Trusted Auto Accident Attorneys in Pompano Beach, FL Fight for Car Accident Victims’ Rights in Broward County and Throughout Florida
Cities in South Florida tend to be heavily concentrated, and Pompano Beach is no exception. With its proximity to beautiful beaches and the exciting downtown Miami, Pompano Beach is a popular destination. Unfortunately, the fact that our communities are so attractive also means that our residents are much more likely to be involved in a car accident. Hundreds of thousands of car accidents take place in Florida each year, and many are caused by careless or aggressive driving and are therefore completely preventable. After being involved in a car accident, it’s important to reach out to skilled Pompano Beach car accident lawyers.
At Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., our Pompano Beach car accident lawyers believe that a safe driver should not have to pay for the harm caused by a careless, negligent or reckless South Florida driver. Our auto accident attorneys in Pompano Beach, FL have successfully helped car accident victims recover financial compensation for over a decade.
Then there’s our combined 35 years’ worth of experience dealing with insurance companies. We know how insurance companies work and operate, especially when it comes to claims denials. This allows us to better obtain compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
The time following a car accident can feel rushed and surreal. It can also leave you feeling confused about what to do. But you should take certain steps immediately after the accident to protect both your physical well-being and legal rights.
- Remain at the scene. Whatever you do, no matter how minor the accident seems, do not drive away. If you do, it could lead to a hit-and-run criminal charge. Make sure everyone is okay and don’t leave until the police officer says you can.
- Check for injuries. Check to make sure that you and the other drivers and passengers involved in the accident are not injured. If they are, immediately dial 9-1-1. Unless there is an imminent danger to a victim, do not move them unless instructed by a first responder.
- Call the police. It might seem like it’s fine not to call the police if no one is hurt. However, you should still call them to file a formal police report. This report can both bolster your claim for compensation at a later date and make it easier to recover from the insurance company.
- Document the scene. You can use your smartphone to take photos and videos of the accident scene. If there was an issue with the road, traffic signs, or traffic signals, be sure to document that as well. If given permission, take pictures of any injuries sustained by other passengers in your vehicle.
- Gather vehicle information. For all vehicles involved in the accident, take note of each vehicle’s description, make, model, year, and license plate number. Taking a picture of the vehicle from multiple angles will be helpful, too.
- Clear vehicles from the flow of traffic. If there are no injuries and the vehicle damage is minor, other drivers will appreciate it if you can move the accident vehicles out of the main roadway.
- Obtain contact information. Obtain the contact information of the drivers in the other vehicles and any eyewitnesses to the car accident. Taking a picture of their driver’s license is a good way to do this. But if they’re not comfortable with you doing that, add their phone number and email address to your phone.
- Document insurance information. The easiest and best way to do this will be to use your phone to photograph the other driver’s car insurance card. To be extra safe, email the picture to yourself to serve as a backup.
- Look for additional evidence. Depending on where your accident occurred, there could be other places to find information that can help you when you file your car insurance claim or start your lawsuit. Traffic or security cameras might have valuable footage of the accident. It’s also possible another driver from the accident may have dash-cam footage, too.
- Say as little as possible. Do not lie, but don’t be eager to provide any extra information to anyone, especially another driver. Also, do not promise another driver that you will or won’t do to do something, such as file an insurance claim. Remember to be 100% honest when giving information to a police officer.
- Do not admit fault. While it might seem like you did something wrong to cause the accident, you could be mistaken. You can admit to what you can recall seeing or doing. But that doesn’t mean admitting to actually being responsible for causing the accident. Mistakenly admitting fault to another driver or a police officer can make it much harder to obtain compensation for the accident later on.
- Preserve the evidence. If you have driver and vehicle information gathered from the accident, put it in a safe place and back it up. Most importantly, write down your recollection of what happened. Your memory can quickly fade or become confused when you try to remember what happened at a later time.
- Report the accident to your insurance company. You’ll need to do this, even if you don’t plan on filing a claim. When you contact them, be prepared to provide basic information as to what happened. If you’re afraid of saying something that might make it harder to obtain compensation or could lead to an arrest, talk to a lawyer before notifying your car insurance company.
- Contact our Pompano Beach car accident lawyers. You should do this even if you are unsure what caused the accident in which you were injured. By contacting our office soon after the accident, we can determine whether you may have a case for compensation against the at-fault driver. This will also help protect your rights and interests when dealing with the insurance companies or police.
Contact Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A.’s Pompano Beach Car Accident Lawyers to Help You With Your Case
Our Pompano Beach car accident lawyers are proud to provide bilingual legal support to car accident victims in South Florida. Call Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your Pompano Beach car accident case with an experienced personal injury lawyer. You can also fill out this online contact form and we will respond promptly to set up an appointment at one of our two offices in Lake Worth or Pompano Beach. But if you are too injured to travel, our auto accident attorneys in Pompano Beach, FL can also meet with you in your home or at the hospital.
About Pompano Beach, Florida
North of Fort Lauderdale is the city of Pompano Beach, Florida. It is well-known for its fantastic boating and fishing opportunities, which are only enhanced by the presence of a vibrant coral reef just off the coast, which may be explored by scuba divers and snorkelers. The municipal fishing pier is 1,000 feet long and is popular with anglers and families who want to take advantage of the nearby playgrounds, grills, and picnic tables. Pompano Beach is known for its lengthy pier that juts out into the ocean. The Hillsboro Lighthouse, built in the early 20th century, stands sentinel to the north along the coast at the entrance to the Intracoastal Canal at Hillsboro Inlet. Tennis courts and an amphitheater may be found in the Pompano Community Park.