Florida is well-known for their torrential rainstorms, which could last anywhere from five minutes to an hour. The rain can sometimes come down so hard that it completely takes away a motorist’s visibility of the road and other vehicles in front of and around them. Taking the proper precautions, including slowing down to an appropriate speed or pulling over when necessary, can help lessen the risk of collisions.
When a driver fails to take the appropriate safety measures, and you are injured in a car accident involving bad weather in Melbourne or anywhere else in the state, you could be eligible to seek compensation for your injuries and losses. Our seasoned car accident attorneys are well-versed in this area of law. Additionally, our previous experience representing insurance companies provides us with a unique insight into the tactics they often try to use to avoid paying what you really deserve. Call our firm today to get started reviewing the details of your case.
Heavy rainfall not only affects visibility and the grip of a car’s wheels on the road, but it also impacts the distance it takes to slow the vehicle down and a driver’s perception-reaction time. Other bad weather scenarios that could lead to a car accident in Melbourne include hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes.
When you are involved in an accident due to poor weather conditions, the most important thing you should do is make sure everyone in the car is okay and call 911. Because of the bad weather, it may not be safe for you to leave your vehicle. If you are able to move the car, you should get off to the side of the road to avoid potentially being involved in another collision.
Additionally, contacting legal assistance as soon as possible ensures an attorney can start working on the case immediately to maximize potential compensation and take the lead in the claims process to allow you to focus on healing from your injuries.
Many different types of car accidents can be caused by bad weather in Melbourne. Rear-end collisions are prevalent due to a lack of visibility and needing longer to stop because of slick road conditions. Side impact or T-bone accidents are also common and happen most often when a light changes, but the motorist does not see it, or a lack of traction makes it difficult to stop. Unfortunately, rollover collisions also frequently occur during bad weather, often resulting in catastrophic injuries and property damage.
It can be difficult to establish liability for a bad weather wreck because once the conditions clear up, evidence often disappears with it. Photographs that document what conditions existed at the time can be extremely useful. Attorneys can also use weather reports to show the areas of town that were impacted by the weather as well as eyewitness testimony regarding the conditions of the roads.
Judges also must consider what precautions each driver took. For example, did one motorist reduce their speed while the other was still going the posted speed limit in conditions where it was not safe to do so?
If no other vehicle is involved, our attorneys can look closer at certain details to see if the potential for compensation still exists. If there was a vehicle malfunction, this could be a product liability case. If there was a design flaw in the road, a premises liability case may be viable.
It can be difficult to effectively pursue damages for auto collisions caused by dangerous weather conditions. Let someone with years of experience take the lead and help you gather evidence, explore all options for compensation, and craft a comprehensive settlement demand to get you back on your feet after your car accident involving bad weather in Melbourne.
Reach out to Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law today to learn more.
