Contact a Fort Lauderdale Rear End Collision Lawyer at The Maus Law Firm Today

Of the more than 400,000 car accidents in Florida every year, more than 25% of these accidents are rear-end accidents.  Rear-end accidents can also be one of the most dangerous types of impact as the full force of the vehicle hitting from behind gets transferred directly into your vehicle.  A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that close to 10% of traffic deaths occur in rear end accidents. As the other driver is typically found to be at fault in these accidents, it’s critical you speak to a South Florida car accident lawyer as soon as you are able to do so.

What Are the Causes of Rear End Accidents in Florida?

Most of the rear end collisions that occur in Florida are due to driver distraction.  The main causes of this can be:

• Cell phones
• Texting
• Driving too fast for weather conditions
• Stop and go traffic
• Distractions inside a car such as small children or pets
• Tailgating

How a Fort Lauderdale Rear End Collision Lawyer Will Demonstrate Fault

Florida car accident laws take the guesswork out of rear end car accidents about who is at fault.  In Florida, the driver that rear ends another car is presumed to be negligent in an accident.  The reason for this is so that the driver that gets hit from behind does not have to prove why the other driver caused the accident.  The driver that rear ends another car is presumed to be at fault unless that driver can provide a substantial and reasonable explanation as to why he was not negligent, in which case the presumption goes away.

Multiple Cars are Often to Blame 

Many times there will be more than one car involved in a Florida rear end car accident.  What happens if the car behind you stops suddenly, causing the car behind it to rear end the car and push it into your car? You may have a claim against both vehicles if the driver was negligent.  Negligence is a term used to describe who is at fault for the accident.  To prove negligence, you must prove the driver owed a duty of care to you, and the he or she breached that duty of car, say for example, by rear ending your car.

There are critical steps to take to investigate a multiple car rear end accident:

• Take photographs of the property damage of all vehicles
• Get the names and contact information for any witnesses
• Locate surveillance camera video from nearby businesses

Types Of Injuries From Rear End Car Accidents

The most common injury seen in rear end car accidents is the flexion/extension neck and back injury.  The force of the impact from the car hitting yours gets transferred through your car to you.  A jolt from the back will send your body and torso forward, but your head can whip backwards and forwards.  This type if injury is commonly referred to as a whiplash injury.  Other injuries that can occur from a rear end car accident are:

• Shoulder injuries from being restrained by a seatbelt
• Chest and facial injuries if you are sent forward into the steering wheel or air bag
• Hand and wrist injuries from trying to hold yourself in place during the impact
• Foot and ankle injuries which occur by holding your foot on the floor or brake pedal
• Knee injuries
• Low back injuries

Safety Technology Can Help Prevent Accidents 

Car manufacturers are coming out with many technology related safety options than can minimize your chances of being involved in a rear end car accident.  For rear end accidents, look for cars with the following technology:

• Forward Collision Warning – detects a potential collision and provides a warning to the driver
• Automatic Emergency Braking – applies brakes automatically when a forward collision is about to happen
• Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking – applies brakes when a pedestrian unexpectedly steps in front of your car
• Adaptive Lighting – automatically switches your headlights to the low beam position when a car approaches and back to your high beams after the car passes

How Will  Your Accident Attorney Obtain Compensation For A Rear End Car Accident? 

You will hear from a lot of people after you are involved in a car accident – your insurance company, the insurance company for the at fault driver, and most likely you will receive calls from unscrupulous lawyer “referral” services who get your name illegally from a tow truck driver or from a crash report.  If your life has been disrupted by your car accident and you are tired of getting the run around about how you get your car fixed, who pays for your medical care, who pays for your rental car, and whether you are entitled to a settlement from your car accident, your first step should be to speak with an experienced Florida rear end car accident lawyer.  If you are injured from a rear end car accident, you can recover money for:

• Damage to your car
• Lost wages and loss of your ability to return to your chosen line of work
• Medical bills for past medical care, and medical care you may need in the future
• Pain and suffering – issues you deal with during your normal daily activities because of your car accident injuries
• Settlement of your claim

Contact Fort Lauderdale Rear End Car Accident Lawyer Joseph Maus Today

For more information about seeking financial compensation after a Fort Lauderdale car accident, contact the Maus Law Firm for a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with attorney Joseph Maus in confidence, call 855-999-5297 or tell us how we can reach you online today.