TAMPA GOLF CART ACCIDENT LAWYERS

Accidents are possible any time you travel by golf cart. These vehicles don’t feature the safety mechanisms that cars and trucks offer drivers and passengers. 

For instance, golf carts don’t have: 

• Seat belts
• Airbags
• Solid frames to support the vehicle and protect passengers

These recreational vehicles leave drivers and their passengers exposed to the surrounding environment. This makes injuries much more likely when an accident occurs.

Many Floridians rely on golf carts as their primary or secondary mode of transport. Because of the prevalence of these vehicles, golf cart collisions and accidents may occur in the following contexts:

Neighborhoods and Housing Communities

Some Tampa neighborhoods are covered by golf cart ordinances, including Temple Terrace and Davis Islands. Since the entire city isn’t subject to these regulations, many people drive golf carts in non-regulated neighborhoods. 

Cart operators should feel welcome to drive their vehicles in neighborhoods with golf cart ordinances. However, if you’ve been injured by someone driving a golf cart in an area where these vehicles are illegal, you may be entitled to compensation for the resulting damage.

Residential neighborhoods are common sites of golf cart accidents. The risk of these accidents is heightened when golf cart drivers share roads with standard passenger vehicles. 

When you’re involved in a mishap resulting in property damage or injury, reach out to golf cart accident lawyers in Tampa. Morgan and Morgan know how to successfully pursue injury claims and recover damages for golf cart accident victims.

Golf Courses

The most obvious place golf cart accidents occur is on golf courses. Most golfers use carts to travel between holes and transport their clubs and other equipment.

These carts offer golfers a convenient way to get around the course and store their belongings. But the likelihood of accidents and injuries is high when they're driven negligently or recklessly.

Public Roadways

Golf carts can drive alongside standard cars and trucks on some public roads in Tampa. This is particularly dangerous. Catastrophic damage can result when a car or truck collides with a golf cart.

Traditional passenger vehicles are much larger, faster, and heavier than golf carts. The cart’s passengers are therefore at high risk of severe bodily damage when this type of collision occurs.  

Additionally, golf carts don’t provide the same level of visibility as larger vehicles. Other drivers may not be aware of the presence of a golf cart until it’s too late.  

If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart collision with a car or truck, it’s wise to secure legal representation as soon as possible. Morgan & Morgan’s golf cart accident lawyers in Tampa will help you get the money you need to get your life back on track. 

There are many other locations and contexts in which golf cart accidents might occur in Tampa. Regardless of the circumstances that led to your golf cart accident, you have the right to seek financial recovery from the at-fault party. 

Speaking with golf cart accident lawyers in Tampa will help you understand your legal rights and options. Reach out to the friendly staff at Morgan and Morgan to schedule a no-cost consultation. 

Each golf cart accident results from a unique situation. However, some types of behaviors and factors are more likely than others to result in mishaps. 

In most cases, golf carts provide a convenient and relaxed means of travel. Even though they typically have a low top speed, negligent driving can have severe consequences. 

Some typical causes of golf cart accidents include: 

• Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Reckless driving maneuvers
• Driving while distracted
• Overloaded golf cart cargo areas
• Carts carrying too many people
• Improperly loaded golf carts
• Mechanical and component defects
• Excessively sharp turns 

The specific cause of your golf cart mishap will influence your resulting injury claim. Morgan & Morgan’s experienced golf cart accident lawyers in Tampa will review the circumstances of your accident or injury to determine how best to proceed.

Even though golf carts usually travel at a maximum speed of around 15 miles per hour, accidents involving these vehicles can result in serious physical damage. Any type of motorized vehicle has the potential to cause catastrophic injuries, even golf carts. 

The fact that golf cart drivers and passengers don’t have seatbelts or airbags often leads to them taking serious impacts during collisions. Some of the common injuries that result from collisions involving golf carts include: 

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), including concussions
• Broken, cracked, or fractured bones
• Back and spine injuries
• Whiplash
• Neck and shoulder injuries
• Knee injuries
• Cuts, bruises, and lacerations

Many of these injuries can cause victims to incur mounting medical debt. Fortunately, Morgan and Morgan’s golf cart accident lawyers in Tampa can help you file a claim to obtain the compensation you need to cover the associated costs.

In the state of Florida, golf cart accident cases function similarly to other types of tort claims. Victims can pursue compensation from the party responsible for causing their accidents or injuries. 

When you work with the knowledgeable personal injury lawyers at Morgan & Morgan, we’ll determine which parties are legally liable for the damage you’ve suffered. Most golf cart accident claims require the plaintiff to show that the opposing party was negligent. 

Proving negligence in a Florida accident or injury claim involves four distinct elements:

Duty of Care

In a personal injury case, the claimant must show that the other party owed them a legal duty of care. In many circumstances, people have an obligation to behave in ways that keep those around them safe. 

For example, drivers have a duty of care to other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. They can fulfill this duty of care by operating their vehicles safely.

Breach of Duty

To successfully pursue a golf cart accident claim, the victim must provide evidence that the at-fault party breached their duty of care. For instance, motorists who drive in a reckless or careless manner are seen as having failed to fulfill their duty. 

A skilled legal professional will gather evidence of your golf cart accident to determine whose breach of duty caused you harm.

Cause

Claimants must also prove that the breach of duty was the cause of the injuries they sustained. If the golf cart accident results from something other than the breach of duty, such as an unavoidable collision or other chance accident, the victim isn’t entitled to recover compensation.

Actual Harm

Finally, the victim in a golf cart accident case must prove that they sustained actual harm because of the incident.

Suppose that you were in a minor golf cart accident that didn’t result in property damage or physical injury. In a case like this, you wouldn’t be able to claim any actual harm and thus would be ineligible to pursue a lawsuit.

If you’re uncertain whether the circumstances of your accident fulfill these criteria, talk to a skilled attorney to explore your legal options.

The statute of limitations is a legally mandated time limit by which victims must pursue a lawsuit.

Florida courts will likely dismiss your case if you fail to file a suit before this time limit expires. This could cause you to forego the financial compensation you rightfully deserve. The statute of limitations in Tampa golf cart accident claims is four years from the date of the incident. 

A skilled attorney can help you pursue a successful claim before the statute of limitations runs out. Don’t miss out on the financial compensation that’s yours by right.

Injury victims can claim financial damages to cover many of the losses resulting from their accidents. Some of the losses resulting from a golf cart accident are financial, while others may be mental, emotional, or personal.

Most people don’t have the requisite experience to accurately calculate the value of their golf cart accident claim. For this reason, it’s vital to consult with a seasoned legal professional. 

The team at Morgan and Morgan will help you determine whether you can pursue compensation for: 

• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Lost income and missed wages
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of earning capacity

Don’t settle for less than the total value of your Florida accident claim. Holding negligent parties accountable is crucial for ensuring that justice is done. The expert attorneys at Morgan & Morgan have decades of experience negotiating favorable outcomes in accident and injury claims.

If you’ve been injured in a golf cart accident due to another person’s negligence, take action today by contacting the compassionate team at Morgan and Morgan. We have a long track record of success in recovering financial compensation for our clients. 

When you retain our services, you won’t pay any fees unless and until we secure payment for you.

Fill out our simple online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation and discuss the circumstances of your accident with one of our Tampa attorneys.