Who Is At Fault For Your Auto Accident?
Brian O Sutter
Traffic Accidents
Florida roads are busy. With the third largest population in the country and millions of visitors annually, there's always someone on the road here. And with so many people traveling, accidents are bound to happen. When they do, you hopefully won't be seriously injured. But if something occurs and you do find that you're seriously injured, it's important to take the steps needed to make a total recovery. Your physical and mental health is obviously the main things to focus on, but what about your finances?
An auto accident can lead to serious financial burden, making it difficult to fully recover. High medical costs, lost wages due to dime away from work, and more can all play a role in your life after an accident. And in these situations, seeking financial compensation is something that you'll need to consider doing.
But who do you seek financial compensation from? It seems like a fairly obvious question, but it's not always so simple. In fact, in a Florida auto accident case, there could be more parties responsible than you realize. Your auto accident lawyer can help determine exactly who owes you restitution, but taking a look at a few basic points can help give you an idea of who may be to blame.
The Question Of Fault
The first thing to understand is just what fault is under Florida accident law. In Florida, fault is defined as showing that one party acted in a negligent or reckless manner and that those reckless or negligent actions are what led to the accident and the injuries sustained in it.
In an auto accident, reckless and negligent actions could include a wide range of things including:
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Texting while driving
- And more
However, these are just driver-specific actions. As you'll see below, there are numerous other actions from those who may not be just basic motorists that can also lead to an accident. In all situations, it must be shown that recklessness or negligence occurred - but it's not always as straightforward as just speeding or DUI.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
In a Florida auto accident case, there are several different entities that may be held responsible for an accident. Here's a look at some of the potentially liable parties.
- Auto Manufacturers - As the most recent Takata recall shows, defective products can lead to serious accidents and injuries. Defective products and parts in an automobile mean that a manufacturer may be held liable for injuries. This is especially true if the accident occurs prior to a recall occurring.
- Trucking Companies - Under federal law, truckers must adhere to strict regulations in terms of how often they drive. If a trucking company fails to make their drivers abide by these regulations, they can be held liable. Additionally, if the trucking company is shown to not adequately maintain their vehicles - and those maintenance steps would have prevented the accident - they could be held responsible.
- Engineers or City Officials - Even engineers or city officials could be held liable for an accident. If a section of the road was designed poorly and leads to increased accidents, or if improper signage is used, it could be enough to show that the officials are partially to blame for your accident.
As you can see, there are many possibilities when it comes to who is responsible for an accident. Talking to your personal injury attorney is the best way to understand all of your options, but knowing that your personal injury case can go beyond just seeking compensation from another driver is important when beginning the process of seeking compensation.