Where Can I Find the Best Golf Cart Accident Lawyer in St. Petersburg?

If you have recently been hurt in a golf cart accident, you probably have many questions about your eligibility to file a legal claim and what is required to do so. You need to find a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg who has handled cases like this before and who can advise you about what to expect moving forward. If you’re not sure if you have a legal claim, then yes, it’s best to find a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg who can explain the basics to you. 

When you are looking for where to find the best golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg, you first need to have a firm understanding of whether or not you have grounds to file a case so that you can know what it means to identify a lawyer who has appropriate experience. Most golf cart accidents occur as a result of operator errors or reckless driving. If you have been injured because another party was negligent in operating a golf cart or if you were operating a golf cart that you believe had defective or poorly maintained parts, you might have grounds to open a personal injury lawsuit in Florida with the help of a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. 

Florida has a strict time limit known as the "statute of limitations," which is 4 years from the date the accident occurred. This is the maximum time period that you have as a victim to recover compensation with the assistance of a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this timeframe, you will be barred from bringing a claim even if you do have legitimate allegations against another responsible party. 

Understanding Negligence in Golf Cart Accidents

If you were involved in a golf cart accident because you were not paying attention, and you harmed the vehicle or other parties involved, this means that you could be held negligent for a golf cart accident. Many golf cart accidents have more than one responsible party, which is only determined after a full investigation of the facts of the accident. You might need the support of a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg to investigate the scene.

What Is a Golf Cart in Florida?

Many people tend to treat golf carts as if they were the same as other vehicles, but the truth is that golf carts in Florida and throughout the country do not have the same safety features or speed capability provided by traditional vehicles. Treating a golf cart as the same as a traditional car could dramatically increase your chances of being seriously hurt in a golf cart accident or being thrown from the vehicle. Florida laws specifically define golf carts as motor vehicles that are designed for recreational, sporting, or golf course purposes that do not exceed speeds of 20 miles per hour. 

Many people in retirement communities and other locations also use golf carts to get around. Golf carts are also sometimes more affordable than traditional vehicles, but it is important to make sure that you are always safe when on or near a golf cart. The same attributes that make golf carts very popular with people or organizations who purchase them can also make it more likely for an accident to happen. 

In many cases, this is because pedestrians and golf carts might share a sidewalk or a walkway, meaning that there is less separation than between a vehicle and a pedestrian on a nearby sidewalk. The lack of airbags and incomplete frame on a golf cart poses significant risks for anyone on the vehicle or near it at a time that it strikes something. Identifying liability is one of the most important components to discuss with your golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg.  The Florida Supreme Court ruled in 1984 that the blame for the injury defaults to the owner of the golf cart.

Different Kinds of Golf Cart Accidents

Knowing what kind of accident you were in is the first and most important component for creating a compelling legal claim. There are many different ways that people can be injured in golf cart accidents, some of which are tied to their own improper operation or actions and others where liability for another person comes into play. Some of the most common types of golf cart accidents in Florida include tip-overs, passenger ejection, rollovers, golf cart striking objects, golf cart striking other motor vehicles, golf carts hitting pedestrians, driving a golf cart into a body of water, or losing control of a golf cart. 

When Do I Need to File a Case?

If you believe that you have been seriously injured in a golf cart accident that was caused by another person's actions or inactions, this information should be shared with a dedicated lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg can tell you more about what to expect and can help guide you through the process of supporting you in all aspects of your claim. Because of the complicated legal factors and negligence concerns associated with golf cart accidents, you should not try to handle a golf cart accident lawsuit on your own. Instead, you'll want to identify an attorney who has the appropriate experience and who can confirm that you suffered due to another person's negligence. 

When illustrating negligence, you must show that another person owed you a duty of care and that in breaching this duty of care caused an accident in which you sustained injuries. 

One of the most important things you should do immediately after a golf cart accident is to take photos and videos of the scene. It can be difficult to find the vehicle or other damaged property after the fact, especially if you need to go and get medical attention immediately. If you are capable of grabbing this information at the moment, it is strongly recommended, as it will make your case much stronger and easier. 

This can also become evidence down the road which you can provide to your golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. Police reports, witness statements, rental agreements, and maintenance records all can become forms of evidence for your golf cart accident.

Should I Sign Anything Presented by the Owner of the Golf Cart?

One of the first things that may happen after you are hurt in a serious accident with a golf cart is that the owner of the golf cart attempts to get you to sign a waiver or a release. Always read through any documentation presented to you by anyone after a golf cart accident has happened, because you may unknowingly be giving up your rights or putting yourself in a difficult position for the future. It is strongly recommended that you first find a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg who can evaluate your case and tell you more about what to expect so that you have a good idea of how to move forward. 

Mistakes made early on in your golf cart accident case can have long-lasting impacts, so the sooner that you can have legal support from an attorney who knows your case, and who has handled situations like this before, the better you will be when it comes to filing your legal claim. Most people do not expect to find themselves in the midst of a golf cart accident, but if you can illustrate that it was the fault of someone else, this can become the basis for a Florida personal injury lawsuit.

Who Else Can Be Responsible for a Golf Cart Accident?

Whoever is responsible for making the golf cart itself or the parts on the golf cart also has some level of liability when it comes to legal claims. If there is a known problem or the company should have identified a known manufacturing issue but failed to do so, and you suffer in an accident as a result of this defective part, you could bring a lawsuit with the help of a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. 

These cases are extremely complex because they have to do with product defects and should also be filed in a timely manner like your personal injury suit. You may also need to bring in expert witnesses and other records and evidence to help support your allegations that the accident could have been prevented either by appropriate maintenance or by a manufacturer or someone else in the supply chain. With so many complicated issues that play in your golf cart accident, you need a lawyer who has thorough experience in this field.

What Should I Bring to My First Meeting?

Bring any evidence and medical records you have on hand for your first meeting with a golf cart accident lawyer in St. Petersburg. You’ll be discussing those important elements of your case and it’s helpful to be organized and prepared for that conversation. By having all your documents organized in advance, you’ll make it much easier to plan for the future. 

You can even get started at home. Contact the experts at Morgan & Morgan for a free, no-obligation case evaluation for more information regarding your case.