Car Accidents in Intersections

Intersections, whether regulated or not, are the scenes of a significant number of accidents. Car accidents that occur in intersections can lead to some of the most devastating injuries for motorists, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists. Often these accidents are caused by a driver’s failure to take proper care in approaching, or navigating through, an intersection. Miami car accident lawyer Robert Dixon helps those who have been injured by careless drivers pursue legal action in order to seek compensation they need for their injuries. The Law Offices of Robert Dixon provides seasoned and knowledgeable legal representation to South Florida residents, including those in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident that occurred in an intersection, you can contact our office to find out more about your legal options and set up a free consultation.

When an accident occurs in an intersection, it is usually due to the negligence of one or more drivers, which can manifest in a variety of ways. One of the most common factors in causing these types of collisions is a motorist’s failure to yield the right of way to another vehicle or individual on the road. Other common causes may include:

• Drivers running a red light
• Speeding
• Drivers failing to adhere to stop signs
• Drivers failing to look for oncoming vehicles when making a left-hand turn
• Driver distracted by their phones or other internal or external factors

Injuries such as broken or fractured bones, whiplash, as well as traumatic brain injury or even death can result from these accidents. Holding those responsible for such harm legally liable is not only important for financial reasons, but also to potentially bring emotional closure to the victim(s).

A driver is negligent when they breach a duty of reasonable care they owe to the victim, thereby causing the victim’s injuries and resulting in damages. Motorists owe each other, as well as anyone else on the road, a duty to act as a reasonable and prudent person would if faced with the same or substantially similar circumstances. When a driver speeds through a red light or fails to look for other cars when making a turn, causing an accident, these actions could be viewed as unreasonable. Even when a victim is partially at fault for causing his or her own injuries, Florida allows for comparative compensation from each negligent party. For instance, if an accident results from one driver speeding through a yellow light while another does not yield the right of way as they are making a turn, if one of them is injured they can still potentially recover damages despite their own carelessness. Compensation is awarded based on each party’s degree of fault, meaning that if an injured party is found to be 45 percent negligent for an accident, they can still receive 55 percent of their damages from another negligent party.

Once liability is established, a victim can receive damages for past and future medical expenses, lost income, loss of earning capacity, and in some instances, compensation for pain and suffering, depending on the severity of injury. In wrongful death claims, where families file suit on behalf of a deceased loved one, compensation for outstanding medical bills related to the injuries that lead to the death, as well as loss of support and burial or funeral expenses may be awarded. Consulting an attorney who can help determine your legal options as soon as possible following a car accident in an intersection is important to making sure your rights are protected.

Dealing with your injuries while also trying to manage your insurance benefits and figure out your legal rights can be an overwhelming experience in the aftermath of a crash. Car accident attorney Robert Dixon strives to ease this burden by offering dedicated and comprehensive legal services for clients who have suffered harm as a result of another’s negligence. Robert Dixon and his staff at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can assist you with your claims if you, or a loved one, have been injured in a car accident in an intersection. Our firm stands by victims from the time of initial investigation into fault until the conclusion of any necessary litigation. Please call 877.499.4878 or contact us online today in order to set up a free, no obligation consultation about your potential claims. We represent clients in areas including West Palm Beach, and Miami.