Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer

Most people’s list of fears are built around evolutionary-learned dangers deep seated in our genes, as well as learned at a young age from our family and peers. We fear spiders, scorpions, snakes, being in the dark, heights, and large predators for a reason: they were once a major threat to our survival. As such, many of our fears are based around these outdated creatures and conditions. However, are these fears rational in the modern world? Not likely. It would do us more good to fear our neighbor quickly backing out of the driveway with a hot cup of coffee in hand on his or her way to work than it does to fear an insect. For example, spiders kill seven Americans per year, according to the Washington Post, while well over 32,000 are killed in traffic collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driving is the most dangerous activity that Americans do on a daily basis. Those that regularly take to the streets as vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists) are at an even higher risk. Injured victims of traffic collisions have a better sense of the real dangers of driving than those who have not been involved in a crash. If you have recently been in a traumatic car crash, you know just how devastating the consequences can be to your physical health, mental well being, and your bank account. Contact an experienced Fort Myers car accident lawyer today to learn what steps to take next.

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The Injuries Sustained in Traumatic Car Collisions can be Lifelong

One of the worst aspects about a car crash is the fact that the injuries in the short term, albeit extremely painful and debilitating, may eventually turn into long lasting chronic pain. Chronic pain and other permanent injuries, such as the lasting effects of a traumatic brain injury or a damaged spinal cord, keep victims from being able to perform the work they were once able to do. These types of injuries prevent parents from being able to provide the kind of child care that they once could. Chronic pain and debilitating injuries can make a once-active person struggle to sit in a chair without discomfort or go on short walks. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of a serious injury is the realization that the outcome is unknown at the beginning. Victims of severe injuries can only wait out the weeks and months to see if they make a full recovery, or if they are destined for years of pain and misery. Fortunately, the statute of limitations for personal injury caused by negligent drivers is four years (Florida statute 95.11), meaning you have four years from the date of the collision to file a lawsuit.

If you have been injured, either recently or years passed, it may be time to file a lawsuit against or seek a settlement with the negligent party. The financial toll on you and your family can easily reach the six figures when the injuries are severe. Contact the best Fort Myers car accident lawyers today at The Pendas Law Firm at 1-844-200-0000. We will advocate aggressively on your behalf throughout each step of your case.

What to do After a Fort Myers Car Accident

The most likely groups of people to survive disaster situations are those that had a plan before the event took place. Emergency situations are never pleasant to think about, but taking a few minutes to make a plan, and in some cases practice, can mean all the difference. All over the country, people practice and make plans for evacuations for hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, fires, floods, and even nuclear power plant meltdowns. So why, then, is it that so few people know what to do after a car accident? Do you leave your car on the road to preserve evidence? Do you move an injured person? What beat does CPR go to again? Car accidents almost an unavoidable fact of life, though well over 90 percent of car crashes are caused by driver error and could be avoided. But no matter how good a driver you may be, there are millions or careless drivers out on the road, talking on cell phones, driving drunk, and cutting others off to get to the next stop light two seconds faster. In fact, driving fatalities are on the rise, and there is much reason to believe that one of the causes is an increase in distracted cell phone users. One organization set up cameras on an overpass of I-95 in south Florida during rush hour to see how many drivers were distracted during a 20 minute stretch. They found that 8.6 percent of the drivers, during highly congested freeway rush hour traffic nonetheless, were distracted in some manner (the vast majority of which were on their phones). Thousands of people die each year because of distracted driving, and hundreds of thousands more are seriously injured. Unfortunately it’s not if, but when. The average person files a car accident claim once every 18 years, according to Forbes, and the lifetime chances of dying in a car crash are one in 470, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Steps to Take After a Fort Myers Car Crash

The following provides a guide of what to do after a traffic collision. Additionally, a CPR and beginner’s first aid class is a very good compliment to anyone’s repertoire, and may, though hopefully not, come in handy in a future roadside emergency. Directly after a collision:

• Check on the safety and injuries of those in your car and any other vehicles involved. Do not move a severely injured person if the environment is stable, as that could create an even worse injury. Provide the medical help you are capable of, and call for the paramedics. Keep the injured person or people as calm and comfortable as possible while you await assistance. However, if the injuries are not immediately life threatening and you are able to do so safely, move your vehicle out of the road and to the side so as not to further impede traffic;
• Call the authorities;
• Set up road flares;
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other parties;
• Take photo evidence;
• Gather eyewitness testimony and contact information;
• Talk with the police;
• Seek medical care afterwards; and
• Contact your insurance provider.

Contact our Experienced Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyers

Finally, you shouldn’t hesitate to call an experienced Fort Myers car accident lawyer as soon as possible with The Pendas Law Firm at 1-844-200-0000 today. Our aggressive lawyers will help you fight to recover the compensation to which you are entitled.