Is a Settlement Possible If I Wasn’t Wearing a Seat Belt?
Seat belts are designed to keep drivers and passengers safe. They need to be worn properly to reduce movement that can cause harm in the event of a crash or sudden shift. For example, they keep passengers and drivers in one spot to avoid impacts with interior car hazards. Plus, Florida requires seat belts are worn when driving or riding in a car.
If you were injured in a car accident and were not wearing a seatbelt, compensation may still be a possibility. An experienced Sarasota car accident lawyer can help you prove your injury was due to the collision and not because of your failure to wear a seatbelt.
Seat Belts Are the Law in the State of Florida
Throughout the United States, there are seat belt laws. Most states require seat belts to keep people safe. In Florida, a driver can receive a ticket solely for failing to have their seat belt fastened.
Three ways seat belts keep car riders and drivers safe:
- Reduces possibility of seat ejections.
- Avoid instances of the body flying into windshields or dashboards.
- Driver stays in the best position to control the vehicle.
If there is an accident, whether individuals were wearing seatbelts or not, fault will be assessed. An at-fault driver could be negligent for a variety of reasons. They could have been driving too fast, not following traffic laws, or driving under the influence, for example. In any of these circumstances, it is still possible, even after fault is determined, that a person’s failure to wear a seatbelt could be blamed as part of the reason for an injury.
Determining Who Was the At-Fault Driver in Personal Injury Cases
In most cases involving rear end collisions, the at-fault driver is the one who hits the other car from behind. However, if the driver who was hit developed injuries because they were not wearing a safety belt, it is possible for a smaller settlement figure to be offered by the insurance company. When expenses are high, this reduction can have a significant impact on a victim’s financial situation.
With help from a knowledgeable Sarasota car accident lawyer, it may be possible to secure the settlement amount you need, even if no seatbelt was locked in. One path is to have testimony from medical teams that state the injuries were not due to the lack of a seatbelt.
The best course of action is to follow the law, and in Florida that means all drivers and passengers wear their seatbelts when in cars and trucks. That way, you will be following the law, protecting yourself from injury, and be in a good position if a personal injury case were to ever occur.
After Your Florida Car Accident, Give ‘Em Hale
Were you in a car accident but your seat belt was not buckled at the time? The Sarasota attorneys at Hale Law can help. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no fees or costs if we are unable to recover compensation. For a free consultation, call at 941-735-4529.
https://halelaw.com/sarasota-car-accidents-and-back-injuries/
