Minivan Accidents

Minivans are vans that have the feature of sliding rear-doors. Once viewed as family cars used to bring children to school or the grocery store, these vehicles now play a role in the trucking industry. Like panel trucks, minivans are used for an array of commercial purposes, such as to deliver goods or as ride-sharing vehicles. With more minivans on the road and drivers who may not be familiar with operating them, the potential for injuries to other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians grows. The Miami truck accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon help victims injured in a minivan accident seek the compensation that they are entitled to obtain from at-fault parties. Our firm is committed to providing personalized legal representation to clients throughout the investigation stages as well as in settlement negotiations and any necessary litigation. We assist people throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, including in Miami, and West Palm Beach, with personal injury and wrongful death claims arising out of a serious crash.

Vehicles with a higher center of gravity, like minivans, are more likely to roll over in a crash. The potential for these types of accidents also increases if a minivan is traveling fast, if the driver turns too quickly around a sharp corner, or if a fatigued driver over-corrects when confronted with an unexpected road condition. Minivans also have more blind spots than other kinds of vehicles, which untrained or unfamiliar drivers may fail to check, leading to a serious accident and injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stated that passenger vans carrying 10 or more passengers are more likely to be involved in collisions. The NHTSA also found that improper tire inflation raises the risk of a rollover accident for 15-passenger vans.

Minivan drivers are not required to possess specialized licenses, as operators of large tractor-trailers are. As a result, these drivers may not be skilled at maneuvering larger vehicles and can cause significant injuries to pedestrians, bicyclists, passengers, and other motorists. Injuries in minivan collisions can include relatively minor ones, such as broken bones, whiplash, or bruising, but they may also involve major, life-altering injuries like brain trauma or spinal cord damage. A truck accident lawyer can make sure that the proper parties are held liable for the expenses associated with the injuries that a victim sustains in a minivan accident.

If a minivan driver acts negligently, they can be held accountable in a personal injury case. Negligence occurs when one party breaches the duty to act as a reasonable and prudent person would under the same or similar circumstances. All motorists owe other road users a duty of reasonable care. Victims must also show that the defendant driver’s breach caused their injuries, and damages resulted. In situations when a driver was an employee, acting in the scope of employment when involved in a collision, the driver’s employer may also be held vicariously liable. Once fault is proven, victims may recover damages in the forms of past and future medical expenses, lost income, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering, as well as potentially others. In Florida, personal injury claims must be filed within four years of a victim’s injuries. Accident cases involving a fatality have even less time to take shape, since wrongful death claims are barred after two years following the death of a victim.

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a serious collision involving a minivan, the Miami attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon are available to help you determine your next legal steps. Call 877.499.4878 or contact us online today to set up a free consultation to learn more about our legal services.