South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Car accidents, whether minor or severe, can be an inconvenient interruption in a person’s life. Whether it is dealing with injuries, property damage or even filing a claim with insurance – it can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process. If a car accident has led to you or someone you love being injured, you must consult a Miami car accident attorney who can help. We will evaluate your case and provide you with our professional opinion regarding the value of your claim.
Paying for car insurance is a reality of life that no one particularly enjoys. If you are at fault or even partially at fault for a car crash, there is a strong chance that your car insurance rates will increase. But just how much the rate will increase may depend on the state in which you reside. A new study by Insurance.com reveals the best and worst states for auto accident claims following an at-fault accident. In other words, the study covers how much auto insurance rates spike after an accident. The study hones in on at-fault claims in each and every state where the claim was a minimum of $2,000 in damages. In every state across the board, however, insurance policy rates increased by an average of 31 percent after an at-fault claim.
Based on the study, Michigan is the worst state for car insurance claims where drivers already deal with the most expensive insurance rates of any state in the country. On average, Michigan drivers pay $2368 per year, and this number spikes to $3,502 after a wreck, a 48 percent jump. Louisiana comes in second place, followed by California and then Florida, which is ranked the 4thworst state for post-accident auto insurance rates. In Florida, drivers pay an average rate of $2,250 and this rate jumps to $3,045 after an accident, an increase of 35 percent.
If you have sustained an injury in a car crash that was another person’s fault, you may be able to recoup damages through a negligence claim. Negligence is the legal theory that is most often used to decide at fault in car crash cases. Negligence takes place when an individual causes an accident and resulting harm by failing to use reasonable care behind the wheel. ‘Reasonable care’ refers to how a reasonably prudent person would have acted in the same or similar situation. To win a negligence claim, the plaintiff has the burden of establishing the following:
- The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty to use reasonable care behind the wheel;
- The defendant violated this duty by engaging in careless or reckless conduct behind the wheel; and
- The defendant’s violation was a direct and proximate cause of the car accident and plaintiff’s resulting damages.
Depending on the severity of a car accident, the consequences can vary. If you have been injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover money damages for your harm. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our seasoned Miami car accidents attorneys understand how to navigate this complex area of law and protect the rights of our South Florida clients. Call us for a free confidential consultation today at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or contact us online.