West Palm Beach Single-Vehicle Collisions

When a motor vehicle accident only involves one car, a common thought is that the driver of that vehicle is solely responsible for bringing about his or her own injuries. While driver carelessness could be a cause of these types of accidents, that is not always the case. Additionally, when a passenger or pedestrian is injured in a single-vehicle collision caused by a negligent driver, he or she may also have a legal right to compensation. The West Palm Beach car accident lawyers at Donaldson & Weston help victims of single-vehicle collisions determine what led to their accident in order to pursue the proper legal actions against responsible parties. These accidents often leave victims with significant injuries that require extensive recovery efforts and can have a substantial financial impact. Our firm is dedicated to ensuring that clients receive the compensation that they need following a serious car accident. If you have been injured or have lost a loved one due to involvement in a single-vehicle collision, you should contact our attorneys today to discuss your possible legal claims.

Many contributing factors can play a role in a single-vehicle accident, which occurs when one vehicle strikes an inanimate object, such as a tree, pole, or median. These types of accidents have been reported throughout West Palm Beach, often occurring on busy streets where cars travel fast, like Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, or on onramps for highways like I-95 or the Turnpike. Aside from driver error, there are other reasons that can lead to a single-vehicle collision, such as:

• Poor road conditions, making the surface slippery and unsafe in rainy weather


• Broken or inadequate signs


• Obscured lights or signs due to overgrown trees


• Debris or other hazards in the road


• Construction zones that are not clearly marked or are improperly maintained


• Vehicle defects or malfunctions

A driver’s own negligence is many times a contributory element in a single-vehicle collision. Actions like texting while driving, speeding, or other careless maneuvers can lead to a crash. A driver who runs another vehicle off the road can also be responsible for a single-vehicle accident.

People injured in a single-vehicle accident may pursue a personal injury lawsuit against any negligent party who caused the collision. Passengers and drivers can hold another driver accountable for negligence, as well as other parties involved. For example, if a driver approaches a four-way stop, but one of the signs has been knocked down or is obscured by trees, and that driver proceeds without stopping, leading to a single-vehicle collision, the municipality or property owner responsible for the upkeep of that sign may be held liable. A driver’s own negligence does not preclude legal action against others from being pursued. In Florida, compensation is awarded to victims based on a ‘pure comparative fault’ rule, which means that damages are distributed in proportion to each party’s degree of liability in causing an accident. In contrast to some states, Florida applies this rule regardless of the degree of fault attributed to the plaintiff. Once liability is established, victims can receive compensation for lost property, loss of income, medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering damages.