Orlando Car Accident Lawyer

Auto Accident Attorney in Orlando, FL

Nobody aims to get into a car accident. In fact, most of us go to great lengths to avoid them by driving carefully and paying attention to the road. Unfortunately, our own actions aren’t the only ones that matter. Other drivers can easily cause accidents through neglect, recklessness, or malice. These actions can directly affect you, even if you were driving legally.

Fortunately, you have options in the aftermath of an Orlando car accident. By taking legal action, you can ensure that the correct parties are held responsible for what happened. What’s more, you can avoid paying for costly bills and repairs after an accident that wasn’t your fault.

When you’re in a car crash, it’s important that you act quickly to find an attorney and seek compensation. If you wait, key evidence could be lost, and you could miss out on important and necessary compensation.

Badgley Law Group: Your Orlando Car Accident Attorneys

Many people don’t realize how necessary a personal injury settlement can be after a car accident. A collision can cause serious and lasting damages, and without compensation, you will be forced to pay for these damages on your own. Our firm has decades of experience in this field. We understand the sense of urgency and importance present in every one of these cases. There is a lot on the line for you and your family, and we work diligently to make sure that you get the compensation and attention that you need and deserve during this stressful time.

At Badgley Law Group, we work with people injured in a car accident caused by negligence of others. Our experienced Orlando car accident attorney can assist you in pursuing the compensation you deserve in order to cover both medical expenses, pain and suffering, property damage and lost income. These sums add up quickly and represent a significant amount of money that can be key for your family’s survival. Few families can afford lost income, lost earning potential, and ongoing care on top of medical bills. Without compensation, you may face serious financial hardship.

Contact us for a free consultation that includes a discussion on your legal options.

Numerous Causes of Car Accidents in Orlando, FL

Car accidents are not monolithic. There are many different things that can cause a collision, each of which brings its own set of challenges and damages.

Though there are numerous possible causes of car accidents, some causes are far more frequent than others. Major reasons for an accident include:

• Drunk driving. Many drivers get behind the wheel of a vehicle when their blood alcohol content is over the legal limit of .08%. This is a dangerous level of intoxication and can easily cause accidents and injuries. These accidents are more common than you may think. There were 16,400 alcohol-suspected crashes in Florida in 2015, 908 road fatalities and 10,785 injuries.
• Drug-impaired driving. It is not safe to drive with any amount or kind of drugs in one’s system. There were 1,990 drug-suspected car accidents in 2015, 376 fatalities and 2,475 injuries.
• Distracted driving. Distracted driving is a top cause of accidents around the country, and it’s important to identify the driving habits that put others in danger. Whenever distracted driving is mentioned, what comes to mind is a driver using a cellphone to talk or text. However, distracted driving may also arise while eating, grooming, fiddling with vehicle controls, reading and passenger conversation.
• Exceeding speed limits. Speed limits are put in place for a reason, but many people use them as suggestions rather than important safety parameters. Driving beyond the specified speed is likely to make it difficult for the driver to control the vehicle.
• Aggressive driving. Many people get frustrated during their daily commute or while out and about. Though this may be a natural reaction, aggressive driving is not the answer. This category of driving puts everyone at great risk. Examples of aggressive driving include tailgating, overtaking at blind corners, braking sharply for no urgent reason, abruptly switching lanes and obstructing cars attempting to overtake.
• Fatigued driving. Driving while exhausted is extremely dangerous. Persons behind the wheel who have not had adequate sleep and rest are likely to cause an accident.
• Poor road conditions. This is especially the case when it’s raining heavily. Though you cannot control the weather, you can adjust your driving habits to reflect the current road conditions.

It’s always best to adhere to the rules of the road. However, that cannot guarantee you won’t be involved in an accident. Many factors of accidents are not in your control, including other drivers. Negligent drivers should be held accountable in the event of fatality, injury or property damage.

What Is Driving Negligence?

Many people don’t understand the term “negligence” when it is applied to driving habits. In this context, negligence simply refers to any situation in which the driver is not following all laws or fulfilling their responsibilities as a driver. Drivers are required to take a driver’s test before they can legally drive to ensure that they know what their driving responsibilities are. Therefore, failing to follow these rules as a licensed driver is no mistake but rather an act of neglecting one’s responsibilities.

Proving Negligence in a Car Accident Case in Orlando, Florida

As your attorneys, it’s our job to prove to the court that the other driver acted negligently and caused the collision. When we do this, the court has grounds to require the offending party to pay for the damages that they caused.

Proving negligence can be complicated, depending on the situation. We will develop your case based on the unique situation that you are in. Some common forms of proof include:

• CCTV or video footage. We will visit the scene of the accident and acquire any footage that may be present from that day. Some accidents that occur in urban areas are recorded on security cameras of the surrounding businesses.
• Photos of the damage and injuries. Pictures can tell us a lot about what happened, especially if the case takes place long after the accident occurred. Photos act as a record of how damage and injuries looked when the accident took place.
• Eyewitness accounts. We do our best to track down eyewitnesses of the event. Though this isn’t always possible, it can be extremely helpful to get a firsthand account of what happened.
• Police reports. If the accident was serious enough to involve damage or injuries, the police should be called to the scene. Their report of what happened gives us an unbiased perspective of the collision and what happened.

We will present these and other applicable proof to the court to show that the other driver’s negligence caused the incident. When we successfully do this, the court can grant you an appropriate settlement from the offending party.

What to Do After an Orlando, FL Car Accident

There are certain behaviors and steps you can take after an accident to build your car accident case. Having a plan can also help the aftermath feel less stressful and give you a sense of control.

After a car crash, be sure to:

• Take photos of the scene. Include any damage that occurred to your car, the other car(s), and any injuries.
• Take photos of the surrounding area. It can be important to include road signs, landmarks, and the position of your car in relation to other objects. The details may be important in our arguments.
• Get the contact information of the other driver and any eyewitnesses. The driver’s email address and phone number are helpful to obtain when you get their license and insurance information. The contact numbers of any witnesses can also be key. If you let them walk away, it will be extremely difficult for us to find them, especially if they don’t give their information to the police.
• Call us right away. The sooner you begin to build your case, the more reliable it will be.

FAQs About Orlando, Florida Auto Accident Law

After an accident, it is understandable that you have a lot of questions. Most people have never been through the legal process of bringing an auto accident claim.

At Badgley Law Group, we have the experience. Our attorneys have been serving Orlando and Central Florida clients for many years. We can answer your questions and help you obtain the maximum compensation available for your case. Please read the questions and answers below and let us know how we can help you.

What should I do after an automobile accident?

The most important thing to do is to seek medical attention immediately. Make sure that you’re OK physically. If possible, at the scene of the accident, get all the information you can, including pictures, contact information from witnesses, etc. Then call a lawyer to help you with your case.

Learn more about the seven things you should do after an auto accident.

How do you determine who is at fault?

Without getting too deep into Florida’s comparative negligence law, which you can learn more about in our general FAQ for personal injury, it is important to note that, generally, your compensation will be reduced to the degree to which you were also at fault in the accident.

In terms of determining fault from an accident, our lawyers cover all the possible ground. We look into the accident scene and witness testimony, utilize accident reconstruction experts when needed, look into truck drivers’ log books, subpoena phone records for evidence of distracted driving, and take any other means necessary to prove that the other driver was at fault.

What is my case worth?

With looking at the specifics of your case, there is no way to give you an accurate guess as to your case’s value. Our attorneys help clients obtain compensation for:

• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Medical expenses
• Property damages
• Diminished quality of life

The driver responsible for the accident could be held liable for any financial or personal damages that you suffer as a direct result of the accident itself.

Where does the money come from?

Even if the other driver is not well situated financially, we can make sure you obtain compensation. In most cases, the compensation comes from the other driver’s insurance company. However, depending on the nature of the accident and its causes, we can explore bringing claims against the municipality overseeing the roadway, the auto manufacturer if an automobile defect caused the accident, etc. The best thing to do after an accident is talk with our experienced lawyers who will discuss with you the best strategies for finding compensation in your case.

What is personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, and why is it called no-fault insurance?

Every car owner in Florida must have PIP insurance. It covers your injury treatment costs as well as lost wages due to the accident. It is referred to as no-fault insurance because you claim it from your insurer (as opposed to the at-fault party’s insurance company) irrespective of who caused the crash. Florida law requires all drivers to carry a personal injury protection (PIP) cover of at least $10,000.

Any More Questions? Call Us Today.

We offer free initial consultations, so you have nothing to worry about talking with our lawyers. We can answer your questions and help you. Call us at 407-781-0420 or contact us online.

Contact Our Orlando Auto Accident Attorney Today

Once you are in a car accident, get in touch with an experienced Orlando car accident attorney at Badgley Law Group to ensure all your bases are covered from the beginning. Some forms of evidence become harder to obtain the longer a victim waits after the accident to seek legal redress. There are, however, time limits within which a car accident claim should be filed, so contact Jeffrey Badgley at the Badgley Law Group right away for a free consultation today.

Call us for a free consultation at 407-781-0420 or contact us online.