Articles Posted in Car Accidents

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Soft tissue injuries can be harder to identify than obvious injuries, such as broken bones, but the consequences can be every bit as serious and sometimes even worse. If you or someone close to you has experienced a soft tissue injury, the seasoned Miami injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help. For years, we have helped South Florida clients seek the compensation they deserve for their harm, and we can do the same for you.ambulance

A soft tissue injury (STI) refers to damage to muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues throughout the body. These injuries can lead to considerable pain and, in some cases, even a temporary or permanent disability. A very common example of a soft tissue injury is whiplash, a neck injury caused by a rapid back and forth movement of the neck (that often takes place in a car accident). Other examples of soft tissue injuries include sprains, strains, contusions, and tendinitis.

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phoneDistracted driving is a big problem in the United States, and Florida is no exception. If a distracted driver has injured you or someone close to you, you should seek legal advice from a skilled Miami injury attorney immediately. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can explore the facts of your case and help you understand your rights.

A recent report generated by EverQuote, an online insurance firm, reveals that Florida ranks second-worst in all of the United States, after Louisiana, in the number of admitted distracted drivers. Over 90 percent of all drivers admitted to using a phone while driving.

Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from the primary task of driving. There are three main types of distractions of which you should be aware:  visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions are those that take your eyes off the road. Manual distractions are those that take your hands off the wheel. Cognitive distractions are those that take your mind off driving. Some common examples of distracted driving include texting while driving, eating or drinking, personal grooming, reading a map of a navigation system, watching a video, tending to children in the backseat, and even daydreaming.

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SUVPeople often feel safer in SUVs, since these vehicles are bigger and heavier than an average car. While this means that people in SUVs might feel less of an impact when colliding with smaller vehicles, the reality is that SUVs are more prone to tipping over when you crash. If you have been injured in an SUV rollover accident caused by the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our skilled Miami injury attorneys can evaluate the facts of your case and determine the viability of your legal claim. We understand that an SUV rollover accident can change your life in an instant, which is why we can provide compassionate representation at every step of the way.

A sports utility vehicle (SUV) is a vehicle classified as a light truck but operated as a family vehicle. An SUV is classified as rolling over it if tips onto its side or roof at any time during the wreck. The rollover may occur after a frontal or side impact crash or after a collision with a fixed object. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), SUVs are proportionally more likely than cars to be in fatal single-vehicle wrecks, especially rollovers. However, since these vehicles are heavier than the average car, occupant deaths in SUVs are less likely to take place in multiple-vehicle crashes. In 2015, a total of 4,545 SUV occupants were killed in accidents. In that same year, 45 deaths were results of single-vehicle rollover accidents.

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When teenagers learn how to drive, they are taught certain safe driving practices, such as not to get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, teenagers often underestimate the dangers associated with drowsy driving. If a drowsy teenage driver injured you or someone close to you, you should reach out to a skilled Miami accident attorney who can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can evaluate the facts of your case, advise you of your rights, and help you figure out your options for recovery.

Drowsy driving is a deadly problem in Florida and throughout the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 846 fatalities that were recorded in 2014 were drowsy driving-related. Furthermore, NHTSA data reveals that drowsy driving causes 56,000 automobile crashes each year. According to the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, teenagers and young adults aged 16-24 have been found to be the most at-risk age group to be involved in a drowsy driving accident. Lack of sleep can negatively affect how a teenager functions. In fact, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reports that a teen driver who has less than eight hours of sleep is 30 percent more likely to crash than a teen who has had more than eight hours of sleep.

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left turnMaking left turns is a routine part of driving. Motorists making left turns must take the necessary precautions to make sure they are making the turn safely and not putting others on the road at risk of harm. Left turn accidents can lead to devastating injuries for everyone involved. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a left turn accident, you should reach out to a skilled Miami injury attorney who can evaluate the circumstances of the crash and determine your eligibility for compensation.

According to Arbella Insurance, 31 percent of severe accidents in 2013 involved a vehicle turning left. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports close to half of the 5.8 million car crashes in the United States are intersection-related, and the majority of those are a result of making a left turn.

Automobile drivers must obey traffic signals and rules of the road when making a left turn. Drivers should signal some time before they actually turn and wait until it is completely safe to proceed. Under Florida law, when a motorist makes a left turn, he or she should do the following:

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kneeSince most drivers are propelled forward during a car accident, knee injuries are among the most common types of injuries in a car accident. Knee injuries can have devastating and even life-long consequences for an individual. If you or your loved one has sustained a knee injury in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our diligent and hard-working Miami car accident attorneys have the skill, dedication, and experience to handle your case.

Our knees are vital for mobility and comfort during day-to-day activities. As a result, even the most minor strain or tear can have a significant impact on our quality of life. Knee injuries can be extremely painful and uncomfortable. There are a number of ways to injure your knee in a car accident, such as sprains, strains, tears, and broken bones. Symptoms of knee injuries can vary, depending on the type of injury that it is. Some common symptoms include swelling, tenderness, weakness, pain, inability to extend the knee, and grinding or locking when walking.

If your knee injury was caused by someone else’s carelessness, you may be able to recover compensation from that party through a negligence claim. A negligence claim is a civil lawsuit intended to establish liability. Negligence occurs when an injury or death results from a party’s failure to use the level of care and caution that a reasonable person in the same or similar circumstances would have used.

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carIf your loved one was killed in an automobile accident that was not their fault, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami wrongful death attorneys have represented many families who have lost loved ones in fatal car accidents, and we can help you as well. We understand that this is a difficult time, which is why you can expect the utmost compassion from us at every step of the way.

According to the National Safety Council, motor vehicle accident deaths increased by six percent in 2016 as compared to 2015. In fact, motor vehicle accident deaths topped 40,000 for the first time since 2007. These numbers are consistent with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s findings, which reported an eight percent increase in fatal crashes in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the previous year. In Florida, there were 2,699 fatal crashes, resulting in 2,939 deaths, in 2015, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This translates to 14.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

Fatal car accidents can have a number of causes, such as texting while driving, not wearing seat belts, adverse weather conditions, excessive speeding, faulty car parts, and aggressive driving.

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accidentWhen most people think of DUI, they tend to think of driving under the influence of alcohol. While DUIs are commonly associated with drunk driving, Florida law also recognizes the offense of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID). If you or someone close to you was injured by a drugged driver, you should reach out to a Miami injury attorney immediately. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, we can examine the facts of your case and help you seek the damages you deserve.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there were about 3,494 drug-related car accidents in Florida in 2014. Data indicates that about 25 percent of all impaired accidents involve drugs. Under Florida Statute § 893.03, a motorist who is under the influence of any of the following substances may be charged with drugged DUID in Florida:

  • Cocaine
  • Codeine
  • Ecstasy
  • Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB)
  • Heroin
  • Marijuana
  • Methamphetamine
  • Morphine
  • Phencyclidine (PCP)
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

It is important to note that legally prescribed drugs may also result in a DUID. The general rule to remember is that if a person’s ability to drive is impaired (regardless of the cause), he or she should not be getting behind the wheel. For example, a prescription drug that causes drowsiness could cause a serious accident and resulting injuries.

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broken glassBroken glass injuries can be some of the most serious injuries suffered in a car wreck. When broken glass flies through the air, it poses a serious threat to everyone in the vehicle. If you have been injured by broken glass in an accident that was not your fault, you need to seek the help of a Miami car accident attorney who can determine whether or not you may be entitled to compensation.

A broken windshield and broken windows can cause pieces of glass to dangerously fly in every direction in the car. Newer vehicles are equipped with windshields that are designed not to shatter on impact. However, these designs are not always effective in high-velocity wrecks. Broken glass can cause a variety of injuries, including surface level cuts, deep level lacerations, severed limbs, and shock. In the most serious cases, a person could bleed to death due to a broken shard of glass striking a main artery.

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car crashIf you have been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another party, it is important to speak to a seasoned Miami injury attorney who can help you seek the compensation you deserve for your harm. We can thoroughly scrutinize the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.

The crashworthiness doctrine is a legal theory under which an automobile manufacturer may be liable through either negligence or strict liability for injuries a plaintiff sustained in an accident in which a manufacturing or design defect caused or enhanced their injuries. It is important to note that the crashworthiness doctrine essentially says that the manufacturing or design defect caused additional harm in an accident, although those defects did not cause the initial accident itself.

The term “crashworthiness” refers to how a car’s design reacts to an accident. Since collisions are reasonably foreseeable in the life of a vehicle, manufacturers are obligated to make vehicles that can withstand the rigors of “reasonable use.” Put another way, automotive manufacturers have a duty to create vehicles that can endure a crash as safely as possible. For example, a windshield glass that is not shatterproof may spray glass all over the passengers of a car, causing serious injuries.

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