Florida Golf Cart Accident Attorney

Golf carts are smaller and slower than larger motor vehicles like cars and trucks, so accidents involving golf carts must be less severe and easier to handle, right? Unfortunately for golf cart accident victims, this is not the case. Florida has a wide body of laws governing car accidents and insurance requirements to pay for injuries, but these laws don’t apply to most golf cart accidents. Knowing when they do and don’t apply, and what laws do apply when general car accident laws don’t, is the province of an experienced golf cart accident lawyer. At GolfCartAttorney, we handle golf cart accidents regularly, and we have developed the body of knowledge and expertise necessary for a successful resolution of your golf cart accident claim. Learn more about some of the complexities of golf cart accident claims below, and call our experienced Florida golf cart accident attorney for a free consultation or immediate assistance with your personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Golf Cart or Golf Car?

One significant fact that can play an important role in a golf cart accident is whether the vehicle qualifies as a golf cart or a golf car. Golf cars are classified as low-speed vehicles (LSVs) under Florida law; they have safety equipment such as brake lights, turn signals, headlights, and bigger tires than golf carts. Golf cars have been made safer over the years with improvements and required equipment, while golf carts for the most part have not. Importantly, whether the vehicle was a golf cart or an LSV golf car has significant implications for Florida’s no-fault auto insurance law (Personal Injury Protection or PIP). Understanding the difference between golf carts and golf cars and why it matters is critical to your case, and this is a level of expertise you’ll get at GolfCartAttorney that you won’t find with the average personal injury lawyer who advertises for golf cart accidents alongside car accidents, dog bites, and slip and fall accidents.

At GolfCartAttorney, we’ll know whether PIP insurance applies to the accident at hand, as well as other insurance that might apply but not be generally known about. This can include, for instance, golf cart insurance, auto insurance with the golf cart added to the policy, or club insurance. Additionally, the Supreme Court of Florida has ruled that golf carts are included in the dangerous instrumentality doctrine. This legal doctrine allows accident victims to sue the owner of the golf cart that caused the crash, even if the owner was not the person operating the golf cart at the time. GolfCartAttorney knows the applicable laws and the right avenues to pursue justice and compensation after your Florida golf cart accident.

Major Causes of Golf Cart Accidents in Florida

Golf cart accidents happen for many different reasons, and many different parties can be liable depending on the circumstances surrounding the crash. Some of the leading factors for golf cart accidents in Florida include:

Operator negligence. Golf cart drivers can be guilty of following other carts too closely, driving too fast for conditions such as weather and terrain, reckless driving, drinking and driving, and distracted driving such as texting or posting to social media while driving.
Passenger negligence. If other occupants are behaving recklessly, such as standing on the back of the golf cart or hanging off the sides, they can increase the chances the driver will lose control or the cart will tip over.
Overloaded cart. If the golf cart is loaded with people and gear beyond its capacity, or if too much weight on the cart is distributed unevenly, the golf cart is at risk of a rollover accident, loss of control, or tire or brake failure.
Ejections during turns or inclines. Many golf carts are not equipped with seat belts, and some passengers don’t use them when available. If the operator drives negligently by going too fast, taking sharp turns, or driving over dangerous terrain, passengers can get thrown from the cart and suffer serious injuries.
Hit by a car. Golf carts must often cross roadways to get to other parts of the course, and both golf carts and golf cars can operate on streets with posted speed limits up to 35 miles per hour, depending on whether the vehicle is an LSV or not. Even careful operators can get hit by negligent automobile drivers near golf courses or in active senior living communities where golf cart traffic is common.
Golf cart defects. Defects in the design and manufacture of golf carts can make them roll over or catch fire when they shouldn’t, or fail at a critical moment and cause a collision with another cart, a motor vehicle, a pedestrian or a fixed object.

How GolfCartAttorney Helps With Golf Cart Accidents in Florida

GolfCartAttorney goes to work right away helping secure medical care, justice, and fair compensation for golf cart accident victims in Florida. We locate witnesses and talk to them before their memory fades, they decide not to volunteer information, or they talk to the insurance company. We find whatever video footage is available and secure it before it gets erased. We also inspect the golf cart before it gets repaired or disposed of, taking pictures and videos at our expense to ensure we have the best information available in pursuing your claim.

If you need help securing medical treatment for your injuries, we can recommend you to a doctor who can evaluate and treat you without charging upfront. When the time is right and all your damages are known, we’ll negotiate a settlement with the insurance company that fully compensates you for the damage done. If the insurer denies liability or disputes your injury, we’ll have the law and facts in hand to convince them of the merits of your claim or take them to court if necessary to secure a just verdict.

Contact GolfCartAttorney Today

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a golf cart accident in Florida, call GolfCartAttorney for a free consultation with an experienced and successful Florida golf cart accident lawyer.

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