Trusted Fort Lauderdale Lawyers Represent Victims of Teen Car Crashes
Respected Florida law firm helps clients seek auto accident compensation
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, teenaged drivers get into thousands of crashes each month. When these accidents cause serious injuries to others, the Fort Lauderdale auto accident litigators at Fazio, DiSalvo & Abers, P.A. represent victims pursuing compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. With extensive experience litigating in the civil courts in Broward County and the surrounding areas, our legal team understands the special issues that can arise in lawsuits involving teenaged drivers as defendants.
Knowledgeable counselors explain Florida’s restrictions on teen drivers
In Florida, a person as young as age 15 can obtain a Learner’s License, which allows driving only when accompanied by an adult and only during certain times of day. A Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) can be issued to a 16- or 17-year-old, allowing unsupervised driving during limited hours. Once a teen with a GDL turns 18, he or she can gain full driving privileges.
If an under-18 driver gets into an accident while in violation of any of these license restrictions, the violation is relevant to establishing fault in a personal injury claim by an injured party.
In addition, Florida law requires that a parent sign the license of a driver under age 18, which allows the parent to be held liable for the teen’s negligence or willful misconduct behind the wheel.
Experienced attorneys investigate common risk factors in teen car accidents
Some of the frequent causes of teen car accidents include:
- Texting and driving — Though texting while driving is illegal in Florida, teens often engage in this dangerous behavior.
- Distracted driving — Many teens take their focus off the road by listening to loud music or goofing around with friends, among other distracting activities.
- Speeding — Florida teens aged 16 through 19 are cited for speeding more than any other traffic offense.
- Inexperience — Teens who lack familiarity with varied traffic conditions or local roads may respond poorly when challenging situations arise.
- Drunk driving — All too often, teens get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol or consuming illicit substances, despite Florida’s Zero Tolerance law, which imposes an automatic six-month license suspension on under-21 drivers with blood alcohol content of .02 or higher.
With skill and determination, our car accident lawyers help accident victims hold negligent teen drivers accountable for the harm they cause.
Caring lawyers help clients file claims and lawsuits against teenaged drivers
If you are hurt in a Florida accident involving a teen driver, you may be able to recover compensation for your lost income, medical expenses and other costs, as well as for your pain and suffering.
Under Florida law, a parent or guardian of who has signed the license of a driver under age 18 shares liability when the driver’s negligence or willful misconduct causes injury or property damage. Since a teen may be insured by their own policy or their parent’s policy, you may have to file more than one insurance claim to obtain the full compensation you need.
To prove that a teenaged driver is liable for your damages, you must produce evidence demonstrating that he or she was at fault for the accident. Our attorneys will work diligently to obtain all relevant documentation that supports and strengthen your claim. This evidence may include the driver’s cell phone records, video footage, witness testimony and photographs from the accident scene.
Contact dedicated Florida attorneys for help recovering damages after a teen car accident
The experienced personal injury lawyers at Fazio, DiSalvo & Abers, P.A. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida help individuals injured in teen car accidents to seek damages and insurance compensation. To schedule a free initial consultation, call (954) 463-0585 or contact us online.
