Types of Car Accidents

Paulsen Law Group Offers Free Consultations and the Experience You Need

Auto accidents may happen in a number of different ways. In any scenario, this event can be traumatic and unsettling regardless of the extent of damage or injury that is caused. In cases where there is injury due to negligence on the part of the other drive, Paulsen Law Group has the experience that you need to seek just compensation.

Injured in an auto accident? Contact our auto accident attorneys in Florida for a free consultation!

Most Common Types of Car Accidents

Paulsen Law Group has the knowledge that you need for any type of car accident in Dunedin, FL. Listed below are some examples of common types of car accidents that occur every day:

• Drunk Driving Accidents

  • There is no minimum jail time for a first time DUI conviction in Florida, but the maximum is six to nine months, depending on the offender’s BAC. A fine between $500 to $2000 may be imposed, along with a driver’s license suspension of anywhere from 180 days to one year. Fifty hours of community service is mandatory for a first DUI conviction, and sentencing terms may also include probation or time in a residential treatment program, or both.
    • Who pays for my medical care? Under Florida’s no fault insurance law, drivers are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP), so your own insurance company will pay for a portion of your medical care.
    • If I’m unable to work, how do I recover lost wages? Your PIP coverage will pay 60 percent of your wages lost as a result of the accident.
    • How do I get my car fixed or replaced, and who pays for it? Florida law also requires drivers to carry $10,000 in property damage liability insurance (PDL). If an uninsured driver hits you, collision coverage on your policy will pay to have your vehicle repaired or replaced, if you opted for this type of coverage.

• Drowsy Driving Accidents

  • The source for many car accidents is due to a negligent driver, with many drivers aged between 18 and 29 years who work long shifts or odd hours. Drowsy driving might be a form of negligence if the driver chose to drive knowing that he or she was too tired. Because the law considers driving a privilege, every driver is held to the fact that he or she must not put others in danger.

    Sleep deprivation has the following effects on the body:

  • Shortened attention span
  • Reduced reaction time
  • Decreased alertness
  • Memory problems
  • Increased stress
  • Diminished ability to focus

• Side-Impact Collisions

  • If you were in a side-impact accident or T-bone accident, you may find the issue of who is at fault being disputed. Your insurance company and the other driver's insurance company may do everything they can to deny or minimize your claim. Fortunately, our skilled Dunedin personal injury attorneys at the Paulsen Law Group can quickly respond to your needs and leverage their decades of experience to help you seek maximum recovery for your losses. Our lawyers are dedicated to helping the wrongfully injured recover every dollar they deserve!
  • A T-bone accident — where one vehicle striking another with significant force on either side — almost always causes serious damage and injury. The physical consequences for drivers and passengers can be devastating. In some cases, these side-impact collisions turn into multi-car crashes at intersections, or they cause an SUV, van, or Jeep rollover.

• Rear-End Car Accident

  • A rear-end car accident happens when the front of one vehicle strikes the rear of another. An example would be when the driver of the front vehicle suddenly slams the brakes. If a driver is not paying attention or is following too closely behind, this is what can cause a rear-end collision. These accidents can lead to very serious injuries for drivers as well as the passengers.

  • In the past, the long-held belief was that the rear driver is always at fault for the accident. However, some changes to the laws have made some exceptions to these rules, which allows the second driver to counter these claims. Whether you were the front or the rear driver in your accident, you have every right to fight to protect yourself.

    These are some of the reasons frequently used in their claims:

  • Driver stops suddenly because he or she was distracted or did not see an obstacle on the road
  • Brake failure or another type of mechanical failure in the vehicle, causing a driver to stop abruptly
  • The vehicle in front is illegally stopped on the road
  • One or the other driver is speeding and cannot stop in time to prevent an accident

• Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving

  • Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents in the state of Florida, and the rise of cell phone and texting usage while driving has brought the problem to a new level. Studies are placing the risks of texting while driving on par with those of driving while intoxicated.

    Various states, cities, and counties across the U.S. have passed strict laws against texting while driving. The Florida legislature may pass a ban as well in the near future. Your focus, if you know or believe you were injured by a texting or otherwise distracted driver, should be working with a law firm dedicated to thorough investigation and protection of your right to compensation.

• Reckless Driving Accidents

  • When drivers fail to follow the rules and regulations of the road, they put the lives of everyone around them in imminent danger. Since reckless drivers regard the driving laws with blatant negligence, they are liable for criminal charges and personal injury claims, if their reckless driving resulted in an accident with injuries or deaths.

    Common examples of reckless or aggressive driving include the following:

  • Distracted driving
  • Speeding
  • Drunk driving
  • Drugged driving
  • Running red lights and stop signs
  • Tailgating
  • Lan changes without using turn signals
  • Fatigued driving

• Speeding Car Accidents

  • Florida law requires motorists to observe and adhere to the posted speed limit. Unfortunately, when drivers purposefully ignore or neglect the speed limit, it substantially reduces the ability to make an adequate stop and avoid collisions. Speeding is one of the most common factors when it comes to accidents that involve injury and death. Whenever drivers speed, they but both themselves and other motorists, passengers, and pedestrians at risk of property damage, serious injury, and fatality. Based on a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 33% of all fatal collisions in the United States involve speeding.

• Head-On Collision Accidents

  • What happens in a head-on collision? The front of one vehicle slams into the front of another. The flow of traffic is designed to ensure that the front of vehicles should never encounter each other, which is why cars travel in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the reason these accidents happen is because of some reckless or careless decision. Head-on collisions happen far too often in Florida, and thus are the cause of some of the most serious types of car accidents. At Paulsen Law Group, our commitment to the rights of injury victims is simply unmatched. We know how devastating the impact of a car crash, particularly head-on collisions.