Miami Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

A 15 year old girl is slowly recovering from being hit by a car on a crosswalk. According to turnto23.com, Angeleigh Kumpel suffered multiple injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, a fractured pelvis and a broken left leg. Her father says she will have to learn how to walk and talk again. Yet, her family is happy because Angeleigh is forming simple sentences.

New Drug for Treating TBI is Being Tested

Citing the American Academy of Neurology, an article in ddmag.com talks about a new drug that is currently being successfully tested on lab rats suffering from TBIs. The new drug, Clazosentan, is thought to specifically block brain receptors called endothelin receptor A (ETrA), which contribute to the restriction of blood flow in the cerebrum of the brain as early as four hours after a brain injury. When prolonged, this reduction in blood flow can cause permanent cell dysfunction and death.

Expensive Therapy Marks Long Road to Recovery

While we await FDA approval of the medication for use on humans, recovery for traumatic brain injury patients like Angeleigh is achieved through rehabilitation therapy, which is long and expensive. This is why victims that have suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of another's negligent actions need the help of an experienced trial lawyer to recover the funds they need to pay for their rehabilitation, as well as for their ongoing medical and personal needs.

According to studies done to help injured N.F.L. players and wounded soldiers returning from the battlefield with traumatic brain injuries, the faster we provide them with rehabilitation therapy, the greater their recovery can be. Keith Cicerone, Director of Neuropsychology at the JFK Rehabilitation Institute in New Jersey, has stated that the longer a patient goes without therapy, the more likely it is that his or her brain may "develop bad habits" due to what he calls "mental disuse syndrome" because it is not being used at the same level it was prior to the injury.

Moreover, if left untreated, these victims may suffer the long-term consequences of traumatic brain injuries: headaches, vertigo, depression, dementia and memory loss, all of which may, in extreme cases, lead to suicide. Two former N.F.L. players, ex-Miami Dolphins' Michael Current and former Pro-Bowl safety Dave Duerson killed themselves after being unable to cope with the consequences of the concussions they suffered as N.F.L. players.

Continue reading "Car Accident Victim's Slow Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury" »

Call a lawyer directly, don't call a clinic or lawyer referral service when you or a loved one is hurt because of someone else's negligence. Why allow someone else, especially a service making money from referring you to a lawyer, to choose your lawyer or decide from whom you receive medical treatment? Choosing a lawyer is a critical decision that potential claimants' should not leave to someone else. The decision on what attorney to hire to represent you is too important a decision to delegate to others, especially phone operators handling calls who give you the number and put you in contact with the "next name up on the list, a "name" that has paid a fee to be on "the list" and to whom you will be referred without regard to that lawyer's experience in the first place.

We are all familiar with those television and radio commercials, as well as with those billboards dotting our highways that announce a catchy phone number or domain name that claim to connect the victim to some service that will help him or her get up to $10,000.00 in compensation if they were involved in an accident. In reality, although the telephone numbers and/or domain names sometimes include terms seemingly related to the practice of law (i.e., words like "law", "legal", "attorney", "lawyer", etc.), these advertisers are very careful to include in their disclaimer (the part with some incredibly fast talking guy that no one understands) that they are not lawyers. Florida law gives you the right to get "up to $10,000.00 in benefits) because that is the minimum insurance coverage required for any driver to be allowed to operate a vehicle in this State. You don't have access to those benefits because of something magical the referral service does. Most likely than not, the only magic that referral service will do will be make you waste a good portion of those $10,000.00 (if not all) in what may turn out to be inadequate medical treatment for your injuries...

The important thing is to make sure these benefits work to help you get proper medical care and treatment, as well as some lost wage payments. The quality of the care you receive can go a long way in improving the likelihood that you will get full and just compensation for your injuries.

What is 411-pain?

So, who are these companies that spend so much money advertising? Often they are pain clinics or chiropractors' offices. These clinics refer the "client" (meaning you) to a lawyer, but only after making sure that the $10,000.00 of your P.I.P. insurance policy will be spent with them or with some company "allied" to them (like companies that provide MRI services, other medical services or equipment, etc.). Of course, these referrals are not based on the quality of the services that these companies "provide" or on the experience that the lawyer has handling your particular kind of case, but on the "deals" that these other "providers" have formed with the pain clinic.

According to clickorlando.com, this is exactly what happened to Jazzmil Rodriguez. After being involved in a car accident last summer, she remembered the familiar commercial jingle prompting viewers and listeners to call 1-800-411-PAIN and did just that...

Sure enough, she was referred to a law firm, but she was also sent to a pain clinic called Florida Injury, where a paralegal (not an attorney) met with her. She was instructed by both the pain clinic and and the law firm to attend daily treatment sessions at the clinic for ten days and three to four times a week after that.

You May End Up in Debt

This course of action potentially makes victims the biggest losers after a car crash. As a result, crash victims may end up getting sub-standard medical services by not being "referred" to or seeking out the best available specialists for their injuries. Similarly, they may be sent to a specialist once the $10,000.00 available in their P.I.P. insurance policy for medical services have been exhausted by the pain clinic and its allies. Should they need to see a specialist at that point, the specialist will treat them contingent on getting paid once they win their case. But, what if they don't have a case against the other driver, don't win their case or simply do not recover enough money to satisfy the additional medical bills? They end up in debt or not getting treated at all.

This was an additional consequence of calling 411 PAIN for Ms. Rodriguez. The $10,000.00 of her P.I.P. insurance policy were exhausted by Florida Injury in just two months. Then, after she had wracked more than $15,000.00 in chiropractor treatment, the attorney to whom Florida Injury had referred her suddenly called to say that she had no case because the other driver had no bodily injury coverage that she could recover from. Result: the crash victim ended up owing $5,000.00 in medical bills.

You May Lose Your Car Accident Case

Something similar may happen with the lawyer. You do not get "referred" to the lawyers with the most experience in your particular kind of case. You get referred to the lawyer "allied" to the pain clinic. This means that you may very well lose the case or not recover as much compensation as you would have if represented by an experienced law firm.

The Florida Attorney General has launched an investigation into 411 Pain and its relationship with businesses like Florida Injury. Also, the Florida Bar has formed a committee to review the practices of referral services like 411 PAIN.

Continue reading "Call a Lawyer Directly, Don't Call a Clinic Referral Service" »

Tyler Robinson was not texting while he drove home. He was not on the phone and distracted. He had not had any alcohol to drink either. He was simply driving when another vehicle pulled out in front of him, making him swerve trying to avoid a crash. As a result, cherokeetribune.com reports, Tyler's car flipped five times before coming to a stop and Tyler ended up with a broken neck.

Lengthly and Expensive Rehabilitation Therapy

Rehabilitation therapy may help someone in Tyler's condition regain mobility. How much mobility is a question of many different factors like the specific kind of spinal cord injury, the age of the victim and how soon the victim starts receiving the therapy. Even then, there is no guarantee of how much the victim will recover, but there is always hope. Tyler broke his C5 cervical vertebra in three places. He also had a nerve pinched between the C5 and C6 vertebrae that has caused his paralysis. Tyler has started his rehab therapy wearing a halo brace that keeps his head and neck immobile to allow his spine to heal properly.

Motorcycle Accident

According to 9news.com, on November 7, 2011, Ben Meyerhoff was riding his bike to work like he had done thousands of times before. This time, however, he rear-ended at full speed a garbage truck that had stopped in front of him. His C6 and C7 vertebrae were crushed and his spinal cord severely injured. In the following weeks he often heard the term "quadriplegic" or the newer term "tetraplegic", which meant he suffered paralysis of his limbs and torso.

Besides the quality of rehabilitation therapy he is getting, Ben's biggest asset is his mental attitude. He does not think in terms of what he may never be able to do again, but in terms of the odds he overcomes everyday.

Victims of spinal cord injuries face a long and expensive specialized rehabilitation process, which is why those who have been the victims of a car accident, a motorcycle accident, a tractor-trailer accident, an amusement park accident or any other kind of accident caused by another's negligence need the help of an experienced lawyer that can get them the funds they need for their rehabilitation therapy, as well as for their daily survival. It is very important that these victims (or their families) hire a lawyer quickly and allow this lawyer to begin working on their case immediately. Their attorney will then be in a position to do the same thing the attorneys for their opponents' insurance companies are doing from the moment of the accident: preserving evidence and speaking with potential witnesses while the incident is fresh in their minds.

Continue reading "Motor Vehicle Accident Victims Suffer Spinal Cord Injuries" »

Peter Moore is a 45 year old victim of a hit and run accident left with a mild traumatic brain injury, a broken neck and other injuries, according to berkshireeagle.com. This accident did not happen in South Florida, where hit and run accidents seem so prevalent as of late, but in Pittsfield, MA. However, no matter where it happened, it shows how the negligent operation of a motor vehicle may cause potentially catastrophic injuries to a person while doing something many of us do everyday. It also shows how those at fault may leave the scene without regard for their victims' fate.

Mr. Moore was simply walking his dog on a local road at about 8:15 p.m. when a car struck him. The driver of the car left the scene. It was later determined that the driver was Meredith Nilan, the daughter of the Chief of Probation of Berkshire Superior Court. Although Ms. Nilan was initially charged with abandoning the scene of a personal injury accident and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, the charges were dismissed. The State is appealing the case.

Lucky Traumatic Brain Injury Victim

Luckily, Mr. Moore seems to be recovering well from his injuries. It is surprising that he was able to walk home when he came to after being struck. He only learned that he had been struck by a car after being checked (and told) by his doctor. He is expected to be able to go back to work soon.

Not Every Traumatic Head Injury Victim Is So Lucky

Yet, not every person suffering a traumatic brain injury is so lucky. We represented a young lady that crashed her Honda Civic against a tractor trailer truck that suddenly made a U-turn in front of her. Our client could not stop in time and her vehicle went under and thru the trailer. As a result, our client suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as orthopedic injuries that will keep her partially incapacitated for the rest of her life.

Thankfully, the lawyers at Greenberg & Stone were able to help her recover the policy limits of the trucking company's insurance policy. Our exhaustive investigation of all possible sources of compensation, allowed us to recommend that she accept the policy limits and avoid a protracted legal battle that could end up with no recovery if the trucking company's insurance carrier were to become insolvent, as the trucking company itself already had. Thankfully, she followed our recommendation and accepted the policy limits offered by the insurance company. A few months later the insurance company did in fact become insolvent. To learn more about this and other cases successfully handled by the lawyers at Greenberg & Stone, please visit the Notable Cases section of our website.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Victim Left With Traumatic Brain Injury" »

I once heard someone say that in Florida it's ok to lend anything but your car to a friend...I didn't quite understand what that meant until I attended Law School and came across the "Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine".

Vehicle Owner Equally Responsible

Under Florida Law, the owner of a motor vehicle is liable for the damages and/or injuries caused by another operating his or her vehicle. This rule is the result of the "Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine" as adopted by the Florida Supreme Court in the case of Southern Cotton Oil Company v. Anderson, 80 Fla. 441, 468, 86 So. 629, 637 (1920) where the Court stated that: "one who authorizes and permits an instrumentality that is peculiarly dangerous in its operation to be used by another on the public highway is liable in damages for injuries to third persons caused by the negligent operation of such instrumentality on the highway by one so authorized by the owner".

Continue reading "Owner Of Car Is As Liable As Driver" »

According to a recent article by the LA Times, Toyota Motor Corporation has issued a new recall, this time for 2.17 million cars in the United States. The recall affects six models and is intended to address problems of sudden acceleration.

List of Toyota Recalls

The recall list includes:

• 761,000 RAV4 sport utility vehicles (2006 to 2010 models)
• 603,000 4Runner SUVs (2003 to 2009 models)
• 397,000 Highlander and Highlander hybrid SUVs (2004 to 2006 models)
• 372,000 Lexus RX SUVs (2004 to 2007 models)
• 20,000 Lexus GS sedans (2006 and 2007 models)
• 17,000 Lexus LX sedans (2008 to 2011 models)

For more information on this recall, please visit Toyota's page on the subject.

Continue reading "New Toyota Recall" »

So called "blind spots" can be very dangerous when changing lanes in a car. They are usually deadly when changing lanes in a motorcycle. Riders on cruisers, who usually wear open helmets (or none at all) can't hear a vehicle in the lane next to them because of the surrounding noise. Similarly, those who ride sport bikes while wearing closed helmets can't hear most noises (specially if they're listening to music from an Ipod or similar device) and on top, their lateral visibility is blocked by the helmet. These are factors that may contribute to crashes that happen when riders change lanes without noticing a vehicle in their blind spots. Therefore, we all (drivers and specially riders) need to turn our heads and make sure there are no vehicles in those spots before attempting to change lanes.

New Technology to the Rescue

Finally, new safety technology that is being made available for cars, may soon be made available for bikes. A recent B.B.C. article, talks about new safety technology that would not only alert riders of vehicles in their blind spots, but can also warn them when they are traveling to fast before they reach an upcoming curve.

Continue reading "Upcoming Safety Features for Bikes" »

Not all people drive their cars in a safely manner. By the same token, not all young bikers ride recklessly. A young man from Miami was riding in a six lane road when a driver in the lane next to him suddenly decided to change lanes, cutting the rider off. The man in the motorcycle tried to avoid crashing into the other vehicle but in doing so lost control of his bike and fell. The fall gave him severe "road rash", scarring, bruising and fractures. He subsequently retained the Law Offices of Greenberg & Stone, P.A. to represent him.

Drivers Must be Mindful of Motorcycles When Changing Lanes

According to the Florida Drivers Handbook every driver must indicate their intentions to others with their turn signals. Being constantly aware of other vehicles in your vicinity is an important skill for drivers to safely operate their vehicles in our busy streets. That is why our cars come with rear and side view mirrors. Similarly, it is important to check for blind spots next to our own car before changing lanes. A driver who is about to change lanes must turn his head to see if there is a vehicle in his or her "blind spot". For obvious reasons, all drivers under these circumstances must exercise special care to look for motorcycles, because they are smaller and more difficult to see. Our frequent failure to see motorcycles around or approaching our path is often the cause for crashes.

Continue reading "Rider Has a Bike Accident in Miami" »

A sixty year old Broward business executive who used to work out by riding his bicycle everyday, was moving with the flow of traffic when a driver backing her car out of her driveway suddenly struck him because she was not properly looking back and failed to yield. The victim has retained Greenberg & Stone, P.A., to represent him in this traffic accident case. He was taken to Broward General Hospital's emergency room with multiple traumas: a closed head injury, a fractured jaw, a derangement of the left knee and other back and neck injuries. After being admitted to the hospital he was operated on under general anesthesia, resulting in the insertion of plates and wires. Thankfully, he had a bicycle helmet on at the time of the accident.

Theses Accidents Happen Very Often and Many Times Result in Fatalities

Regrettably, accidents between cars and cyclists of all ages happen frequently and since riders are completely unprotected in a bicycle, they often result in fatalities. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in their latest available report , 512 people were killed in bicycle accidents between 2000 and 2004. This report also shows that 23,842 people were injured in this kind of accidents during those years.

Continue reading "Man Struck by SUV While Working Out on His Bicycle" »

A pedestrian was killed early this morning by an SUV while crossing the intersection of Melaleuca Lane and Wiggins Road in Lake Worth. The elderly victim, Fatemeh Kazemishahmirzadi, was crossing in front of a vehicle in the lane closest to the median when the vehicle in the next lane hit her, maybe because the driver did not see her.

Florida Law states that motor vehicles must always yield to pedestrians, specially when these are crossing at an intersection and regardless of whether the crossing is marked or not. However, this fact alone (i.e., a driver failing to yield to the pedestrian) does not determine who was at fault in this kind of accidents. Therefore, an investigation is opened to find other facts, like whether the driver could have seen the pedestrian and/or whether the light was green.

Statistics by the Florida Department of Higway Safety and Motor Vehicles (see Florida Traffic Crash Statistics) seem to show that pedestrians between the ages of 75 and 84 are a particularly vulnerable group which accounts for 22.22 percent of all pedestrian fatalities that occurring when a pedestrian was crossing at an intersection in this State.

Continue reading "Pedestrian killed in a crosswalk accident in Lake Worth" »

Fatal car accidents caused by distracted driving rose 3 percent from 2004 to 2008, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data. Distractions can come from a variety of sources, both in and out of the car. With so many things, from cell phones to billboards and construction, fighting for drivers' attention, accidents are bound to happen.

Distracted Driving Is Negligent Driving in Florida and Elsewhere

Unlike some other states, Florida does not yet have a law banning cell phone use while driving. Even without a formal law on the books, however, a distracted driver may be held legally responsible for causing a car accident through negligence. Negligence is the failure to do what is reasonable under the circumstances and breaching the applicable duty of care.

All drivers owe others on the road the duty to operate their cars reasonably and safely. Adequate care requires a driver to stay focused while driving. Using cell phones and other electronics devices while driving significantly diminishes a driver's ability to react to changing road conditions. A 2009 study by Car and Driver even concluded that texting while driving can be more dangerous than drunk driving.

Cell Phones Aren't the Only Distraction

Texting while driving gets a lot of news coverage, but distracted driving isn't just about cell phones. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are three types of driving distractions that increase the chance of an accident:

• Cognitive: A cognitive distraction occurs when a driver takes his or her mind off the tasks required for safe driving. One example of a cognitive distraction is mentally reviewing a fight with a spouse rather than paying attention to the road.
• Manual: A manual distraction involves the driver removing his or her hands from the wheel. Sending a text or grabbing a dropped item are examples of manual distractions.
• Visual: A visual distraction is when the driver takes his or her eyes off of the road. Checking on a screaming child in the back seat or star gazing at night are types of visual distractions.

Distracted driving is a serious concern in the United States. In Florida alone, at least four fatal accidents were directly caused by driver distraction in 2009.

A Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident, contact a knowledgeable car accident attorney, like those at Greenberg & Stone, P.A. An experienced personal injury attorney will thoroughly evaluate your claim to find out whether the driver's careless use of a cell phone caused your injuries. For more information, visit us at www.sgglaw.com.

Florida law requires every driver to carry car insurance, but do our insurance laws go far enough? If a Florida driver is "fully covered" under Florida's car insurance laws, how well will he or she be protected in the event of a serious car accident? If a "fully covered" Florida driver causes an accident, what can the victims expect in terms of compensation from the responsible driver's insurance company?

The answers to these questions may surprise you.

What Does 'Fully Covered' Mean?

The only type of car insurance required by Florida law is personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. This is no-fault car insurance, which means that your insurance company will compensate you regardless of who caused the accident. Under PIP coverage, your own medical expenses (usually up to 80 percent) and your lost wages (up to 60 percent) are covered, up to a maximum of $10,000. While $10,000 might sound like a lot, the funds can go quickly, especially if you have suffered a serious injury.

Don't Florida Drivers Have to Carry Liability Insurance?

Liability insurance, sometimes called bodily injury insurance, provides an additional source of compensation for any victims of a motor vehicle accident caused by a driver who carries this type of coverage. In a typical liability insurance policy, the insurance company agrees to provide coverage for liability claims after an accident up to the policy limits.

Florida drivers are not required to carry liability insurance. In practical terms, this means that you could suffer devastating injury in a car accident that was clearly caused by another driver but be limited to the $10,000 compensation available through your PIP coverage.

What About Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Drivers who have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) are protected to a certain extent in the event of a serious car accident with a driver who does not carry adequate liability insurance. If you have UM/UIM coverage, then you can make a claim against your own insurance company to cover some of your expenses from an accident that are not covered by your PIP policy and that exceed the amount of liability coverage carried by the person who caused the crash.

What You Can Do

Carefully review your family's car insurance policies to make sure every family member is adequately covered in the event of an accident. If you don't already have uninsured motorist coverage, consider adding UIM to your policy. Ask your insurance agent about other types of voluntary insurance coverage, and make sure you get clear answers to your questions.

Consider the fact that the PIP limits are higher in some other states that require drivers to carry personal injury protection insurance. For example, in Minnesota the maximum is $40,000, and in New Jersey the maximum is $250,000 for certain catastrophic injuries. Urge your state representatives to reform our car insurance laws.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car or truck accident and you have questions about insurance claims after the accident, contact an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney, like those at Greenberg & Stone, P.A. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To learn more, visit us at www.sgglaw.com.

Contrary to popular belief, low-speed car accidents that cause little or no vehicle damage often result in serious injuries for drivers and occupants.

In fact, in a study of low-impact collisions, the Society of Automotive Engineers found that 29 percent of people suffered neck injuries after their cars were hit from behind at a speed of just 2.5 miles per hour. The injury rate rose to 38 percent for collisions at five miles per hour. Notably, none of the crashes resulted in vehicle damage.

What Is a Soft-Tissue Injury?

Even when they do not result in vehicle damage, low-impact collisions often cause drivers and passengers to suffer soft-tissue injuries -- damage to body tissues other than bone, such as muscles, cartilage, nerves, ligaments or tendons.

Soft-tissue injuries occur when a low-speed collision jerks a vehicle's occupants back and forth causing tissues to be stretched or torn. In the head and neck, this type of injury is commonly known as whiplash. Other body parts can be affected as well, resulting in organ and nerve damage, sprains or even brain injury. Symptoms of whiplash and other soft-tissue injuries may include:

• Muscle soreness or stiffness
• Headache
• Blurry vision
• Bruising, numbness or tingling
• Nausea or vertigo
• Nervousness, irritability or inability to concentrate

Proving Soft Tissue Injuries

Unfortunately, soft-tissue injuries are often hard to prove. This can make it difficult for someone who has been injured in a car accident to obtain much-needed compensation from an insurance company or at-fault driver. The biggest obstacle to proving soft-tissue injuries is a lack of objective medical evidence, since damage to soft tissues may not be verifiable with standard diagnostic tools like X-rays or CT scans. Especially when a claim arises from a low-speed accident that caused no visible vehicle damage, insurance companies or defense attorneys may suggest that an injured person is exaggerating his or her symptoms. In addition, many soft-tissue injuries do not become apparent until days or weeks after an accident, making them still more difficult to prove.

Seeking Help

The good news is that, while proving soft-tissue injuries can indeed be difficult, it is by no means impossible. If you have been in a car accident, however minor, see your doctor first to make sure that you receive the medical care you need. Then, if you are suffering symptoms of a soft-tissue injury, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer like those at Greenberg & Stone, P.A., to learn more about seeking compensation for your injuries. Visit us at www.sgglaw.com.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, nearly 100,000 motorcyclists were injured and 5,290 were killed in 2008, the last year for which figures are available.

Because motorcycles offer little protection in a crash, motorcycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries and death. Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcycle riders are about 37 times more likely to die in an accident than passenger car occupants. As the number of motorcycles on the road increases, it is important for motorcycle riders to have a good understanding of how to protect themselves.

Although accidents do happen, there are some basic steps motorcyclists can follow to protect themselves on the road:

• Wear a properly fitting helmet with a full face guard. According to the NHTSA, helmets are 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle operators and 41 percent effective for motorcycle passengers.
• Wear properly fitting, brightly colored personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, a jacket, pants and boots made of leather, Cordura, Kevlar or other heavy material. Properly fitting PPE can help to prevent road rash and other serious injuries.
• Do not drink alcohol and ride. In 2008, 30 percent of all fatally injured motorcycle riders had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 or higher.
• Stay alert and watch other drivers carefully. Car and truck drivers often have difficulty seeing motorcycles on the road. Be prepared to avoid cars coming into your lane suddenly.
• Do not tailgate other vehicles or attempt to weave through traffic.
• Choose a motorcycle that fits your abilities. Do not ride a motorcycle that you are unable to maneuver without difficulty. Take the time to attend motorcycle training and to learn local laws governing motorcycles.

Following these safety tips can help assure your safety and increase the likelihood that you will continue to enjoy riding for years to come.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident, experienced legal counsel is essential. The experienced personal injury attorneys at Greenberg & Stone, P.A. can assess your case and help you recover the compensation you deserve. To learn more, visit our website at www.sgglaw.com.

An average of 646 car accidents occurred each day on Florida roads last year, and more than half of those resulted in injury or death. If these numbers seem high, that's because they are: Florida's rate of traffic fatalities per capita has hovered around 30 percent above the national average for years. While careful driving can go a long way toward keeping you safe on the road, there is always a chance that another driver's recklessness may cause you to crash. Listed below are some basic steps to follow if that happens.

Exchange Information

If you have been in an accident, exchange the following information with every other driver involved in the crash, even if you do not think you have been injured -- many injuries do not appear until days after an accident, or even later.

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Insurance provider and policy number
• Driver's license number and description of the vehicle

Document the Accident

Write down exactly where and how the accident occurred. It is a good idea to carry an inexpensive camera in your car to take pictures of the accident scene and any damage to your vehicle. You also may want to record the contact information of any witnesses who saw what happened.

File an Accident Report

An accident report can help the insurance company process your claim more quickly, but police do not always respond to accidents unless someone has been injured. Fortunately, you can file an accident report yourself by visiting a police station after the accident.

Contact Your Insurance Company

After you have been in an accident, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible to let them know what happened and to give them your side of the story. It is essential, however, to seek legal counsel before providing any kind of statement. And never speak to the adverse insurance company directly or provide them information about potential injuries or witnesses.

Even if the other driver has offered to pay for your repairs out of pocket, you never know for sure if he or she will follow through. If you wait too long to get your insurance company involved, it will be more difficult to gather the information they need to process your claim.

Nobody likes to think about being in a car accident, but it is something that most drivers have to deal with sooner or later. Following these steps after a crash will help protect your rights and make it easier to get the compensation you need.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Greenberg & Stone, P.A. for a free consultation. For more information, visit our website at www.sgglaw.com.