West Palm Beach Rear End Accident Lawyer

Rear end collisions are among the most common types of car accidents in Florida. While a rear end accident may not seem like a big deal initially, victims often sustain serious injuries, including concussions, whiplash, and even spinal cord damage.

In many cases, a rear end accident is the fault of the trailing driver. But that is not always true, and in fact when multiple vehicles are involved in a chain of rear end collisions it can take significant time to conduct an investigation to determine liability. An experienced West Palm Beach rear end accident lawyer can help you through this process. Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather is a team of qualified Florida personal injury lawyers who represent car accident victims throughout Palm Beach County seeking compensation for their injuries.

Which Driver Is Responsible for Causing a Rear End Accident?

People often assume that the “rear” driver is automatically liable for a rear end collision. While this is generally true it is not a given. The principal reason for this assumption is that the rear driver typically has failed to maintain a sufficient distance to safely stop their vehicle and avoid a collision with the vehicle in front of them. This can be due to a number of factors:

• The trailing driver was distracted, perhaps by looking at their phone or talking to someone in their car;
• The trailing driver was driving in excess of the posted speed limit or at an unsafe speed given the road and weather conditions at the time;
• The trailing driver suffered some sort of mechanical issue, such as brake failure, that prevented them from stopping in time; or
• The trailing driver was “tailgating” and simply did not leave enough room between vehicles.

At the same time there are also scenarios where the driver in front took some action that prevented the rear driver from avoiding a collision. Some common examples of this include:

• The front driver stops suddenly and without warning;
• The front driver made a sudden lane change; or
• The front driver failed to signal a turn or their brake lights were not working.

It is also possible that both drivers may be partly at-fault for an accident. In Florida, a jury must apportion comparative fault among all parties to a rear end accident. This means that a plaintiff’s damages may be limited–or in some cases barred altogether–based on the ultimate allocation of responsibility.

Contact Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather Today

If you can prove driver negligence in a rear end accident, you are entitled to seek monetary damages as compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. In many rear end accident cases, your own insurance carrier provides certain “no fault” benefits that will help pay for your medical bills and lost wages due to time missed from work. Our West Palm Beach rear end accident lawyers can review your case and advise you of your options. Contact Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather today to schedule an evaluation.