You are not automatically responsible to pay money damages even if you hit the other vehicle in Orlando, Florida. If you were not at fault, you will not be liable.
Here are some scenarios in which you might hit the other car but not be at fault:
- You were the middle car in a three-car collision, and you were not negligent. Let’s say that someone hit you from behind with such force that you crashed into the car in front of you. As long as you were not careless in some way, like tailgating, speeding, or being distracted, the driver who hit you from behind is the liable party, not you.
- The car in front of you drove erratically, causing the accident. If you were driving with caution, obeying all the traffic laws, and keeping a careful lookout, you might not be at fault. For example, a driver of another car changing lanes frequently, pulling in front of other vehicles without leaving a safe amount of space between the cars. If someone behaved in this manner, and it caused you to hit that vehicle, you are not likely to be liable.
- The car you hit caused the collision through their negligence. The purpose of many traffic laws is to keep everyone safe on the road. When someone violates a rule, accidents can happen. The person who broke the regulation and caused the wreck is at fault, even if someone else hits them. Failing to yield the right of way, improper merging, running a stop sign, and blowing through a red light are some examples of this conduct.
There are numerous other situations in which you might hit another vehicle in Orlando and not be liable. An Orlando car accident lawyer can help you determine the fault in your case.
If the Judge Finds You to Be Responsible for the Collision
The outcome of a personal injury claim for losses sustained in a car accident will depend on who caused the crash and the resulting injuries. The ways that determining fault can affect you include:
- Money damages to the people injured in the wreck: if you cause a collision through negligence and people were hurt, a court can order you to pay compensation to the injured people for their injuries under FL § 627.736.
- A decrease in the compensation you can receive for your losses: if you were hurt in the crash and another driver claims you caused or contributed to the accident by hitting another car, the judge can reduce the amount of money you receive for your injuries in proportion to your percentage of the total fault in accordance with FL § 768.81.
The court will decide who is at fault by following this four-step process:
- Looking at the legal duty of each party: all drivers have a legal responsibility to obey the traffic laws.
- Exploring whether anyone breached a legal duty: an example of a violation of a driver’s duty is when someone runs a red light. Failing to live up to the requirements of a legal obligation can be negligence.
- The negligence caused the collision: if the driver’s careless conduct caused the accident, the driver is liable for the accident.
- The negligence resulted in measurable damages: if one of the parties suffered physical injury from the crash, the judge can order the person whose careless behavior caused the behavior to pay money damages to the injured party.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine Can Help with Your Car Accident Case
If you got hurt in a car accident in Orlando, Florida, you need to protect your legal rights and your opportunity to go after compensation for your losses—even if you hit the other vehicle. Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation.
