Merging Car Accidents Lawyer in Brandon, Florida
In heavy traffic, merging onto a major highway or changing lanes can be hazardous for drivers. Merging can sometimes, for various reasons, result in a severe accident. Sadly, incidents involving merging can result in life-altering injuries to car passengers.
Contact our Brandon merging car accidents lawyer at Golden Injury Attorneys if you have been injured in a merging car accident. Our law firm will fight for you to obtain the necessary compensation for your injuries. To talk with our experienced personal injury attorney, please schedule a free initial consultation or call our office immediately.
Why Do You Need a Merging Car Accidents Lawyer in Florida?
In the aftermath of a non-fault vehicle collision involving a merging car, it may be tempting to let the insurance companies handle everything.
The settlement procedure may become a nightmare due to expensive recovery costs and competing viewpoints. Insurance companies are rarely recognized for their generosity. Here are some advantages of choosing our competent merging car accident lawyer in Brandon.
Expertise Handling Merging Car Accident Cases
How can you know if a settlement you are given is reasonable if you decide to represent yourself in a merging car accident claim? Insurance businesses do not anticipate that you are an expert, so they have no motivation to investigate every chance to provide you with more money. Our seasoned Brandon merging car accident lawyer can manage your case, thus strengthening your claim.
Unlike the majority of individuals, we handle accident claims daily. We know the causes, short- and long-term impacts, and most importantly, the value of accident claims. Knowing which outcomes are compensable and how to quantify the losses is essential when seeking compensation. With us on your side, you can be confident that we will leave no stone unturned in our quest for the restitution you require to be made whole.
Awareness of Applicable Laws
As an accident victim, you are likely more concerned with healing and moving on than with the legal procedure. However, without a comprehensive grasp of the law, you may be uninformed of all of your claim-pursuit alternatives. Because laws are created to control everyone in every situation, they are sometimes complicated to comprehend.
Our competent and seasoned litigator comprehensively grasps the law and its application to your case, enabling us to examine your accident and determine the other driver’s fault.
If you file outside this window, your lawsuit will likely be rejected. In addition, laws change. What may have been true a year ago when your buddy crashed her car may not be true now. We base our recommendations on the most recent version of the legislation.
Assist in Establishing Liability and Locating All Sources of Coverage
The state of Florida determines recovery results using a method of pure comparative negligence, implying that if your accident claim goes to court, the compensation you receive might be decreased if you are found to have contributed to the accident. To ensure that your claim is as solid as possible, our skilled merging car accidents lawyer will perform investigations and collect evidence to support your case. The investigation may consist of:
- Identifying and interviewing accident witnesses
- Expert witness consultation for accident reconstruction or medical evaluations
- Requesting accident reports from local police enforcement
- Collecting photographs or videos of the wreckage
- Investigating the weather and road circumstances around the accident
- Issuing letters of expiration to safeguard perishable evidence
Working With Insurance Providers
We will manage all of your discussions with an insurance provider, which may involve speaking on your behalf over the phone or assisting you in creating a written statement to ensure that your words are accurately captured. Clients whose attorneys talk or write on their behalf are less likely to inadvertently harm their claims or have their statements misconstrued or taken out of context later. A fair playing field increases your chances of recovering swiftly and returning to your life.
Insurance companies, like all other businesses, exist to generate a profit. Their task is made easy when they determine the amount of your claim payment. However, when you consult our personal injury attorney, the insurer’s task becomes more difficult. Suppose an insurance company attempts to prioritize its interests above yours by undervaluing your claim. In that case, our devoted Brandon merging car accidents lawyer will be ready to file a lawsuit and fight in court for what is rightly yours.
Attempts to Reach a Settlement
The settlement is one of the most significant components of a merging car accident lawsuit. An essential aspect of a settlement is its valuation. When you know the actual value of your claim, you can better face the lengthy and costly recovery process. Hiring our merging car accidents lawyer will help you obtain compensation for the following:
- Expenses incurred for medical treatment
- Any future medical expenses you anticipate incurring as a result of the injury, including therapy or rehabilitation expenses
- Any wages you lose due to your inability to work
- Any possible future income you are unable to earn because of the accident
- Any present or future effects of the accident and your injuries, such as pain and suffering or PTSD
- Damage to cars or other things
What Constitutes a Merging Car or Changing Lane Accident?
When a motorist collides with another vehicle while changing lanes, this is known as a side-impact or side-swept accident. Numerous factors cause this type of accident, including:
- Distracted driving (driving while texting or yelling at your children in the back seat)
- Failing to use the turn signal to alert other drivers when changing lanes
- Failing to check the rear-view mirrors and failing to prevent blind spots.
Florida law specifies that all motorists must remain inside the confines of a single lane. You must ensure that you can do it safely whenever you intend to change lanes. Failure to do so is a civil traffic offense punishable by fines. Suppose you change lanes to pass another car or make a right or left turn. In that case, you are additionally required to comply with Florida Statute 316.155, which states:
- Utilizing a signal when turning or passing another vehicle
- Continuously displaying the signal for at least 100 feet before turning
- No one may abruptly stop or lower their speed without previously signaling
What Are the Rules for Merging and Changing Lanes in Florida?
The right-of-way laws of Florida must be observed while changing lanes or merging. When one or both drivers do not entirely comprehend the regulations for changing lanes, these moves become significantly more hazardous. State law dictates that the motorist who has the right-of-way while merging is the one who is already in the destination lane. For instance, when merging into a highway, the merging driver must cede the right-of-way to cars already on the roadway.
Right-of-way Rules
When changing lanes on a multilane road or motorway, the driver must yield to oncoming traffic in the destination lane. The destination lane cars will have the right-of-way and will not be required to brake or yield to merging traffic. Suppose you are a motorist attempting to change lanes. In that case, you are responsible for using your blinker, adjusting your speed, checking your rear-view mirrors and blind areas, and only changing lanes when there is sufficient space.
You may be responsible for a future merging car accident if you violate these care duties. Even if the other motorist rear-ended you, you might be held guilty for an accident if you cut off another driver and then slammed the brakes.
What Are the Common Causes of Merging Car Accidents?
There are several typical reasons for merging car collisions on the roads to watch out for. Among these are, but are not limited to:
Lane Change Without a Turn Signal
Many merging car accidents occur because drivers fail to indicate before changing lanes. In this case, a driver in the rear or an incoming driver cannot forecast that the merging driver will cross their lane, which might result in a rear-end collision.
Cutting Off a Vehicle
An accident may occur if a motorist cuts off another driver attempting to merge. If a motorist tries to merge when there is inadequate space, it gives little time for the opposing car to brake or slow down.
Inattentive Driving
Inattentive driving might hinder motorists from recognizing a merging car and responding correctly. If a motorist does not observe a car entering its lane, they cannot likely stop to allow it in.
Too Slow or Too Quick a Merge
A driver who merges too slowly or too rapidly for the conditions might create uncertainty on the roads. Other motorists may not know if letting an oncoming car in is safe, which might lead to a sideswipe collision.
Inconsiderate and Aggressive Driving
In addition to exceeding the speed limit and driving aggressively, exceeding the speed limit can also result in a merging collision. Suppose you are speeding and a car merges in front of you from a ramp or another lane. In that case, it may be difficult or impossible to stop in time to avoid a collision.
Contact us at Golden Injury Attorneys immediately if you were injured in a car accident caused by a driver who failed to look before merging or did not merge safely. We can examine the accident’s circumstances and attempt to make those responsible for their wrongdoing accountable.
What Are the Possible Injuries for Merging Car Accidents?
Injuries in these types of accidents depend on several variables, including
- the speed at which both cars were traveling
- whether external factors (such as weather or road conditions) made driving more hazardous
- and whether the injured party had preexisting medical conditions exacerbated by the collision.
The most severe injuries consist of:
- Concussions
- Spinal cord damage
- Fractures
- Damage to the internal organs
In addition to mental agony — including flashbacks and PTSD — it’s vital to consider additional issues. Victims might also incur financial losses owing to significant medical expenses and the need to miss work.
What to Do If You Were Involved in a Merging Car Accident?
Provided you have been involved in a merging car accident, and you think that the other motorist was at fault, you may be able to file a personal injury claim if you can provide sufficient supporting documents and persuasive proof. Always remain at the site of an accident and contact the police. You will require an accident report to initiate your claim and demonstrate that you sustained damages in the collision.
- Take photographs of the accident scene to demonstrate the point of impact and the damage to your car. You are more likely to prove that the other motorist was at fault and responsible for your losses if you have more supporting documents and proof. Also, get testimonies from witnesses about what they observed and what transpired.
- If you are not at fault for the collision, you may be able to collect damages by filing a personal injury claim against the motorist whose negligence caused your injuries. A collision that occurs when someone merges might result in severe injuries and considerable damage. You will need to assess the scope of your losses and damages so that you may seek compensation for them all in your personal injury claim.
- The accident might have been caught if the neighborhood had had video cameras. You may subpoena surveillance footage, traffic, and cameras to support your merging car accident injury claim. It would be best if you immediately started medical treatment, so be sure to save all medical documents and expenses.
Who is Responsible If Another Motorist Merges With You?
The most important thing to remember for merging car accidents and vehicle wrecks, in general, is that fault is based on carelessness. In other words, the person at fault is the one who had a responsibility to keep the wounded driver safe and failed to do so. Every motorist on the road bears this duty to every other driver. When a collision happens due to a motorist’s effort to merge into traffic, the merging driver is often at blame.
Before merging into traffic from a ramp or changing lanes, drivers are responsible for checking their mirrors and blind areas to determine if it is safe to enter the new traffic lane. A merging motorist may cause a severe collision with another vehicle if they fail to use caution. A motorist who is merging might cause an accident by:
- Before merging, not checking their side-view and rear-view mirrors
- Not checking their blind areas before merging
- Failure to match their car’s speed to the speed of traffic in the lane they are entering
- Failure to employ the correct turn signal when attempting to merge
- Attempting to merge while on the phone or reading a text message
By disregarding the road laws and failing to take the necessary measures before merging into traffic, the driver breached their duty to other motorists and may be held accountable for the collision. Before you may obtain compensation from the driver that merged into your lane and their insurance, you will still need solid proof to support your claim. Our skilled Brandon merging car accidents lawyer will assist you in gathering the required evidence.
Who is Liable in a Sideswipe Collision?
It might be challenging to identify liability in sideswipe collisions. Both cars are in motion in many instances, and these collisions frequently occur at high speeds, leaving drivers with little time to respond. However, one motorist often carries the majority or majority of liability for a sideswipe collision. It is crucial to evaluate the facts to determine whether a motorist was careless and caused the accident.
Examples of recklessness that might lead to a sideswipe collision include:
- A driver who changes lanes without first checking the rear-view and side-view mirrors
- A motorist who changes lanes without assessing blind spots
- A driver who changes lanes without signaling
- A motorist who changes lanes without adjusting speed to match traffic (for example, moving too fast or too slow compared to traffic)
- A motorist who cuts off another car while changing lanes
- A driver who changes lanes when distracted by a cell phone or other object
Before attempting to change lanes, a motorist who participates in any of these actions and causes an accident fails to take the necessary measures, which indicates that they acted negligently and are likely financially liable for any injuries they caused.
How Do You Know Who is Liable for Merging Car Accidents?
When two drivers’ reports of an accident disagree, further evidence is required to determine fault. Some sorts of evidence used to assess liability in merging car collisions include:
- Statements from all drivers involved in the accident
- Police accident reports
- Photographs of the accident site
- Dashcam or other video documentation of the collision
- Medical records
- Reports by eyewitnesses
- Forensic accident reconstruction teams’ reports
You can obtain compensation for your injuries following a merging car accident, even if you are partially at fault. You are entitled to compensation if you are less than 50 percent at fault for the crash. In this case, your compensation would be reduced by your proportion of responsibility.
How Does Comparative Negligence Law Affect Your Merging Car Accident Injury Claim in Florida?
Many lawsuits involving merging car accidents are complicated by shared fault. If two drivers crashed while trying to enter the same lane at the exact moment, both might be at blame. However, a responsibility dispute may develop, with one motorist claiming that the other was at fault for the collision. These situations may be challenging to resolve. If both cars entered the destination lane simultaneously, they might share liability equally, 50/50. Otherwise, one motorist might be more responsible for the accident than the other.
Pure Comparative Negligence Rule
The State of Florida follows the pure comparative negligence rule, which means that two drivers might share liability for an accident, and a victim would still be compensated. Under Florida’s comparative negligence legislation, the courts will pay compensation according to the percentage of fault attributed to each vehicle in the merging collision. The partial fault might consequently lower your payout proportionally.
If you feel the other motorist is 100 percent at blame for an accident while you were merging lanes, contact our knowledgeable Brandon car accidents lawyer for assistance. You may require our assistance in disputing liability and pursuing just compensation. If another motorist accuses you of being partially responsible for a merging car collision, it is crucial to retain our legal counsel.
What Are the Commonly Claimed Damages After a Merging Car Accident?
In your personal injury claim, you will want to include all of the losses you sustained in the merging car collision. Your injuries may be long-lasting, and your damages may accumulate rapidly. Here is a summary of some of the most often asserted damages following a merging accident:
Property Damage
Property damage covers the car’s damages. To determine this amount, obtain a formal repair estimate, photographs of the damages, tow bills, and rental car receipts.
Medical Bills
You should seek medical attention immediately if you were injured in the accident. Keep copies of all medical bills, including doctor’s appointments, hospital bills, physical therapy, medications, medical gadgets, and surgical procedures.
Anguish and Suffering
If you have medical expenses, you have anguish. Our skilled personal injury attorney will assist you in determining the monetary value of your claim for pain and suffering. Your overall medical expenditures are multiplied by a factor between 1 and 5 to assess your pain and suffering.
Lost Income
During the time you are healing from your injuries, you will incur wage loss. Your attorney will assist you in determining how your wages may be affected, including your past, current, and future earnings losses.
Mental Distress
If you suffer from stress, anxiety, or depression from the accident, your attorney may assist you in claiming compensation for these losses.
Lifelong Disfigurement and Scarring
You may be eligible to claim compensation for persistent scarring and deformity if you have permanent scars or permanent injuries.
To initiate your claim, you must send a letter of demand. In this demand letter, you must state the relevant information. Describe what occurred, where it occurred, when it occurred, and why it occurred. Explain why you feel the other motorist was at fault and why they are responsible for your losses. You should provide supporting paperwork and proof, such as
- Medical bills,
- medical records,
- photographs of the accident scene,
- witness accounts,
- repair estimates,
- and any other data and evidence you can supply.
You will need to enumerate all of your damages and then total them to determine the compensation you require to cover your losses. Always be prepared to haggle with the insurance provider and keep in mind the minimum amount you are willing to accept. They may make a counteroffer or reject your claim entirely. Our Brandon merging car accidents lawyer is a skilled negotiator and will aggressively pursue your claim, looking out for your best interests and ensuring you are adequately paid when a settlement is achieved.
Call our Reliable Brandon Merging Car Accidents Lawyer Today!
Our skilled personal injury attorney understands what you do not know, such as the appropriate questions to ask the other driver, physicians, and witnesses. We know how your comments may be twisted and misrepresented to reduce the other driver’s culpability, so we can safeguard your rights by communicating directly with the other driver’s insurance company.
If you are deposed or questioned in court, our competent Brandon merging car accidents lawyer will know when to oppose. We will also consider future complications, such as the need for follow-up medical care or lost earning ability owing to lasting damage. In short, having us on your side ensures that every lawsuit choice you make is well-informed.
