A rear end collision can result in serious bodily injuries that require medical attention to both you and your passengers. The driver who caused the crash may be liable for the accident, including the direct and indirect costs of your injuries. You may be able to pursue the at-fault driver and other potentially liable parties by contacting a Sarasota car accident lawyer for legal advice and assistance.
Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident, including medical providers, bills, and insurance companies, can be frustrating and endless. Your injuries also may impact your ability to handle these matters in a thorough or timely fashion. Fortunately, the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can help. Call us today and learn more about your rights to seek damages following a rear end collision that has resulted in injuries to you or a loved one.
Filing Insurance Claims Following Rear End Collisions
In most cases, the driver who rear ends another vehicle is liable for the crash. However, if a rear end crash involves multiple drivers, then liability may be less apparent. Depending on the situation, there may be parties other than the at-fault driver responsible for the crash. Those parties might include an employer of the driver of a commercial vehicle or a driver who was performing work-related duties, a vehicle manufacturer if the vehicle failed in some way, or the company that owns the vehicle and failed to properly maintain it. Legal counsel can investigate the facts surrounding your crash and help determine all potentially liable parties. With legal assistance, you may be able to pursue one or more of these parties for compensation concerning your crash-related injuries.
Although liability may be fairly straightforward in a rear end crash involving only two vehicles, determining the amount of damages or compensation may be another matter altogether. Insurance companies for at-fault parties will want to minimize their insurance payouts to the greatest degree possible, and injury victims will want to maximize the compensation that they receive for their injuries. Possible items of compensation in a rear end collision might include the following:
- Medical expenses, including emergency medical services, hospitalization and surgical costs, doctor bills, and the costs of rehabilitation or therapy
- Lost income if your injuries cause you to miss work, or a loss of future earnings if your injuries prevent you from returning to work
- Compensation for physical pain and emotional trauma
- Permanent impairments that alter your everyday activities
Your expenses may be extensive if you are severely injured in a rear end crash, especially if your injuries cause you permanent disability. On the other hand, the insurance company is likely to downplay the extent and severity of your injuries as a means of limiting your payout. An attorney can assist you in negotiations with the insurance company and provide evidence to support your claim for compensation. If a settlement is not possible, attorneys can file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.
Statutes of Limitations and Rear End Collision Claims
Every lawsuit is subject to strict timelines set out in state law. Since state law governs these deadlines or statutes of limitations, the time that you have to file a lawsuit may vary according to the type of lawsuit involved from one state to another.
Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a) establishes the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim based on negligence, such as the negligence of a driver who causes a rear end collision. Under this law, injury victims generally must file their personal injury lawsuits in Florida within four years of the date that the accident occurred.
Since you only have a limited time to file your personal injury lawsuit, you should take care to get legal advice about your potential claim as quickly as possible following a motor vehicle accident. Although four years may seem like plenty of time, claims can take significant time and effort to resolve, so the sooner you get started, the sooner your legal team can go to work for you. If you fail to file suit within the statute of limitations, you likely will lose your ability to pursue the at-fault driver for any compensation related to your injuries.
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Rear End Collisions Are Far Too Common
Rear end collisions are an extremely common form of motor vehicle accident. These crashes can result in property damage, bodily injuries, and even death. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, more than two million rear end collisions occurred nationwide in 2019. Of those crashes, about 1.5 million involved only property damages, but almost 600,000 resulted in bodily injuries, and about 2,300 resulted in death. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also reports that between 2012 and 2014, almost half of all two-vehicle collisions were rear end collisions, and about 87% of these crashes stemmed from driver inattention.
These statistics show that rear end collisions occur frequently. In hundreds of thousands of these crashes, drivers and passengers suffer significant injuries, some of which are fatal. Various situations can lead to drivers failing to pay close enough attention and causing rear end collisions, including distractions by cell phones and electronic devices. When you or a loved one suffer injuries in a crash that another driver has caused, you may need the services of a Sarasota rear end collisions lawyer.
Let Us Fight for Your Rights to Compensation
Dealing with injuries following a rear end crash can be hectic and time-consuming. You must arrange your medical care, undergo medical treatment, pay bills, and arrange for time off work. Recovery can take weeks, months, or even years. Some injuries may be permanent and adversely impact the life that you enjoyed before the accident. In this situation, you may find a Sarasota rear end collisions lawyer to be helpful.
Working with the attorneys and staff of the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can be critical to your ability to recover adequate compensation for your losses. Call us today and learn more about the services we can offer you after you suffer injuries in a rear end collision.
