According to a Miami-Dade police report, two men were seriously injured in a rollover crash on the Florida Turnpike on Friday night last week. Traffic was backed up for a few hours on northbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike north following the collision, according to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Department of Transportation. According to FHP, 4 passengers were inside a Toyota SUV when the vehicle went off road while trying to overtake the left-hand curve on the entrance ramp to the Turnpike. The rear-end of the car then spun in a clockwise motion causing it to roll multiple times across the turnpike lanes. Neither of the men who were injured in the crash were wearing seat belts according to a spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol.
How Not Wearing a Seatbelt Can Negatively Affect Your Car Accident Case
Car accidents are very common in Florida and their results can be devastating. If you were involved in any type of car accident that was caused by the negligence of another driver, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit to obtain compensation for your injuries and other damages. It is important to always wear a seatbelt when you’re driving. By wearing a seatbelt, you are taking one of the most important steps you can take as a driver. Additionally, by not wearing a seatbelt you are placing yourself at risk of being stopped for failure to wear a seatbelt. Another issue is that if you are involved in an accident, and you decide to file a car accident claim or lawsuit, then the defendant may assert the defense of failure to wear a seatbelt against you. As you already know, a jury is tasked with calculating the total amount or value of your injury and awarding you damages, this is called a verdict. If the defendant is found to be responsible for the accident, your damages will be reduced by the amount of fault that is attributed to you and your failure to use a seatbelt or wear a seatbelt at the time of the accident. To state it more simply, the jury will then reduce your verdict by this percentage. For car crash injury victims, one of the most common defense tactics employed by insurance companies is the so-called seat belt defense. The seatbelt defense is simply a defense that is alleged by the defendant stating that had you worn your seatbelt at the time of the accident, you would have not suffered the injuries that you did in the accident. Again, the idea here is that if you would’ve worn a seatbelt at the time of the accident you would not have been as badly hurt as you were. The best way to deal with this is to just make sure you always wear a seatbelt when you’re behind the wheel. And remember if the jury believes what the defendant is saying regarding your failure to wear a seatbelt, this will reduce the amount of damages that you will ultimately receive.
Car Accident Attorneys in South Florida
The car accident attorneys at Suarez & Montero have the resources and experience to successfully accomplish your goal of receiving maximum compensation for your personal injury claim. Our firm believes that the top priority for our clients should be recovering from their injury in order to return to their normal everyday lives. That is why we offer our legal services with no money down and no fees unless we are successful in recovering compensation in your case. Our attorneys are ready to provide proven legal representation and stand ready to protect your rights. We are available 24/7 to give you a free, no risk case consultation!
We serve clients throughout Florida including those in the following areas:
Miami-Dade: Aventura, Coral Gables, Doral, Fontainebleau, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Lakes, North Miami, Tamiami, and Westchester.
Broward: Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Weston; and Palm Beach County including Boca Raton, Lake Worth, and West Palm Beach.