Boca Raton Red Light Accident Lawyer

“Who had the light?” is an important question in red light collisions. But it’s not the most important question. That would be “Which driver was negligent?” A driver could have the right-of-way and still be negligent. Emergency vehicle collision cases are a good example. Usually, even if they are in emergency mode (sirens and lights on), these drivers have a duty to at least pause at an intersection and ensure that the way is clear before they proceed.

Red light claims, like all other injury claims, usually involve some legal hurdles. But the tenacious Boca Raton red light accident lawyers at Smith, Ball & Báez do not give up easily. Furthermore, when things get tough , we never look for a quick settlement or an easy way out. Instead, we find a way over, around, or through these obstacles, so you and your family get the financial compensation you need and deserve.

Why Should I Work with a Boca Raton Red Light Accident Lawyer?

Overall, a victim with a Boca Raton red light accident lawyer gets about three times as much compensation as a victim without a lawyer. Victims need maximum compensation to pay the huge, lifelong medical bills usually associated with permanent conditions like PTSD. Furthermore, money helps these victims pick up the pieces and move on with their lives.

Fundamentally, however, a personal injury claim isn’t about financial compensation. That’s just a bonus. Instead, a personal injury claim forces tortfeasors (negligent actors) to accept responsibility for the mistakes they make.

If Mike accidentally runs over his neighbor’s mailbox, he should replace the mailbox (pay compensation). If Mike accidentally runs over his neighbor, he should pay his neighbor’s economic and noneconomic losses (pay compensation). The compensation is much higher in the latter case, since a person is infinitely more valuable than a mailbox. Nevertheless, the basic concept is the same.

In a perfect world, people would readily accept responsibility for their mistakes, and lawyers wouldn’t have to get involved. But we don’t live in a perfect world.

Incidentally, personal injury claims don’t “blame” anyone for anything. Very few people intentionally run over mailboxes or cause red light accidents and other personal injuries. Additionally, individual tortfeasors aren’t financially responsible for damages and other litigation expenses, at least in most cases. Usually, an insurance company covers all these costs.

What to Expect in a Car Crash Claim

Once medical treatment is at least substantially complete, an attorney can determine a claim’s settlement value, and meaningful settlement negotiations begin.

A personal injury claim’s settlement value is like a used car’s asking price. Both figures serve as the starting point for financial negotiations.

If all liability and damage issues are crystal clear, an injury case might settle within a few weeks. But there are usually some issues in one or both of these areas. Therefore, early negotiations often stall, and an attorney must file legal paperwork to jumpstart these talks.

Almost immediately, insurance company lawyers, who care nothing about what’s right or fair, file procedural motions and try to convince a judge to throw the claim out of court. These efforts almost always fail, as long as the victim/plaintiff has some evidence to support the claims in the lawsuit.

The discovery phase usually comes next. During discovery, attorneys often obtain game-changing smoking gun evidence, like surveillance video footage that shows, without any doubt, that the victim had the light.

With this evidence in place, an attorney usually gets a better deal during mediation. A professional mediator oversees settlement talks and ensures that both sides negotiate in good faith. This responsibility means they must honestly want to settle the case and they don’t simply go through the motions.

At first, civil mediation might seem like a waste of time. But professional mediators are so skilled that civil mediation has about a 90 percent success rate.

Count on a Savvy Palm Beach County Accident Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced red light accident lawyer in Boca Raton, contact Smith, Ball, Baez & Prather, Florida Injury Lawyers. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.