Car accidents are an unfortunate part of life in any modern American city. In fact, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles indicates that there were 316,943 traffic crashes in the state during 2013 alone. In many car accidents, the people who are injured are legally entitled to significant financial compensation for their losses, including their medical expenses, damage to their vehicle, lost income, and physical and emotional pain and suffering.
One of the main issues in obtaining financial recovery is determining who can be held legally liable for an accident. There are various parties who are often at fault for car accidents, and some of the most common are discussed below.
Other drivers – Other drivers are perhaps the most common cause of car accidents for which people can recover compensation. There are a number of ways that another driver could negligently cause a crash, including speeding, impaired driving, failing to signal a turn or lane change, distracted driving, and failing to practice reasonable vehicle maintenance.
Vehicle manufacturers – Vehicle manufacturers owe the public a duty to ensure that their vehicles come off of the assembly line safe to operate as intended. Unfortunately, it seems that every year the public is subjected to another massive recall involving a defective vehicle model or line that is causing significant injuries to innocent consumers. The kinds of vehicle defects that often cause serious injury to consumers include defective brakes, airbags, steering systems, pedals, windshields, headlights, stability control systems, and onboard computers, just to name a few.
Government agencies responsible for road design and maintenance – Some accidents are caused by defectively maintained or designed roads. These accidents often occur on roads that are the responsibility of a municipal or state agency, meaning that any claim that is asserted is subject to a special set of rules that apply to suing the government. As a result, it is important for victims to retain an lawyer familiar with litigating these kinds of claims. There are numbers of road defects that have the potential to cause serious accidents, including the following:
| · Potholes· Uneven lanes
· Inadequate signage · Defective stoplights |
· Inadequate drainage· Overgrown hedges, trees, or bushes
· Cracked pavement · Faded or missing lane markings |
After a car accident, it is important for victims to document as many details about the way in which the accident occurred as possible. Examples of the kinds of facts of which to make note include the names of any other drivers that were involved in the accident, contact information of anyone who may have witnessed the accident, the weather condition at the time of the accident, and any hazardous road defects that you believe may have played a role in the accident.
Retain an Ocala Car Accident Lawyer to Ensure that Your Legal Rights are Protected
Anyone who has been injured in an Ocala car accident should discuss their options with an experienced Ocala car accident lawyer as soon as possible. For more than 40 years, lawyer John Piccin has been representing the legal rights of individuals injured by the negligence of others. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Piccin to discuss your case, call our office today at 352-558-8480.