Key Largo Car Accident Lawyer

The Florida Keys are beloved by tourists, residents and musicians from the Beach Boys to Jimmy Buffett who celebrate the beachfront lifestyle. Many people live in, retire or visit the Florida Keys, including the Key Largo area.

Key Largo is considered part of Monroe County and is the most northern of the Florida Keys, located in the upper part of the archipelago that comprises the upper Keys. Key Largo is 33 miles long, and is known as the ‘Diving Capital of the World” due to its famous living coral reef. Key Largo is connected via U.S. Highway 1 and Card Sound Road to Miami-Dade County and unfortunately, the roads that connect to Key Largo as well as the roads within this island chain were the site of almost 150 accidents in 2011. If you or a loved one is involved in an accident in Key Largo, you need to understand your rights and take action to recover monetary compensation from the driver who caused your collision. A Key Largo car accident attorney at Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. can assist you in pursuing a claim for monetary damages.

In Key Largo in 2011, there were a total of 141 serious motor-vehicle accidents. In the broader Monroe-County area, of which Key Largo is a part, there were many more collisions that occurred during the same time period. In fact, the Florida traffic crash statistics for the year reveal that there were a total of 1,262 reported car accidents in Monroe County. The accidents caused 19 deaths in the county, including three deaths in crashes involving commercial motor vehicles; three bicyclist deaths and six deaths of pedestrians. No motorcycle riders were killed in Monroe County during this time period, but 165 suffered serious injuries.

Florida is among the deadliest states in the nation for all types of motor-vehicle accidents. Throughout the state of Florida, there are always a great many auto accidents that injure or kill motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians. In 2011, for example, there were 227,998 motor vehicle crashes that caused 181,654 injuries and 2,400 deaths. The statewide crash data reveals that a total of 7,039 were pedestrian accidents, resulting in 497 pedestrians dying. Motorcycle riders also were involved in 8,621 statewide crashes and 413 drivers and 38 passengers on motorcycles were killed over the course of the year.

There are lots of reasons for the accidents that occurred throughout Florida, as well as for the crashes that happened specifically in the Key Largo area. In Key Largo, for instance, a total of eight of the accidents that happened during 2011 involved the use of alcohol. Alcohol used by any driver, motorcycle rider, bicyclist or pedestrian can significantly increase the chances of a crash by lowering reaction time, blurring vision and causing a host of other problems that make safe traveling impossible.

If a driver operates a vehicle while above the legal limit, this is a case where it should be much easier for injured accident victims to make a damage claim since it is clear that the drunk driver was obviously unreasonably careless and in violation of traffic-safety laws. However, the accident victim or surviving family members pursuing a lawsuit after someone was killed in a motor-vehicle accident will still need to show that the drunk driver’s actions were the direct cause of the crash.

If a driver engages in other dangerous behavior that doesn’t involve getting drunk, injured car accident victims can also recover compensation in an injury or wrongful death claim if they can show that the driver’s actions caused the wreck and can prove the motorist was unreasonably careless. Driving while distracted or speeding are just two of many behaviors that might be considered unreasonably careless or negligent.

If you or a loved one was involved in an accident and you need help understanding your rights, gathering evidence or pursuing a claim, a Key Largo car accident lawyer at Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. can provide the assistance you need. Give us a call toll free (877) 475-2905 or contact us online today for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Se Habla Español.