Motor Vehicle Accidents

A Florida Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney Can Help Recover Damages

At Callejo Law, we focus on personal injury claims and workers’ comp issues. Because we focus on these two particular sets of issues, we are exceptionally experienced in these areas and also have time to prioritize your claims with a personal touch that you just can’t find at the big mega-firms. Therefore, our most important issue at any given time is your issue.

Car Accidents in Florida

A Florida motor vehicle attorney understands the frequency and seriousness of car accidents and the impact they have on your life and the life of your loved ones. A severe injury can leave you living in pain, sometimes even chronic pain, with an ever-growing stack of medical bills. You may also be facing lost wages and losses you can’t even quantify, such as not being able to interact with your children or even drive. If your life has been impacted by the injuries caused by a car accident, let an experienced attorney from Callejo Law help. You have insurance and/or legal options, and we can explore them together.

The types of car accidents can vary widely, but some of the most common types of car accidents include:

• Rear-end accidents. Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident and are most likely to occur when traffic is backed up.
• Broadside collisions. Also known as “T-bone” collisions, these types of car accidents happen when another car hits your driver or passenger doors from the side, often because a driver has run a red light or missed a stop sign. These types of accidents are deadly to the person sitting on the side of the car hit. 
• Head-on collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a head-on collision as “the front end of one vehicle collid[ing] with the front end of another vehicle while the two vehicles are traveling in opposite directions.” Head-on collisions are the most dangerous types of car accident, often more damaging than even T-bone collisions.
• Multi-car accidents. A multi-car collision occurs when more than one vehicle is involved in the accident. Multi-car accidents are typically chain reaction-type accidents, especially on congested city highways.
• Distracted driving accidents. Distracted driving accidents are on the rise and not likely to change until the public becomes more aware of just how quickly accidents can happen. Distracted driving includes texting, calling, or otherwise engaging in phone-related distractions behind the wheel. Additionally, distractions are also caused by things such as eating while driving, reaching for something you dropped between the seats, turning your head to discipline your children, or engaging with passengers, especially those in the back seat.  
• Impaired driving accidents. In the U.S., an average of 12,000 people are killed annually in DUI accidents, accounting for more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident or any other type of accident, let an experienced Florida motor vehicle accident attorney from Callejo Law help with your insurance and/or legal claims.

Florida Motorcycle Accidents

Beautiful weather, a virtual maze of highways and roads, stunning scenery, popular travel destinations: This is Florida. And, this is why motorcycles are so popular, rivaling even the fabled state of California. Fortunately, most riders are fully aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle in Florida. 

Nonetheless, other drivers simply don’t see or notice motorcycles unless they are cautious and diligent. Motorcycles lack the protective metal wrapping that protects drivers in typical passenger vehicles and even smaller vehicles. Without this protective shield of metal, motorcycle accidents can cause particularly devastating injuries, such as road rash, serious bodily injuries, and even death.

Motorcycles present an uncommonly small profile in traffic, and vehicle drivers are not always looking out for them as they should be. All drivers should be aware of the most common types of motorcycle accidents:

• Another driver suddenly stopping when traveling at a high rate of speed on the highway,
• A driver is distracted and swerves into a motorcycle’s traveling lane,
• Another driver failing to see a motorcyclist and cutting them off,
• Road defects like potholes, construction zones, or sharp turns,
• Impaired or distracted riding,
• Speeding vehicles,
• Limits of visibility and dangerous road conditions caused by inclement weather,
• Failure of a motorcycle part while in use,
• Motorcycle lane splitting, and
• Cars making left-hand turns.

Florida Truck Accidents

Accidents involving large commercial trucks have more significant consequences than most types of accidents because they commonly cause serious injuries or even death. In addition, this type of accident can leave you with a mountain of medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses, including losses you can’t even measure.

Furthermore, it’s challenging to identify who should be held responsible, from the driver to the trucking company to a third-party contractor, etc. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the most common causes of truck accidents so you can avoid them if possible. Some are attributable to other vehicle drivers, and some to truck drivers:

• Vehicle drivers driving in compromised visibility zones, in other words, the zones behind and beside a commercial truck where truck mirrors don’t cover,
• Vehicle drivers driving recklessly, such as changing lanes abruptly around a truck,
• Vehicle drivers misjudging an approaching truck’s speed at an intersection and making a left turn in front of the truck,
• Vehicle drivers merging too quickly into traffic, causing a truck to unnecessarily brake,
• Vehicle drivers failing to slow down or speed up when a truck begins to change lanes or merge,
• Vehicle drivers passing with insufficient headway,
• Vehicle drivers pulling into traffic in front of a truck without accelerating quickly enough
• Vehicle drivers driving between large trucks,
• Abandoning a vehicle in a travel lane, or failing to get a disabled vehicle completely off the highway and onto the shoulder, and
• A trucker’s lack of training, distracted driving, fatigued driving, speeding, impaired driving, lack of experience, and/or poor judgment.

Ridesharing Accidents in Florida

Ridesharing, mainly the taxi-alternative services provided by, for example, Uber and Lyft, is blowing up. The ridesharing market is projected to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 19.87% from 2018 to 2025, to reach a market size of 218.0 billion U.S. by 2025 from 61.3 billion U.S. in 2018, according to MarketsandMarkets (M&M). 

There are sensible reasons for this innovative alternative to taxicabs. Some of those reasons include:

• Increased costs of vehicle ownership,
• Increased smartphone and internet penetration in almost every identifiable demographic,
• More stringent emissions laws,
• Increasing recognition of the dangers and stupidity of driving intoxicated,
• Social media’s overwhelming condemnation of driving intoxicated, and
• Simple convenience.

Unfortunately, such increased popularity comes along with increases in ridesharing accidents. According to ScienceMag.org, a trio of economists addressed whether the explosion of ridesharing services has led to an increase in traffic deaths in U.S. cities. They concluded that the onset of ridesharing led to a 2% to 3% increase in car occupants and pedestrians killed in accidents.

Bicycle Accidents in Florida

Bike riders are killed in bike accidents at a rate of nearly a thousand a year. Bike riders have virtually no protection, have a very narrow profile in traffic, making them hard to see, and often ride inconsistently. Other vehicle drivers may not even see you until it’s too late.

Still, there are some tips for bike riders to increase their odds of avoiding injury, including:

• Wearing a helmet. Be sure to choose a helmet that fits correctly and adjust it to fit snugly yet comfortably.
• Avoid clothing that may get caught in your bike chain.
• Make yourself visible: bright clothing, reflective gear, and a white front light and red rear light, along with reflectors, are all important.
• Ride sober. Alcohol and other drugs drastically slow down your reaction speed and seriously impair your judgment.
• Ride with the flow of traffic and in the same direction.
• Obey all of the rules of the road. They apply to bike riders, and violations lead to tickets.
• Ride defensively. Assume the other person doesn’t see you.
• Constantly scan the road ahead for hazards that may cause problems, for example, potholes.
• Avoid anything that distracts you or takes your eyes, ears, and mind off the road and traffic. For example, do not text or listen to music.
• Make sure your bike fits you. Bikes that are too big are harder to control.
• Maintain your brakes. Bike brake pads wear down just like automobile pads.
• Unless you are signaling to turn, keep both hands on the handlebars.
• Plan your route. Use bike lanes or bike paths if available. Use routes with less traffic and slower speeds.

Florida Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians who are jogging alongside the street, walking through a parking lot, walking on the sidewalk, or simply crossing the street at designated crosswalks are struck by motor vehicles of all types. Clearly, a pedestrian does not have the protection of a seat belt, the steel protection of a car, or even the safety of a motorcycle helmet. Therefore, they are generally entirely defenseless unless they have exceptional reflexes or actively scan their environment for potential dangers.

Pedestrian accidents are rarely the pedestrian’s fault. Some common reasons for pedestrian accidents include:

• Left-hand turns. Left turns are problematic for both drivers and pedestrians. Unfortunately, many drivers are more concerned with “beating the light” and getting through the intersection than watching out for pedestrians.
• Failing to use crosswalks properly. Crosswalks allow pedestrians on busy corners to cross when they push the button and get an “OK to cross” signal, usually in the form of an electronic representation of a person walking. However, failing to pay attention to these signals or jaywalking across an unmarked crossing is a common reason for many pedestrian accidents.
• Texting and other types of distracted driving. Drivers who are busy with other things while driving are less likely to notice when pedestrians suddenly appear.
• Impaired driving. Impaired drivers are less likely to notice a pedestrian who is crossing the street.
• Children. Children commonly do not appreciate the risk of running in and around the street. Additionally, because children are smaller than adults, it can be difficult for drivers to see them if they weave between cars, particularly parked cars, and emerge suddenly in a vehicle’s path.
• Bicycle accidents. Bicycles and pedestrians don’t mix well. Both have trouble seeing oncoming traffic, and both are difficult to see by automobile traffic. Fortunately, bicycle-on-pedestrian accidents cause relatively minor damage.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Florida Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney

We have over 25 years of experience and focus solely on personal injury and workers’ comp claims. Callejo Law offers free consultations, same-day returns of phone calls and emails, bilingual representation, and 24/7/365 availability. And, all clients have Ms. Callejo’s cell phone number.

We are always accessible and provide the quality of service that has earned us a perfect 5.0 on Google Reviews. If you’ve been injured in any type of accident, first seek immediate medical attention, then contact us either by email or phone for a same-day response and free consultation, even before contacting your insurance company.