Leesfield, Leighton & Partners has extensive experience with accident cases involving cars, trucks, tractor‑trailers, trains, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, bicycles and mopeds, or any moving engine-operated vehicle. Our trial attorneys will aggressively pursue the maximum compensation provided by law. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section. For over 30 years, our Florida law office has represented clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of a third-party. We handle complex personal injury litigation action for clients in Florida, and throughout the United States.
Our auto accident attorneys' knowledge and experience help in early determination of the extent and true nature of the liability of a third-party. We have obtained verdicts and settlements for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in cases involving defective auto parts, drunk driving, and other forms of negligent or reckless driving. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Car accidents are the leading cause of injury and death for drivers under the age of 34 years, and the number of people over the age of 34 years injured and killed in car accidents is also alarmingly high. Over 40,000 people are killed in approximately five million motor vehicle collisions and other car accidents annually, many involving teen car accidents. In 2002 alone, nearly 43,000 people died in highway accidents nationwide. That equates to over 115 fatalities per day.
In almost all auto accidents, at least one injury is involved, which is why car accidents are one of the top personal injury claims filed in civil courts these days. The economic costs of personal injuries and property damage sustained in car accidents is staggering over $150 billion per year. What does all this mean to you? It means that all drivers, including you, are likely to get in at least one car accident in their lifetime. They also indicate that you probably will sustain an injury, and if you are injured our attorneys will give you the most professional, effective and aggressive legal representation.
The first thing you should do if you are able to move is to make sure you and your passengers (if any) are OK. Move as far off the roadway as possible, but stay at the scene of the auto accident. Warn oncoming traffic by activating your hazard warning lights or setting flares.
Exchange vital information with other drivers involved in the car accident. Write down the name, address, phone number and license numbers for all drivers and witnesses. Ask for the insurance companies and policy numbers for drivers involved in the car accident. Be sure to note makes, models, colors and descriptions of all vehicles involved, and take down the plate numbers, as well.
Call the police to report the accident if damage exceeds $500 or if any injuries may be involved. If the damages exceed $500 and/or an injury could be involved, call the police and have them take a report. The majority of accidents require a police report because they seldom involve damages less than $500 and the chances of injury are very high, even if they may not be immediately apparent. Neck and back injuries are notorious for cropping up days and even months after the accident occurred.
Interview all witnesses and record their comments either at the scene of the accident or as soon as possible afterwards. It is important to do these interviews as quickly as possible because witnesses' memories tend to fade with time and the information you get may not be as valuable to you. Information gathered immediately or very soon after the accident will be much more accurate than any recalled at some later date.
Photograph the accident scene and make notes of the traffic light color (if applicable). If you happen to have a camera, try to photograph the scene prior to moving the vehicles (only if safe to do so). Be sure to note what color the traffic light was (if applicable). Remember to write everything down immediately or as close to the time of the accident as you can. You should also keep in mind that anything you say to anyone following the accident will be admissible and is not considered hearsay, so it is important that the information you provide is as accurate as possible.
Seek medical attention for your injuries as quickly as possible. If treatment is delayed, the other driver may argue that it was not his or her negligent driving that caused your injury, but rather something that occurred between the time of the accident and your visit to the doctor. Get a copy of the police report. They are typically available about 10 business days after the car accident occurred. Review the police report to be sure that it generally coincides with your recollection of the accident. Even if it doesn't you will need it for your claim.
Although all vehicles must obey traffic safety laws, they are not treated the same under law. Some vehicles are not considered as motor vehicles, and are subject to different laws than those that are. This could affect your rights as an injured person. For example, if you are injured in an accident involving a bus, trolley or train, your rights as an injured person are affected because busses and trolleys are governed by different laws in your state, and trains are regulated by federal law.
Car Accidents
For over 30 years, Leesfield Leighton & Partners has strongly and efficiently represented victims of car accidents. Whether you or your loved one was involved in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, or a driver under the influence of drugs, by a driver who was on his cell phone, our attorneys' experience and steadfast handling of your case will bring you the best recovery. In Florida, hundreds of thousands of drivers and vehicles are uninsured or under-insured. Our trial lawyer firm have the legal knowledge and reputation that will only aim at your satisfaction and the best legal representation.
In a dramatic case where our client's vehicle was ran over at a high rate of speed by defendant's vehicle, resulting in permanent brain damage to a 34 year old mother of three minor children, the firm obtained a settlement of $5,300,000.
In another matter, our client was a pedestrian struck by a World Omni Leasing vehicle. Injuries included closed head injuries with diminished intellectual function. The vehicle owner asserted limited liability of $100,000 pursuant to statute. After extensive discovery, lack of compliance with the statute was proven increasing recovery from a $100,000 policy limits to a $2,000,000 award to our client.
More recently, we obtained a $1,400,000 settlement for our client who was injured in a head on collision. In another case were our client sustained orthopedic injuries while a passenger in a rental car driven by a foreign national, our firm obtained a $800,000 settlement. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Motorcycle Accidents
For the past 20 years, our trial attorneys have successfully brought claims on behalf of victims of defective design in motorcycles. Our firm obtained a $19,800,000 award against Honda when our client was paralyzed after his Honda rubber‑tipped side stand failed to retract on a left hand curve throwing the motorcycle out of control. In that case, the firm secured the largest jury verdict in American history against Honda.
The firm recently obtained a $4,750,000 verdict in another products liability case involving a motorcycle. In another case, our client was operating his motorcycle lawfully when a visiting tourist made an illegal u‑turn in front of him, leaving him with serious leg injuries requiring surgery. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Truck Accidents
Truck driver fatigue and drowsiness are conditions that result in reckless behavior such as failure to keep in the proper lane and running off the road. Tired truckers are of such concern that in April of 2003, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) instituted new hours of service regulations to curb truckers' problems with fatigue. While these laws have helped reduce the number of accidents, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board still blames driver fatigue as a probable factor in 20‑40% of truck crashes.
When commercial drivers become fatigued from excessive daily and weekly work hours, they substantially increase the risk of crashes that result in death or serious injuries. Yet despite this serious risk to public safety, legislation is frequently introduced to Congress that requests longer hours of service for the trucking industry.
With miles and miles of highway stretching out before them, the longer truckers can drive the greater the potential revenue for truck companies. The average trucker drives 125,000 miles a year, and that's on the low end of an average. Trucking revenues totaled $610 billion last year and revenues are forecasted to nearly double by 2015. It is easy to see how profit can encourage truckers to drive further for longer hours, with shorter breaks, to increase their income.
However, profit is not the only factor influencing driver fatigue. A truck driver may be anxious to get home for the weekend, or 'push through' to avoid traffic snarls during rush hour. Truck companies may offer a driver bonus for extra stops, or the driver may be trying to make up for time lost due to bad weather or traffic.
Because there may be several factors influencing a driver's hours of service, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires that drivers and carriers maintain logs, expense receipts, and other paperwork that track their compliance with current Hours of Service regulations. However, in order for existing laws to deter unsafe behavior they must be properly enforced.
Leesfield, Leighton & Partners has extensive experience with accident cases involving trucks and tractor-trailers and has strongly and efficiently represented victims of trucking accidents. Our firm obtained a $2,700,000 award in a trucking collision where our clients burned to death inside the cab of their truck when the driver of a 1985 International Truck, towing two trailers, crossed over the median and into oncoming traffic, colliding with our clients' vehicle. In another matter, our attorneys obtained a $1,900,000 settlement when a defendant trucker was driving in blinding rain storm and failed to stop at an intersection where the traffic light was out due to power outage. He broadside a pickup truck, killing the driver and seriously injuring the passenger. Evidence showed the pickup driver had alcohol in his blood.
In another case, the defendant trucker on a rainy day drove at a high rate of speed resulting in a 14 car collision including the vehicle of our client, resulting in his untimely and wrongful death. The firm obtained a $2,335,000 in this case. More recently, a $1,400,000 award was obtained on behalf of our client who watched her mother be crushed and killed by a truck that ran a red light. Her own personal injury case combined with the negligent infliction of emotional distress, and her mother's wrongful death case brought about this result. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
ATV Accidents
All‑terrain vehicles (ATVs) are either three or four wheeled motorized vehicles used in recreational and work related outdoor activities. Most ATVs are used for "off‑roading" or riding in natural conditions. Many ATVs can go as fast as 55 MPH and can weigh as heavy as a quarter of a ton. Leesfield, Leighton & Partners has extensive experience with accident cases involving ATVs. Our trial attorneys will aggressively pursue the maximum compensation provided by law. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Our ATV attorneys' knowledge and experience helps to rapidly determine the extent and true nature of the liability of a third-party. We have obtained verdicts and settlements for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in cases involving defective ATV parts, reckless ATV driving, and other forms of negligent driving. In a recent case, our firm has obtained a $5,000,000 settlement in an ATV products liability case. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Bicycle accidents
Bicycle accidents are more often than not extremely serious with long-lasting injuries. Children who ride their bicycle are often victims of collision accidents caused by careless car drivers or by poor maintenance or lack of warning from public entities in charge of sidewalk maintenance of bicycle paths maintenance. Because of the extreme exposure of a child riding his bicycle, the sustained injuries need aggressive medical treatment immediately. In these important and delicate cases, our experience and legal knowledge allows us to aggressively represent our clients or families who have lost a loved one because of a person's negligence.
Our attorneys' knowledge and experience helps to rapidly determine the extent and true nature of the liability of a third-party. We have obtained verdicts and settlements for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in cases involving defective bicycle parts, reckless operation of a bicycle, and other forms of negligent driving. In a recent case, our firm obtained a $400,000 verdict for 76 year‑old man riding 3‑wheel bicycle who struck a utility truck that had stopped on the bike path in front of plaintiff. Our client sustained a fractured shoulder requiring surgery. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
Scooter & Moped Accidents
Our Florida law office represents clients who have suffered serious injuries due to the negligence of Scooter manufacturers or moped drivers. We handle complex personal injury litigation action for clients in Florida, and throughout the United States. The city of Key West is famous for its Old Town and Duval street, and many locals and tourists rent scooters or mopeds during their stay and accidents do unfortunately occur.
Recently, our firm obtained a $2,100,000 settlement for our client who sustained injuries caused by a driver of a national ambulance company which ran a red light and struck him on his moped. Our client sustained nine crushed facial bones and three fractured vertebrae. We have obtained verdicts and settlements for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in cases involving defective scooter parts, reckless moped driving, and other forms of negligent operating of a scooter or moped. For a complete list of the firm's representative results, go to our Verdicts and Settlements section.
The firm has distinguished itself in efficiently and aggressively represent its clients until a successful resolution is reached either through trial or through an out-of-court settlement. To contact one of our experienced trial lawyers call our Miami law office today at 800-836-6400 or click here for a free and full case evaluation.
