Many collisions across Florida are the result of a driver failing to yield the right of way. Some cases that involve a failure to yield may be challenging to prove, though, as the facts surrounding the collision are disputed.
A seasoned Tarpon Springs failure to yield accident lawyer might be able to assist with investigating your accident and finding evidence that shows the other driver was at fault. If you suffered an injury in a failure to yield accident, contact a qualified attorney for help with filing a lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries.
The Right of Way
When vehicles meet at intersections, converging roads, or even parking lot aisles, only one vehicle at any given time has the right of way to proceed. In Florida, state laws and local ordinances combine to determine the right of way under various circumstances.
Unfortunately, many drivers make snap decisions behind the wheel that lead to a failure to yield the right of way to another vehicle. When this failure results in an accident, qualified legal counsel may file a lawsuit to recover compensation on behalf of any party injured in the accident.
Liability in a Failure to Yield Case
In order to prove that the driver responsible for the accident was legally liable, a Tarpon Springs failure to yield accident attorney must prove that the driver was negligent. Under Florida law, negligence is any failure to operate a vehicle with the care a prudent person typically would in that situation.
Proving negligence requires evidence of four key elements:
- The defendant owed a duty to the plaintiff
- The defendant violated that duty
- The defendant’s breach of duty directly caused the accident in question
- The accident injured the plaintiff in a compensable way
A failure to yield the right of way when required by law may be evidence of negligence.
Damages in a Failure to Yield Accident
When successful, a failure to yield accident lawsuit may result in the recovery of many types of damages both economic or non-economic in nature. Economic damages may involve reimbursement for expenditures that have a monetary value like medical bills.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are subjective and difficult to assign a value to. Compensation for pain and suffering is an example of non-economic damages.
The damages commonly sought in a failure to yield accident include:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Vehicle repair costs
The financial toll from an accident can be costly. Expenses related to the treatment of injuries can last a lifetime in the most severe cases, and meeting these obligations can be difficult if the victim cannot work as a result of their injuries. Recovering compensation from the negligent driver responsible for the accident may be a chance to pay some of those expenses, so contacting a failure to yield accident lawyer is usually a key step for crash victims in Tarpon Springs to take.
Contact a Tarpon Springs Failure to Yield Accident Attorney
In many cases, a failure to yield accident can be life-altering with various associated expenses. To make matters worse, trying to reach a settlement with insurance companies is often a frustrating task.
Fortunately, your attorney might be able to negotiate with the opposing insurance company so you do not have to. Call a Tarpon Springs failure to yield accident lawyer today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your options.