Single-vehicle accidents in Destin, Florida, include any accident that does not involve another moving vehicle. These car accidents can cause serious injuries or fatalities. According to the National Safety Council, in 2023, single-vehicle crashes involving collisions with fixed objects, pedestrians, and non-collisions accounted for a greater proportion of fatalities and fatal crashes compared to less serious crashes.
These crashes raise important issues of liability despite their sole nature. Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help injured drivers, passengers, bystanders, and pedestrians pursue injury compensation after a single-vehicle crash. If you’ve been injured, contact our Destin car accident lawyers today for a free consultation at (850) 790-0243.
How Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Single-Vehicle Accident in Destin, FL
Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers has been a respected member of the Destin legal community for over three decades. Our attorneys have over 60 years of combined legal experience and use their knowledge to counsel and advocate for injured clients in their pursuit of accident compensation.
Our firm provides the following legal services to car accident victims injured by the acts of others:
- Analyzing their possible legal claims and educating them about their options
- Gathering records, documents, and other evidence for their cases
- Filing insurance claims with the responsible parties’ liability insurers
- Negotiating fair settlements with insurers
- Filing lawsuits if a fair settlement can’t be reached
A single-vehicle car crash can present complex factual and legal issues. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a Destin personal injury lawyer to learn about your options after a single-vehicle accident.
Types of Single-Vehicle Car Accidents
Examples of accidents that involve only one vehicle include the following:
Collisions With Pedestrians
Thousands of pedestrian accidents happen annually in Florida. Pedestrians hit by cars often suffer severe or fatal injuries since they are usually unprotected.
Collisions With Animals
Animal collisions can result in serious injuries to motorists. For example, the driver may swerve to evade a loose dog and hit a building or other fixed object.
Road Departures
Drivers and pedestrians can get injured or killed when a vehicle runs off the road. Some common causes of road departures include drowsy driving, impaired driving, intoxication, and evasive maneuvering.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can happen when a driver’s vehicle is thrown off-balance by a wind gust, a collision with a fixed object, or uneven surfaces. They can also occur when the vehicle departs the road onto a sloped median or shoulder.
Collisions With Fixed Objects
The most common form of single-vehicle accident involves collisions with fixed objects, such as buildings or other structures. The causes of these crashes might include speeding, poor directional control, or vehicle equipment failures.
Seeking Compensation After a Single-Vehicle Crash Under Florida’s No-Fault System
Under Florida’s no-fault insurance system, people injured in a single-vehicle crash can seek compensation under the vehicle owner’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Specifically, since fault is not considered in paying PIP claims, the only issue investigated by the driver’s auto insurer is whether the claimants were injured in an accident involving the insured vehicle.
However, PIP coverage may not be enough to cover crash victims’ losses. People who suffer significant, permanent injuries or incur losses that exceed the PIP coverage limits can pursue liability claims against those responsible for causing the crash.
Who Is Liable for Single-Vehicle Crashes?
The liability for single-vehicle crashes often falls on the driver. They are responsible for driving with reasonable care. If they do something unreasonably dangerous that injures or kills a passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, or bystander, they may bear the liability for the victim’s losses.
However, the following parties might also share in the blame for a single-vehicle crash:
Passengers
A passenger may be liable for causing a crash when they do something that creates an unreasonable risk of injury or death to others. For example, a passenger who grabs the steering wheel might be liable for the ensuing single-vehicle crash that injures the driver.
Other Road Users
Negligent road users might be liable for the crashes their actions cause. Thus, a pedestrian who jaywalks and causes a driver to swerve into a bus bench might be liable for the injuries to the driver and bystanders waiting for the bus.
Animal Owners
Owners must take reasonable care to keep their animals off roads. For example, a rancher who carelessly allows cattle to escape onto a road may be liable for any crash that happens as a result.
Vehicle Manufacturers
If a single-vehicle crash resulted from an equipment failure, the manufacturer might be liable. Thus, an autonomous vehicle manufacturer may be liable when its driverless car software malfunctions and injures the vehicle’s occupants.
Contact Our Destin Car Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation
You may have options for pursuing injury claims after a single-vehicle accident, even if you were the driver. Contact Brannon & Brannon Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Destin car accident attorney. We can discuss your crash and the claims you may have under Florida law.
