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Qualified Florida Accident Attorneys for You

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If you’ve been given a ticket after a traffic accident in Orlando or elsewhere within Florida, you are not alone, and don’t simply accept any consequences. You can hire Florida accident attorneys to fight your case for you. We have over 30 years of combined experience in traffic defense throughout Florida.

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Contact the professional Florida accident attorneys at Skubiak & Rivas, P.A. today for a free consultation to discuss your case.

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A traffic collision (motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, or car crash) is when a road vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other geographical or architectural obstacle. Traffic collisions can result in injury, property damage, and death.

A number of factors contribute to the risk of collision including; vehicle design, speed of operation, road design, and driver impairment. Worldwide motor vehicle collisions lead to significant death and disability as well as significant financial costs to both society and the individual.

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Terminology

Many different terms are commonly used to describe vehicle collisions. The World Health Organization use the term road traffic injury, while the U.S. Census Bureau uses the term motor vehicle accidents (MVA) and Transport Canada uses the term “motor vehicle traffic collision”. Other terms that are commonly used include auto accident, car accident, car crash, car smash, car wreck, motor vehicle collision (MVC), personal injury collision (PIC), road accident, road traffic accident (RTA), road traffic collision (RTC), road traffic incident (RTI), road traffic accident and later road traffic collision, as well as more unofficial terms including smash-up and fender bender.

As the factors involved in collisions have become better understood, some organizations have begun to avoid the term “accident,” as the word suggests an unpreventable, unpredictable event and disregards the opportunity for the driver(s) involved to avoid the crash. Although auto collisions are rare in terms of the number of vehicles on the road and the distance they travel, addressing the contributing factors can reduce their likelihood. For example, proper signage can decrease driver error and thereby reduce crash frequency by a third or more. That is why these organizations prefer the term “collision” rather than “accident”.

However, treating collisions as anything other than “accidents” has been criticized for holding back safety improvements, because a culture of blame may discourage the involved parties from fully disclosing the facts, and thus frustrate attempts to address the real root causes.

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Driver impairment

Alcohol

Relative risk of an accident based on blood alcohol levels.

  • Physical impairment
  • Poor eyesight and/or physical impairment, with many jurisdictions setting simple sight tests and/or requiring appropriate vehicle modifications before being allowed to drive;
  • Old age
  • Old age, with some jurisdictions requiring driver retesting for reaction speed and eyesight after a certain age;
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Fatigue;
  • Drug use

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Several conditions can work together to create a much worse situation, for example:

* Combining low doses of alcohol and cannabis has a more severe effect on driving performance than either cannabis or alcohol in isolation, or
* Taking recommended doses of several drugs together, which individually will not cause impairment, may combine to bring on drowsiness or other impairment. This could be more pronounced in an elderly person whose renal function is less efficient than a younger person’s.

Thus there are situations when a person may be impaired, but still legally allowed to drive, and becomes a potential hazard to themselves and other road users. Pedestrians or cyclists are affected in the same way and can similarly jeopardize themselves or others when on the road.

Research suggests that the driver’s attention is affected by distracting sounds such as conversations and operating a mobile phone while driving. Many jurisdictions now restrict or outlaw the use of some types of phone within the car. Recent research conducted by British scientists suggests that music can also have an effect; classical music is considered to be calming, yet too much could relax the driver to a condition of distraction. On the other hand, hard rock may encourage the driver to step on the acceleration pedal, thus creating a potentially dangerous situation on the road.

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Legal consequences

In the United States, individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents can be held financially liable for the consequences of an accident, including property damage, injuries to passengers and drivers, and fatalities. Because these costs can easily exceed the annual income of the average driver, most US states require drivers to carry liability insurance to cover these potential costs. However, in the event of severe injuries or fatalities, victims may seek damages in civil court, often for well in excess of the value of insurance.

Additionally, drivers who are involved in a collision frequently receive one or more traffic citations, usually directly addressing any material violations such as speeding, failure to obey a traffic control device, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In the event of a fatality, a charge of vehicular homicide is occasionally prosecuted, especially in cases involving alcohol.

Convictions for traffic violations are usually penalized with fines, and for more severe offenses, the suspension or revocation of driving privileges. Convictions for alcohol offenses generally result in the revocation or long term suspension of the driver’s license, and sometimes jail time and/or mandatory alcohol rehabilitation.

Due to increase in availability of cable news and Internet news, exposure to such legal actions has increased in recent years, specifically with coverage of cases and class action suits concerning SUV rollovers and recent incidents of sudden acceleration crashes highlighted by the 2010 Toyota Recall. Increased exposure has resulted in larger class action suits, and automobile owners’ ability to link their collision causes and issues to ones from other regions resulting in knowledge of external causes of which they were not previously aware.

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Auto Accident

An auto accident can alter your life dramatically. In seconds, you can be injured and your car damaged due to the negligence of someone else. According to the latest statistics in Florida, there were 199,658 auto accidents in 2008.

In the state of Florida you are entitled to a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection benefits and lost wages.

Auto accidents can be very serious, whether the damages to your car were small or large, your body suffers from trauma and shock at the time of an accident and the pain may not be noticeable until sometime later, however this does not eliminate the possibility that you have suffered a severe injury. Delayed treatment is the number one cause of permanent injury following an auto accident.

  • How soon can I see a doctor?
  • The accident was not my fault, should I speak to an attorney?
  • Who’s going to pay for my car to be fixed?
  • Which insurance company will pay for my medical bills?

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At Skubiak & Rivas, P.A. we are here to help with just about all your accident needs, both citations and criminal offenses. We handle cases of all kinds, including those related to:

We are Florida’s accident lawyers, and our attorneys can often handle your case without you ever having to be present. We handle cases all over Central Florida, including the following counties: Orange County, Lake County, Volusia County, Brevard County, Osceola County, Polk County and Seminole County. Call us today for more information, and a free consultation.

Call Us Toll-Free: 1-877-6-4COURT

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