Front-end car accidents in Lake County can cause devastating injuries and even deaths. If you or a loved one is injured in a head-on collision, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for the accident. While financial compensation will not fix your injuries, it does hold the other driver accountable and cover your bills while you focus on recovering from your injuries. A vehicle collision attorney can review your situation and help you determine whether you have a legal case.
Who Is At Fault for a Front-End Crash?
Front-end crashes in Lake County often occur when a driver crosses into the wrong lane and collides with oncoming traffic. This can happen because of distracted or impaired driving or because of sharp turns or one-way streets that the driver was not expecting. In a successful car accident lawsuit, the injured person needs to prove that the other driver was negligent. This means they had a duty to behave a certain way and failed to uphold this duty, and this caused the other person’s injuries. Drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws, so a driver who goes into the wrong lane would probably be considered negligent in most cases. However, some circumstances, such as a lack of signs warning about an upcoming sharp curve or marking a one-way street, could be a successful defense.
Both drivers might also share responsibility for an accident. For example, if the injured driver was speeding and the other driver drifted into the wrong lane while distracted, both could be considered partially at fault. If an injured person is partially responsible, they can still receive compensation. However, their award will be reduced based on their portion of responsibility.
Filing Suit After a Front-End Accident
In addition to proving that the other driver was negligent, those involved in Lake County front-end accidents also need to establish that they were seriously injured. This is where having a lawyer’s guidance proves key. Florida uses a no-fault system for car insurance, which means the driver’s own policy pays for most of their expenses after an accident without considering who was responsible. To meet the state’s serious injury standard, the person needs to permanently lose an important bodily function, have significant scarring, or have some other type of injury that doctors expect to be permanent. If someone dies in a car accident, their surviving relatives can also file a wrongful death lawsuit.
If the injuries are not considered serious enough for a lawsuit, the injured person will only be able to get partial reimbursement for their medical bills and lost earnings from their insurance company. This will be limited to the insurance plan’s maximum, which is $10,000 for state minimum coverage. Some drivers may have policies with higher coverage limits.
Talk to an Attorney About Your Lake County Front-End Car Accident Case
Front-end car accidents in Lake County can cause serious injuries and medical bills that easily exceed the limits of your no-fault insurance coverage. A lawyer can help you determine whether you qualify to file a lawsuit and make the best possible case for you if you do. Largey Law Firm offers free consultations so you can understand your options. Contact us to discuss your head-on accident case today.
