Left Turn Collisions

Drivers may not take proper care when operating their vehicles, such as when they are rushing to make a left turn. Often, these negligent maneuvers pose risks to others on the road, including motorcyclists, and serious harm can result. If you’ve been injured in a left turn collision near Miami, the dedicated motorcycle accidents at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help you pursue the compensation to which you may be entitled. We represent individuals in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, as well as other areas of Florida, in claims against any parties responsible for a crash.

Because of the risks inherent in left turns, motorists in Florida are required to take extra safety precautions to avoid collisions. As a basic matter, they must obey all traffic signals and signs, but they also need to do the following in this particular situation:

• Use only the extreme left-hand lane;
• Yield to oncoming traffic; and
• Yield to motorists approaching from the left.

Left turns are especially dangerous to motorcyclists, since their smaller vehicles may go unnoticed by an inattentive driver. The resulting collisions can cause devastating injuries to riders of a motorcycle, who can be thrown into traffic or crash into objects near the road. Since these accidents can cause serious harm, it is important that motorcyclists not only remain aware of cars potentially making unsafe maneuvers, but also know their rights in the unfortunate situation when an accident occurs.

If you’ve been hurt by a motorist making a reckless left turn, you may be able to file a personal injury claim based on negligence to pursue compensation. To show negligence, the victim must prove:

• The defendant driver owed a duty of care to act as a reasonable, prudent person would have behaved under similar circumstance;
• The defendant breached that duty with some careless conduct;
• The breach caused injuries to the victim; and
• The victim sustained actual damages as a result.

All motorists must use as much care as an ordinary, reasonable driver would exercise in a comparable situation. That obligation can be violated if a driver makes an unsafe left turn, such as when failing to yield or being distracted by a phone or other device. Various parties could be responsible for your injuries. For example, if you were hurt after a truck driver made a dangerous left turn, his or her trucking company might be held vicariously liable depending on the situation. Employers can be vicariously liable for the negligent actions of employees who are acting within the course and scope of the employment relationship.

Even if you were partly responsible for a crash, you may still be able to take legal action to pursue compensation for your injuries. Florida is a pure comparative fault state, meaning that a victim may recover damages even if he or she is mostly at fault for causing his or her own harm. The court will assign a percentage of negligence to each party that contributed to an accident, and damages will be awarded in proportion to that degree of fault. Compensation available after a motorcycle collision may include past and future medical expenses, lost income, loss of earning capacity, damage to the motorcycle, and pain and suffering.

The negligence of a driver making an unsafe left turn can result in catastrophic harm, and even death, to a motorcycle rider. The injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon work tirelessly for crash victims in Miami and other Florida cities to assert their rights and fight for fair compensation. Contact us to schedule a free consultation regarding your motorcycle collision. Please call 877.499.4878 or complete our online form to explore your options.