Florida Insurance Claims Lawyer Blog

Most Palm Beach car accidents involve collisions between two or more vehicles, usually caused by the negligence of one of the drivers. Far too many area residents are harmed in these crashes each day. However, beyond these frequent incidents, cars often pose hidden dangers for many drivers. Those risks are particularly strong when one purchases a used car.

For example, WPTV reported yesterday on a college student who parked his 2009 Grand Prix in his school's parking lot shortly before the vehicle unexpectedly burst into flames. The fire department rushed to put out the blaze, which engulfed the entire car. Fortunately the driver was not injured in that case.

Shockingly, the bizarre incident is not unique, as many other 2009 Grand Prix drivers have faced similar problems. One driver reports that his car fire almost destroyed his house.

He explained the situation: "There was steam coming out the front of the car. And I thought I must have blown a radiator hose. So I opened the hood to try and let the steam out. Thinking I was going to get steamed, I backed off and when I did flames came rushing out."

Unknown to that driver or the college student, the cars that they had just bought at a used car dealership had actually been recalled a few months before because of the risk of engine leaks landing on the car's manifold. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration explains how new car dealerships are forbidden from selling openly recalled vehicles, but the same rule does not apply to used car sellers. As a result, millions of cars with open recalls are on the road each day and many more are being sold in used lots throughout the country.

Continue reading "Palm Beach Car Accident Attorney Explains Potential Dangers with Used Car Recalls" »

West Palm Beach motorcycle accidents remain a prevalent problem. Unfortunately, many car and truck drivers continue to ignore or fail to see their fellow travelers on motorcycles--deadly collisions often result.

Many local residents are aware of the increased dangers associated with bikes, but the statistics remain sobering. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that motorcyclists are seven times more likely to be involved in an accident than car drivers. The current accident rate stands at 72.34 per 100,000 registered motorcycles. However, those figures are misleading, because the accident rate between cars and motorcycles is even more disparate. When comparing total miles traveled motorcyclists are a dishearteningly 35 times more likely to be caught in a fatal accident than car drivers. Of course the reason for the increased risk is largely the open and exposed nature of the vehicles as compared to enclosed four-wheel machines.

But the message is clear: the stakes are always high when motorcyclists get caught in an accident.

The law just as clear in its protections for motorcycle riders--they deserve the same rights and have the same responsibilities as all other vehicles on the road. It is never an excuse for a car driver to claim that the bike was difficult to see or that they misjudged a driving maneuver because of the motorcycle's size. When a driver negligently causes a motorcycle accident than the law provides a remedy for the victim.

For example, last month recklessness of an area driver led to a deadly Boca Raton motorcycle crash. The Palm Beach Post reported on the motorcycle accident which struck on State Road 7. Authorities indicate that a drunk driver was headed down the wrong side of the road, against on-coming traffic, when his car slammed into the front of Harley Sportster. The motorcycle driver was thrown from his vehicle and died at the scene.

Continue reading "West Palm Beach Motorcycle Accident Attorney Advocates for Crash Victims" »

An experienced West Palm Beach car accident lawyer knows how important it is for thorough, accurate, and complete car accident investigations to be conducted following all traffic crashes. Every day thousands of community members, including many in our area, find themselves victims of car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. The causes of these incidents are often complex--various factors may be involved that are not apparent at first glance. Even when the cause of a West Palm Beach car accident seems clear, a proper investigation may reveal that distractions, malfunctions, or other types of negligence contributed to the accident.

For example, this morning WPBF News reported on a fatal Cooper City car accident that struck yesterday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m. the victim was driving his car on a local road in Broward County, when, according to witnesses, his vehicle abruptly drove into a yard. The car then crashed through a fence and hit a tree before flipping over and sliding nearly two hundred feet along a gully. The driver was ejected from the vehicle during the accident and did not survive his injuries.

Even with witnesses able to report on the car accident, local officials are still unsure what led to the deadly event. A variety of possibilities exist. The man could have fallen asleep at the wheel. He may have suffered a sudden medical condition. Perhaps his car malfunctioned in some way. Each possibility has different ramifications when it comes to the law.

It is for those reasons that all accident victims should seek out the help of a Florida car crash attorney to help investigate the events that led to an accident. The attorney can then explain how you may be able to seek recovery for your losses in that accident.

Continue reading "Florida Car Accident Attorney Explains Importance of Proper Investigations" »