement, lifetime care costs, loss of use of a body part, or loss of enjoyment of life.
Your attorney can determine which of these damages you may receive in your case and
can provide you with a ballpark estimate for your overall damage award. Your lawyer can also help you make essential decisions in your case, such as whether to accept a pending settlement offer from the insurance company or whether to reject that offer and take your case to a civil jury trial or binding arbitration hearing.
Speak with a Skilled Car Accident Lawyer Right Away
If you recently sustained injuries in a Florence car crash, a knowledgeable car accident attorney can assist you with your case. Since accident victims have only two years from their accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages, car accident victims should seek qualified legal counsel to represent them as soon as possible.
Once your Florence personal injury attorney enters an appearance in your case, they can explore all your legal options, help you file a claim, or litigate your case in the court system. Your attorney will advocate for your legal interests every step of the way and represent you in all legal proceedings, helping you recover the maximum amount of monetary damages possible in your case
