Car Accident Lawyer Serving Hobe Sound

Hobe Sound is strategically located between Stuart and Jupiter in Martin County and is home to some of the most beautiful natural spots in the world. With miles of limestone-studded beaches along the Florida Atlantic Coast and state parks for camping and canoeing, it is no wonder that Hobe Sound is filled with tourists almost all year round.

This large amount of local and tourist traffic can also account for the reason why Hobe Sound has several car accidents every year.

According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, cities and towns in Martin County — including Hobe Sound —witness thousands of traffic crashes every year. In 2018, the county reported 2,866 traffic crashes, resulting in 1,778 injuries and 23 fatalities.

Car accidents in Hobe Sound may occur due to a variety of factors like bad weather, mechanical defects, or factors that are outside of a driver’s control. Still, many times the cause of car accidents is human carelessness.

These car accidents can lead to severe, if not fatal, injuries. A person who becomes a victim of a car accident in Hobe Sound may feel overwhelmed and uncertain about what he needs to do in the aftermath of the crash. If you have become injured or if your vehicle has suffered damage because of the fault of someone else, contact Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers for a case evaluation and guidance as to your legal rights. Let us help you fight for the fair and just compensation you deserve.

Car accidents are a very serious problem in Florida and result in billions of dollars of damages every year. Even though traffic accidents have been happening since cars first came to the roads, nowadays, we see newer causes of accidents. These accidents can be life-threatening and costly for the victims.

Some of the most common causes of accidents in Hobe County are:

According to the FLHSMV, distracted driving is anything that “takes your hands of the wheel, your eyes off the road, or your mind off driving,” and about 58% of all car accidents occur because of it. These include texting or talking on the phone, fiddling with the components of the car, personal grooming, eating, listening to loud music, or not paying proper attention to their surroundings.

Distracted drivers put other drivers at risk, and this mistake can lead to deadly consequences.

If you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, your judgment is impaired. This also means driving after taking prescription drugs that make a person feel woozy. The most dangerous aspect of substance abuse is that a person often thinks that they are well enough to drive, although this is most often never the case.

Drunk driving causes about 18% of all car crash injuries and 15% of all car accident deaths. In Martin County, 86 car crashes were a result of alcohol and/or drug consumption and resulted in 44 injuries and 9 fatalities.

Speeding involves going at a faster speed than the posted speed limit or driving too fast for certain conditions like bad weather and road conditions. According to the FLHSMV, speeding causes approx. 12% of all car crash-related deaths in Florida.

Because of the high impact of a speeding car, such accidents often result in severe and sometimes deadly accidents. Speeding also makes it more difficult to react to road hazards.

Tailgating means following a vehicle too closely. Impatient, angry, or reckless drivers often tailgate other vehicles and fail to keep a gap or two to four second gap between vehicles. This means they don’t have enough time to react if their car needs to stop or swerve quickly.

Tailgating can cause rear-end collision, which can lead to severe injuries even if a car is traveling at moderate speed.

Indicators or turn signs convey to other drivers and pedestrians that a driver needs to change their track, and others should be prepared to react accordingly.

According to a research study, almost 50% of all drivers failed to use their indicators when they are changing lanes and almost 25% did not use the signal when making a turn. According to the study, about 2 million crashes every year and because of drivers’ failure to use turn signals.

All vehicles have blind spots, including cars. The larger the vehicle, the bigger its blind spots, therefore more caution needs to be exercised when navigating larger sized cars on the road.

Car drivers need to use their rearview and side mirrors to make sure there is no other vehicle, pedestrian, or object in their blind spot. Failure to do so can result in sweeping another vehicle off the road, crushing a pedestrian, or slamming into a stationary object.

Right of way means giving precedence to certain vehicles or pedestrians to pass. Drivers who do not pay heed to traffic signs and signals or crosswalks cause 11% of all car crash deaths in Florida.

Impatient drivers often cultivate the habit of speeding through a yellow light before it turns red. However, since the yellow signal lasts for only a very short time, many drivers are unable to make it completely through before the red light comes on.

In high-traffic conditions, this can lead to severe injuries and fatalities.

The saddest part is that they are entirely preventable and are a result of poor choices made by the person behind the wheel. If you have suffered injuries from a car crash accident, our experienced car crash lawyers in Florida can help ascertain your damages and strive to pursue full compensation for your losses.

Car crashes are the most common cause of injuries. Because of the high speed and impact of a car, injuries are often serious and in some unfortunate cases, even deadly.

Some of the most common car crash injuries include:

Whiplash occurs when your car is rear-ended or hit from the front. The abrupt stopping movement causes your neck to jerk back and forth in an unnaturally quick way, which causes strain to the muscles and tendons of the neck. In severe cases, it can also lead to brain injury. A person may have to go rehabilitative treatment before they can function properly again.

A car accident can cause the windows and windshield of your car to shatter, resulting in lacerations and cuts to your face, necks, and chest. If these cuts are deep, they can result in severe injury and bleeding and require extensive hospitalization. Deep lacerations may even cause permanent scarring.

A person in a car accident may bang their head on the dashboard, steering wheel, windows or the windshield or slam it on an object outside of the car. Even though all brain injuries are cause for concerns, there are some which are particularly catastrophic, like penetrating injuries, skull fractures, and hemorrhages.

A person with a mild brain injury may be able to recover in time with adequate treatment, but those with moderate and serious injuries often suffer from severe life-long disabilities and even death.

A severe whiplash or a blow to the back can cause spinal cord injuries, which can have serious negative consequences. In mild to moderate cases, a person may have to be hospitalized, wear a brace, and undergo physiotherapy before they are back on their feet.

However, severe spinal cord injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis of the body.

Fractures of the bones during a car crash can range from mild to severe. A broken bone can take months to heal. In severe cases, it may have to be treated with surgery whose costs run into thousands of dollars. If the fracture is bad enough or situated near a joint, it can result in reduced mobility of your arms and legs.

Many people sustain organ damage during car accidents. Since this type of injury does not have any outward symptoms, a person may think they did not suffer any lasting harm. However, if they remain untreated, they can result in devastating complications, which may result in long-term hospitalization, organ transplant, and even death.

Car crash injuries aren’t just physical but also leave emotional scars. Victims may have lost the ability to enjoy life the same way as before the accident. Physical injuries may hinder their ability to perform daily tasks. A person may be too afraid to drive a car after a crash, or they may have recurring nightmares of the accident. Such a person may require long-term mental health counseling, which may or may not be successful in treating them.

Florida is a no-fault insurance state, which means it mandates all drivers to carry a minimum $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage liability (PDL). This means that no matter who is at fault for the accident, they are eligible to claim 80% of their medical costs and 60% of their lost wages after the accident, subject to a deductible.

Even though PIP does not cover 100% of your economic losses, $10,000 coverage does not translate to much in a car accident. The huge medical bills as well as the extensive damage to your car will likely exceed the insurance policy at minimum levels.

Once you have exceeded your PIP limitations, you will be left with the huge difference of your medical bills as well as have to endure your loss of income. You may be eligible to pursue these damages from the at-fault party whose negligence was responsible for the accident.

Florida is a comparative negligence state. This means that even if you are partially at fault for the accident, you will still be eligible for the damages; however, your compensation amount will be reduced depending on how much of the accident was your fault.

Some of the damages that you can pursue for your car accident in Florida are:

Medical Bills: medical expenses that go beyond the PIP coverage including ambulance rides, emergency room costs, hospitalization costs, diagnostic imaging, prescription medication, surgery, and physical therapy. These damages will also include the cost of injuries that require extensive, long-term rehabilitation, temporary or permanent disability, or need for lifelong assistance or care.

Rehabilitation/Home Modification Costs: These include the cost of assistant equipment like crutches, wheelchairs or special beds as well as modifications to homes to provide ease in the movement of the disabled victim, including installing elevators, escalators, wheelchair ramps, railings, and other fixtures.

Loss of Income: An injured victim will be forced to take unpaid leave off work to attend to their injuries, or they may be unable to perform their regular job after the accident. This will place a further financial burden on them. It is the duty of the at-fault party to provide them with adequate compensation, which will make up for their past, current, and future wages.

Pain and Suffering/Mental Anguish: This includes the inevitable physical agony that follows injury as well as emotional trauma and mental health issues like depression, insomnia, phobia associated with driving a car, etc.

Although the monetary cost of pain and suffering cannot be calculated, the at-fault party needs to provide compensation for this kind of non-economic damage as well.

Loss of Quality of Life: A car crash victim may be unable to enjoy their life because of the physical and emotional ramification of the accident. They may be unable to do their daily chores properly, unable to socialize or travel for leisure. The cost of the loss of quality of life needs to be calculated and compensated to the victim.

Depending on the losses sustained by you, you may be entitled to other damages as well. In rare cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to the victim if the at-fault driver was found to be willfully negligent. These can serve as a reminder to them not to repeat their mistakes.

A car accident can be a shocking experience and can leave the victim uncertain about what steps to take. Here is a basic guide on what you may choose to do if you ever suffer a car accident:

• In the aftermath of a car accident, your first concern should be to contact emergency services such as EMS and the police. Even if you are not too badly injured, it is not a good idea to leave the scene of the incident before the first respondents arrive. This can make it difficult to establish who was at fault for the accident. You will also need to file a crash report with the police officer and be sure to get a copy of the report. You can get your police report later from the:

Martin County Sheriff’s Office
(772) 220-7000 | 800 SE Monterey Road, Stuart, Florida 34994

• Do not refuse medical treatment or a visit to the hospital. Your health should be your top priority and a visit to the hospital will help assess that you did not suffer from any severe injuries that can result in long-lasting damages. You should have a complete medical examination promptly, you can visit your own medical doctor or a local emergency room. In case of injury, you can visit:

Cleveland Clinic Martin Health
772-223-4904, 772-223-4904 | 200 SE Hospital Avenue, Stuart, FL 34994

• If you can carefully record all the details of the car scene, including taking pictures and making videos of your injuries, documenting all the signs in the area, and making note of your car and property damage. You should also take the other driver’s name, contact details, insurance details, and car VIN. Also, ask any witness what they saw during the accidents and take their names and contact numbers so that they may be able to provide statements.

• After the car accident, you may get a call from the insurance company of the other party. It is possible that the insurance agent may make efforts to undermine your claim or make you take responsibility for the accident outright so that they may get away with giving you a lesser compensation or nothing at all. You should not discuss your case with these insurance agents or agree for a settlement amount without first speaking to an experienced personal injury attorney.
• You should contact an experienced crash attorney who is able to serve Hobe Sound. Our attorneys are available for a free consultation and to discuss your legal rights.

The Statute of Limitations is a time period during which a person involved in a car accident can file a lawsuit for damages. According to Florida laws, a statute of limitation for a car accident in Florida, the statute of limitation is two years from the date of the accident. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this time frame the court will likely dismiss your lawsuit and you will likely be unable to recover your damages.

Therefore, contact Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers so that they can help pursue your claim while you still have the option to file your lawsuit, and help you get the compensation you deserve.

People who are named as defendants in a car crash case could potentially go to all lengths to avoid liability, including victim-blaming the plaintiff, undermining the victim’s injuries, and offering a low settlement. A person who has recently suffered a car accident may not be in the right state to make sound decisions, may not be aware of their rights and may be looking for quick ways to recover their losses. This can be very advantageous to the defendant.

However, the legal team with Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers has years of legal experience. They can provide you guidance on how to approach your case, will investigate your claim, and help establish a strong case. We are dedicated to getting you the compensation you deserve.

Attorney Steven L. Frankl and Attorney Ethan F. Kominsky have a combined 40 years of experience in handling personal injury cases and have recovered $100 million in damages for their clients.

At Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, we can provide you with a free consultation during which we can discuss your options. We handle cases on a contingency fee basis.

We can give you a visit at your home or in the hospital. You can reach us by calling us at 772-800-8000 or fill our free case evaluation form online.