West Palm Beach Front Impact Accidents

With its major highways and significant population, West Palm Beach is the site of many serious front impact accidents. These types of accidents result in some of the most devastating, permanent injuries, and they even can prove fatal for victims. The West Palm Beach car accident lawyers at Donaldson & Weston help victims injured in a front impact crash pursue proper legal action against those responsible for their harm. We offer dedicated and compassionate legal representation to victims and families who have lost loved ones as a result of another driver’s negligence. If you or someone you love has been injured in a front impact accident in West Palm Beach, and you have questions regarding your legal rights and options, contact our office today to speak with an attorney and see how we can help.

I-95 is one of the nation’s most dangerous highways, a portion of which cuts right through West Palm Beach, including a busy exit serving as access to Palm Beach International Airport. US-1 and Florida’s Turnpike are also at risk of being scenes of a serious front impact accident. Front impact collisions refer to crashes that involve two vehicles striking each other from opposite directions. Sometimes these accidents happen because a driver enters the wrong way onto a highway or another road, often either because of a distraction or as a result of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drivers may also cause these accidents by passing another vehicle improperly on a one-way road or by swerving too much while trying to avoid something in the road. When a driver’s actions are so careless that they rise to the legal level of negligence, victims may pursue injury lawsuits against responsible parties to recover compensation for their harm.

When a reckless driver causes a front impact accident in West Palm Beach, victims can pursue a personal injury claim based on negligence. Negligence is shown when a driver’s actions are proven to be unreasonable given the situation, causing another person’s injuries and resulting in damages. For example, veering into oncoming traffic while trying to send a text message would likely be shown to be an unreasonable action behind the wheel. A parallel legal standard to prove negligence, called “negligence per se,” may also apply to certain cases. For instance, when a driver is under the influence of alcohol and strikes another vehicle head-on, a victim only needs to show that the drunk driver violated a law passed with the intent to protect a certain class of people. Since drunk driving laws are designed to keep pedestrians, motorists, and other road users safe from harm, negligence per se would apply.

Nationally, front impact collisions are only two percent of motor vehicle accidents, but they account for 10 percent of fatal accidents. Family members who have lost a loved one as a result of a fatal collision can pursue a wrongful death claim against an at-fault driver to receive damages for any outstanding medical bills, burial expenses, and loss of consortium. In Florida, victims and families have a limited time in which to pursue legal claims. Personal injury cases must be filed within four years from the date of a victim’s injuries, while wrongful death claims must be pursued within two years from the date of a victim’s death.