Rear-end collisions can lead to serious injuries, property damage, or even death. Car accident victims may face months in recovery, long-term medical treatment, high medical expenses, lost wages, unpaid bills, and more.
If you or a loved one have been in a rear-end crash in Florida, consider filing a car accident personal injury claim for compensation. Personal injury lawsuits can help accident victims pay for medical bills and other expenses resulting from the crash.
Florin|Roebig can help residents in the state of Florida build a strong case to pursue damages for accident injuries. Learn what to do after a rear-end collision, how to file a rear-end car accident claim, and how a Florin|Roebig can help.
Common Causes Of Rear-End Car Accidents
Rear-end collisions are a type of car accident that happens when the front end of one vehicle strikes the car in front of it. It may seem as though all rear-end crashes could be prevented through watching speed limits and giving enough space between your car and the car in front of you. Yet, there are many factors that contribute to rear-end accidents.
Some of the most common causes of rear-end collisions include:
- tailgating
- high speeds
- faulty brake lights
- distracted driving, such as texting while driving
- driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (drunk driving)
Three Areas in Florida Where Rear-End Collisions Are Most Common
- Interstate 4 (I-4) in Orlando I-4, which runs through the heart of Orlando, is known for its heavy congestion and frequent traffic jams, especially around tourist attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. The constant stop-and-go traffic, coupled with high volumes of vehicles, makes this stretch of highway particularly prone to rear-end collisions. Drivers often follow too closely or fail to react in time to sudden stops, leading to a high incidence of rear-end crashes.
- Interstate 95 (I-95) in Fort Lauderdale I-95 in Fort Lauderdale is another hotspot for rear-end collisions. This busy interstate sees a mix of local commuters, long-distance travelers, and commercial vehicles. The high-speed nature of the road, combined with frequent lane changes and heavy traffic during rush hours, increases the likelihood of rear-end accidents. Sudden slowdowns and stop-and-go conditions are common, contributing to the frequency of these types of collisions.
- U.S. Route 41 (Tamiami Trail) in Tampa U.S. Route 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail, is a major north-south highway running through Tampa. This road is notorious for its dense traffic, particularly during peak travel times. The combination of high traffic volume, numerous traffic signals, and busy intersections creates a high risk for rear-end collisions. Drivers often encounter abrupt stops and frequent changes in traffic flow, leading to an increased chance of accidents.
Injuries In Rear-End Collisions
Florida rear-end collisions can cause a number of serious injuries, property damage, or fatalities. Rear-end accidents may not lead to as many injuries or occur as often as head-on collisions, t-bone car accidents, or other car crashes, but these collisions can still lead to consequences.
Injuries tend to happen when a rear-end accident victim is thrown forward from the impact and strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield.
Common injuries often seen in Florida rear-end collisions include:
- neck and back injuries, such as whiplash
- herniated discs
- lacerations
- broken bones
- head injury
- traumatic brain injuries, in severe cases
How severe injuries are may depend on a number of factors, such as whether the car accident victim was wearing their seatbelt at the time of the crash and if their airbag deployed.
What To Do After A Rear-End Crash In Florida
Rear-end crashes can leave accident victims in a state of shock. After the accident, you may be injured, confused, and wonder what steps to take next.
Follow these tips to protect your health, safety, and legal rights if you were injured in a Florida rear-end collision:
1. Get Medical Care
Seeking prompt medical attention isn’t just important for your injuries, but can also be crucial to your right to compensation later on. If you decide to start a rear-end collision case, having a documented medical record following the accident may be important.
In addition, medical professionals can perform any necessary x-rays, MRIs, or other exams to clear you of traumatic brain injury, concussions, or serious injuries which may not be obvious right away. Swift medical care is often necessary to help you have the best odds at recovering.
2. Contact Law Enforcement And File A Police Report
Most states require all motor vehicle accidents to be reported, so cooperating with police officers to file an accident report should be your next step. Highway patrol or law enforcement will arrive at the scene of the accident to help move your vehicle off the road if possible, take down contact information for you and the at-fault driver, and note contributing factors to the accident.
Be sure to take down contact information for the other driver.
It’s important to have the following information as well, both to follow up with insurance and in case you decide to file a personal injury claim:
- contact information, including name, address, and phone number
- insurance company name and insurance policy number
- driver’s license number
3. Consult A Rear-End Collision Lawyer
Florida requires all drivers to carry a personal injury protection (PIP) policy through their auto insurance plan. This covers personal injury and property damage caused by car accidents up to a certain amount. However, many injuries will cause high medical bills, require long-term care, or put a person out of work for a time.
Insurance coverage does not account for all these losses, which is why it may be in your best interest to consult an experienced Florida car accident attorney after a rear-end crash before speaking to an insurance adjuster.
A personal injury lawyer with experience in this practice area can explain your legal rights. Through a free case evaluation, they can review the details of the accident, your medical records, the police report, and other documentation that shows how the accident has affected your life. This way, they can explain whether you have a strong enough case to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
Understanding Liability In Florida Rear-End Car Accident Cases
Rear-end collisions tend to occur because one motorist has been negligent. Florida law assumes that each person has a duty of care to act in a way that exercises proper care toward others. When a person breaches this duty of care, or acts in a way that can lead to harm of others, this is known as negligence.
Car accident victims who have been injured or suffered property damage in a rear-end collision caused by a negligent driver have legal options. They can bring a personal injury lawsuit, or tort, against the negligent driver and/or their insurance company to pursue damages.
Whether a claimant’s car accident personal injury claim will be successful will depend on whether they can prove negligence and may be affected by how many vehicles were involved, since rear-end crashes can often lead to car pile-ups.
Proving Negligence
Driving on Florida roadways comes with responsibility. Each driver is expected to act in a way that another reasonable person would act in the same situation.
Proving negligence in a personal injury claim means showing that:
- the rear-ending driver had a duty to exercise care
- the driver breached that duty of care
- breaching this duty of care caused the front driver’s injuries as a result
In a rear-end accident case, this may mean showing that the rear driver was negligent by failing to travel at or below the posted speed limit, due to tailgating, or from dangerous lane changes.
A Florida car accident lawyer will closely examine the details of the rear-end accident to show that the rear driver acted in a way that led to your injuries.
What To Do If Multiple Vehicles Were Involved
Determining liability in Florida car-pileups caused by rear-ending can be tricky. If you are struck from behind by a vehicle who was rear-ended by another car, which car is the at-fault driver for your injuries?
In these cases, courts in the state of Florida will consider all details for every driver involved. Perhaps the car which struck the car behind you was traveling at a high speed, which led them to rear-end the car in front of them. If the car they hit was also tailgating you, leading to a rear-end collision with your vehicle, both drivers may be held liable.
A rear-end collision attorney can explain more about what to expect in a personal injury case that involves multiple vehicles.
Filing A Rear-End Car Accident Lawsuit In Florida
Rear-end car crashes can lead to a number of serious injuries, property damage, lost wages, and other impacts on your life. Filing a rear-end car accident lawsuit in Florida allows you to seek a payout to cover some of these losses.
If your injuries are severe, compensation can also provide the means to make up for what the accident has cost you. Although rarer, rear-end collisions can lead to the wrongful death of a loved one, or life-altering injuries. In these cases, you may need compensation for the loss of companionship or permanent disability that will alter your life course.
Along with collecting compensation that can aid you in your recovery, filing a personal injury suit can also help you hold the responsible party accountable.
Compensation In A Florida Rear-End Car Accident Case
Many damages in a personal injury case are economic or cover costs that have a measurable value. These include medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, and other direct losses.
Some losses from the accident may not be so easy to put a number on, such as pain and suffering or loss of a loved one. Compensation for these damages is known as non-economic damages.
It may be impossible to predict how much your rear-end car accident case may be worth. However, an experienced Florida injury attorney may be able to estimate the potential value of your case based on the details you provide.
Our Featured Case Results
List Of Florida Rear-End Collision Lawyers Near You
Recovering from a rear-end accident can be a difficult time that may be easier with the help of compensation to cover medical bills and other financial burdens from the accident.
When you’re ready to file a rear-end accident claim in Florida, consider calling on the experienced legal team at Florin|Roebig. We have over 30 years of experience serving personal injury clients in Florida and we can put our expertise and resources to work for you.
Our law firm hosts a team of personal injury lawyers who are ready and willing to help you file your accident claim, including:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- Chase P. Florin, B.C.S.
- John J. Hart
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
- Taylor D. Roebig
- Nollys R. Solarte, O.C.
- Lawrence J. Najem, O.C.
- Andrew M. Leone, O.C.
Areas In Florida We Serve
We have law offices in Palm Harbor, Jacksonville, and West Palm Beach and can serve clients throughout the state of Florida.
Just some of the areas we serve include:
- Miami
- Tampa
- Fort Lauderdale
- Clearwater
- Boca Raton
- Orlando
- Tampa Bay Area
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Get Help Filing A Rear-End Collision Car Accident Claim
Rear-end collisions can cause you personal injury, property damage, and expensive medical bills. You may miss out on work and be overwhelmed trying to get a fair payout from your insurance adjuster. Allow Florin|Roebig law firm to help you file a claim for compensation so you can focus all your energy on recovery.
Don’t wait until the statute of limitations runs out on your claim. Contact Florin|Roebig today for a free consultation to learn more about rear-end car accident claims and how much you may be able to win for your personal injuries.
