West Palm Beach Car Accidents

West Palm Beach is home to many businesses, stores, and restaurants, and residents and tourists frequently drive in and out of the city for work and pleasure. Unfortunately, when thousands of people travel roadways each day, accidents are likely to happen. Crashes can arise anywhere but are more likely to happen on some streets and highways than others. For example, in West Palm Beach, collisions frequently occur on North Military Trail and the intersections of Okeechobee Boulevard and North Haverhill Road, Southern Boulevard, South State Road 7, and North Military Trail and Okeechobee Road.

While car accidents happen frequently, they are typically avoidable, and in most instances, one or more parties bear are at fault for bringing about collisions and the subsequent harm they cause. If you were injured in a car accident, it is smart to meet with a lawyer to assess your options. Jarrett Blakeley of Blakeley Law Firm, P.A. is a seasoned West Palm Beach car accident lawyer who can advise you of your rights and aid you in seeking the maximum amount of damages recoverable under the law. Mr. Blakeley’s offices are located in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Gardens and Jacksonville, and he regularly represents parties hurt in car accidents in Florida.

It is prudent for anyone who is injured in a car crash to obtain any evidence demonstrating how the crash happened, which often includes a police report. In West Palm Beach, traffic crash reports can be requested from the West Palm Beach Police Records Department if it is within sixty days of the collision. Motor vehicle crash information is confidential and barred from disclosure within sixty days after the report is filed unless the person requesting the report meets eligibility requirements. As such, a notarized sworn affidavit must accompany such a record request. After sixty days, reports can be obtained from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

While some people are fortunate enough to walk away from car accidents unscathed, many suffer painful injuries. As such, they often seek to hold the parties who caused the collisions accountable for their harm via civil lawsuits. As the majority of car accidents arise out of the careless operation of vehicles, in most car accident cases, the plaintiff will allege the defendant was negligent. Under Florida law, in order to establish negligence, the plaintiff must first show that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care. In other words, that the defendant had an obligation to drive as a reasonable person would under the circumstances or abide by a Florida law regarding the operation of a motor vehicle.

The plaintiff must also establish that the defendant’s breached the duty owed in some way. Next, the plaintiff has to prove that the defendant’s departure from the standard of care caused the plaintiff to sustain actual damages. This means that the defendant’s behavior caused the accident, and the plaintiff suffered quantifiable harm because of the accident. While the defendant’s actions do not have to be the sole cause of the crash, they must be a significant factor in bringing it about. A plaintiff that adequately demonstrates a defendant’s fault may be awarded compensation for the cost of any medical treatment, out-of-pocket expenses, lost wages, suffering, pain, and mental trauma caused by the collision.

There are many benefits to living or working in West Palm Beach, but like most places, it is not impervious to reckless drivers and frequent collisions, many of which are fatal. If you suffered injuries in an accident, it is wise to speak to a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Jarrett Blakeley of Blakeley Law Firm, P.A. is a capable attorney dedicated to helping people hurt in collisions pursue compensation for their losses, and if you hire him, he will work tirelessly on your behalf. Car accident lawyer Jarrett Blakeley has offices in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Gardens and Jacksonville, and he often assists people hurt in collisions in Broward, Miami Dade, and Palm Beach Counties. You can reach Mr. Blakeley via the online form or by calling (800) 602-5000 to set up a conference.