Speeding Car Accidents

Even though many people treat them as suggestions, the speed limits around Fort Lauderdale are there for a reason: to keep people safe on our public roadways. When safety planners decide on a specific speed limit, they are taking into account a range of factors such as visibility issues on the road, traffic signals, intersections, as well as things like road shape and more, and set the limit according to what speed will allow drivers to safely navigate any possible obstacles ahead. The decision to speed puts not only the guilty driver at risk, but more importantly it puts everyone else on the road at risk, even if they are following the law.

If you or a loved one have been hurt in an accident caused by a speeding driver, it can be extremely frustrating to face the reality of your situation knowing that if they had simply acted according to the law then you would have been able to avoid this painful, stressful, and oftentimes overwhelming experience. While there is no amount of money that will ever undo your accident, there is, fortunately, a process available for victims of speeding drivers to recover compensation for a range of their damages., and the team at Bernheim Kelley Battista, LLC is here to help.

 

What is a Speeding Accident?

A speeding accident is one where the driver at fault for the accident was driving at least 15 miles per hour above the accident. Speeding accidents can occur at any angle, including the following:

• Changing lanes or sideswipe accidents
• Head-on collisions
• T-bone accidents
• Rear-end collisions
• Single-vehicle collisions

Facts About Speeding Accidents

Not everyone who speeds causes an accident. Despite this, the higher the speed the vehicles are traveling, the greater the risk of serious injury.

Speeding accidents are more common when there is also another risk factor for a serious accident. For example, they are more common when alcohol or drugs are involved. A disproportionate number of hit-and-run accidents involve high speeds.

Why is Speeding So Dangerous?

These are some reasons why speeding is so much more dangerous than driving within the speed limit:

• It is harder to slow down enough to avoid a crash.
• The risk of losing control of the car is greater.
• There is a greater chance that the car will overturn.
• The risk of ejection from the vehicle is higher, although seat belts can prevent this.

What Happens if You Speed?

If you speed and cannot avoid an accident, you run the risk of severe injuries. The drivers in the struck vehicle, though, are at a greater risk of severe injury or even death.

An accident that would be a minor fender bender at 35 miles per hour can be catastrophic at 70 miles per hour. In a head-on collision, the occupants of the vehicles have little chance of survival, even with seatbelts and airbags, if one of the cars is speeding.

If you cause a relatively minor accident while speeding, your insurance will have to pay for the injured people’s medical bills. In this case, there is little chance of how to dispute a car accident fault, especially if speed cameras or police officers saw you.

If someone suffered severe injuries as a result of the accident, you could face a car accident lawsuit. The injured person is likely to hire a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer if your insurance policy limit does not cover the injuries you caused. Expensive medical bills are among the surest signs of when to get an attorney for a car accident.

To learn more, schedule a free consultation with us today.

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Five Main Causes of Speeding

These are some of the main causes of speeding:

• Not paying attention to the road because of cell phones or other distractions
• Drugs and alcohol
• Not noticing the posted speed limits
• Impatience, frustration, and road rage
• Trying to avoid arriving late at a destination

How to Deal With Speeding Drivers

If someone is speeding near you, stay out of the way. If you cannot get out of the way in time, take pictures of the vehicle damage and file a police report. This is how to prove you are not at fault in a car accident.

Should I get a lawyer for a car accident that was not my fault? Yes, you should if your injuries were severe enough to result in medical bills. Your lawyer can help you negotiate for a better insurance settlement or file a lawsuit if necessary.

Traffic Violations for Speeding

You can get a traffic ticket for speeding, even if you do not cause an accident. If you are traveling at least 11 miles per hour faster than the speed limit, then police can issue you a speeding ticket.

Speeding tickets lead to points on your license. This means that if you get several speeding tickets within a two-year or three-year period, your driver’s license could be suspended.

You can also get a ticket for reckless driving if you are going much faster than the speed limit. You should hire a lawyer if you are being accused of reckless driving.

Common Injuries Caused by Speeding Accidents

Speeding accidents can cause severe injuries, such as the following:

• Bone fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Concussion
• Traumatic brain injury
• Whiplash injury

Justice for the Families of Victims of Fatal Speeding Accidents

Economic damages are the primary damages of a personal injury claim and are the most obvious as well. They seek compensation for any damage that comes with a measurable dollar value, including things like hospital bills, recovery costs, hired services, lost wages, and more. There are many economic damages that are not immediately obvious that your attorney will help you identify and include in their calculations. 

Non-economic damages seek compensation for abstract impacts of an accident, such as the pain and suffering that a victim endures and the emotional trauma that they experience following such a painful and terrifying situation. As you can imagine, the insurance company will push back much more aggressively on these damages since there is no way to measure these damages purely objectively. However, they are just as important, and our team has a number of tools that help convert these damages into real dollar amounts.

After a car accident, you will have a lot that you will need to handle as the victim – all while trying to nurse your injuries and focus on a successful recovery at the same time. It makes sense to hire a lawyer to deal with your insurance claim.

Remember that no matter how pleasant the claims adjuster assigned to your case may be, they are working on behalf of the insurance company and are using their investigation as a way to find any possible reason to limit your final settlement. Claims adjusters follow a playbook that the insurance companies have spent decades refining, and trying to take them on by yourself is not recommended.

Contact BK Law About Speeding Accidents

Car accidents caused by speeding drivers often result in the most catastrophic and devastating injuries. If you have been injured by a speeding driver, you have options, and an experienced personal injury lawyer at BK Law can help. You need not struggle to pay your hospital bills alone or wonder how you will make up all that time you missed from work to recover. A skilled Florida car accident attorney can help you pursue the compensation you need and deserve from those speeding drivers responsible for your injuries. Contact BK Law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to schedule your initial consultation.