The Southern Florida auto accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., have decades of experience recovering the monetary damages owed to Florida traffic accident victims. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed by a negligent or reckless driver in Fort Myers, you can trust our Florida auto crash injury legal team to fight for what you are owed. Our auto accident lawyers bring skill and dedication from decades of personal injury legal expertise, as well as the compassion and understanding that comes from our personal experience dealing with injury-related hardship. We care about our clients, and we pursue a results-oriented approach to ensure that they get the recovery they deserve for the injuries they have suffered.
- Car Accidents
- Drunk Driving Accidents
- Hit & Run Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Uber & Lyft Accidents
- Uninsured Motorists
Types of Vehicle Accidents in Florida
Car crashes can happen in a variety of different ways and for a multitude of reasons. Certain types of accidents are more common for certain types of vehicles or under certain road or weather conditions. Below, the experienced Fort Myers car accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., provide a list of the most common types of traffic crashes that they encounter in their personal injury practice.
Vehicle rollover
Rollover crashes involve one or more cars flipping end-over-end as a result of an impact or sudden turn. These can be some of the most frightening accidents, often resulting in serious injury to drivers and passengers alike.
In addition to situations in which a vehicle is hit from the side and knocked over, rollovers may occur when a car must make an unexpected, sharp turn while traveling at high speed. Larger vehicles are more predisposed to rolling over in an accident, such as semis and other large trucks, buses, sport utility vehicles, and vans. Rollover accidents are more common in situations involving inclement weather and road conditions such as wet or icy roads.
Single car accident
A single-car accident, meaning a crash that involves only one driver and one vehicle, may still be caused by the negligent behavior of someone besides that driver. One driver may have been swerving recklessly, causing another driver to veer off the road to avoid a collision. Someone may have left fallen debris on the road, or an intersection may have been negligently designed, encouraging drivers to take turns at high speeds. Even if you were involved in a single-vehicle wreck, the circumstances of your accident might be worth investigating to determine if someone else was at fault.
Rear-end collisions
Rear-end collisions involve one car running into the backend of another. These accidents are common in parking lots and garages, as well as instances in which someone has to make a sudden stop due to a pedestrian, stopped car, or other road hazard. These types of accidents often cause severe damage to the neck, back, and spine of vehicle occupants. Even a minor rear-end collision at slow speeds, commonly called a “fender-bender,” can cause painful and debilitating injuries such as whiplash syndrome. If you were involved in a rear-end collision, see a doctor immediately to determine if you have any long-lasting damage.
T-bone or side-impact crashes
Side-impact collisions, also known as broadside or T-bone crashes, occur when one vehicle hits another at a perpendicular angle. These accidents are likely to happen when one driver ignores a stop sign, stoplight, or other traffic control device, and a second driver is coming the other way along a perpendicular road. They may also occur in parking lots or garages. Side-impact crashes are extremely dangerous and account for around 25 percent of all passenger vehicle occupant deaths. T-bone accidents can be deadly for drivers, front-seat passengers, or passengers in the rear, depending on where the vehicle is struck.
Head-on collisions
Head-on collisions occur when the front ends of two vehicles collide directly with one another. This may occur when a car tries to pass by veering into oncoming traffic, or if a driver is drifting or swerving due to fatigue, distraction, or intoxication. Head-on crashes are often fatal. Driving carefully, avoiding distractions, and paying attention to all signs, signals, and roadway conditions can help prevent these extremely dangerous collisions.
Common Injuries in Auto Accidents
The seasoned Fort Myers auto accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A. have years of experience helping clients recover for a variety of injuries caused by negligent drivers. Whether you were driving your car, riding a bike, or walking along the street as a pedestrian, if a negligent driver hit you, you have a right to recover for the harm you have suffered. Our auto crash attorneys are here to help you get the damages you are owed.
Some of the more common injuries that Florida auto accident victims face include:
- Head and brain trauma, including concussions and traumatic brain injury
- Internal bleeding
- Neck, spine, shoulder and back injuries
- Whiplash syndrome
- Burns, scrapes, and cuts, such as “road rash”
- Scarring and other types of disfigurement
- Amputation and accidental loss of limb
- Broken arms, legs, hands, fingers, noses, ribs, and other body parts
- Injury to internal organs and muscles
- Loss of function of a body part, appendage, or organ
- Muscle sprains and tears
- Limited functionality and disability
- Wrongful death
Damages Available After a Florida Auto Accident
There are a few key types of damages that we typically seek on behalf of our auto accident injury clients. Personal injury damages after a car accident are generally split between “economic” and “noneconomic” damages. Economic damages refer to things that can be readily quantified and calculated or at least estimated. Economic damages include, for example:
- Lost wages, past and future
- Medical costs
- Property and vehicle damage
- Estimated costs of continued medical care such as nursing, physical therapy, and future surgeries
- Medical devices such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs
Noneconomic damages refer to damages that are more difficult to quantify but are no less real. Florida law allows recovery of noneconomic in most personal injury cases. Noneconomic damages include things like:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Emotional and psychological distress
- Loss of relationship
- Loss of life enjoyment
Additionally, our talented auto crash attorneys may be able to seek punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer, rather than compensate victim, and are reserved for instances in which a defendant’s behavior was either intentionally malicious or especially reckless. Drunk drivers who seriously injure victims in an accident, for example, may be subject to punitive damages. Punitive damages can yield large monetary awards well beyond what is necessary to compensate an injured party for their harm. A seasoned Florida traffic crash attorney can evaluate your case and determine whether punitive damages might be available based on the circumstance surrounding your claims.
Call for Help After Your Fort Myers Auto Accident
If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a Fort Myers auto accident, call a dedicated and talented auto accident lawyer immediately to begin investigating and preparing your case. Evidence may disappear, witnesses may forget, and insurance companies can decide that a claim is not worth as much as an injured party believes it should be. The compassionate and effective auto accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A., have years of experience fighting to maximize the recovery available for our personal injury clients across the state of Florida. For help after a traffic accident in Fort Myers, Naples, Orlando, or anywhere in Southern or Central Florida, call our auto crash legal team at 239-649-8050 for a free consultation.
