Doral and the surrounding areas offer residents and visitors a large selection of stores, restaurants, and entertainment. Doral is only a mile from the Miami International Airport and 13 miles from Downtown Miami, which makes it convenient for travelers to visit. Though the city itself is small, many people travel through it because of its location.
Doral sees many motor vehicle accidents each year from a variety of causes, including commercial traffic for businesses, tourists, and local residents traveling back and forth to work, shops, entertainment venues, and home. If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a car accident, contact a Doral car accident lawyer today for a free case evaluation.
Accident Statistics for the Doral Area
In 2022, Doral and the areas around the city reported 63,493 total vehicle crashes. Of those, 323 people died, and more than 28,700 people suffered injuries.
Although the number of alcohol-related and drug-related wrecks dropped some in 2020 because of the pandemic, the numbers increased in 2022. That year, the area reported 265 confirmed alcohol-only, with 15 fatalities and 105 injuries. The area also saw 11 drug-only crashes, but it reported 12 confirmed drug-only related deaths and three injuries. The area also reported 15 crashes caused by drugs and alcohol, along with 16 deaths and nine injuries in 2022.
The Doral area also reported just under 1,200 motorcycle crashes in 2022, with 912 injuries and 44 fatalities. There were also 918 total bicycle crashes, with 844 reported injuries and 17 deaths--this shows just how dangerous bicycle accidents are for victims. The area also saw almost 1,800 pedestrian accidents, with 1,384 injuries and 89 fatalities.
In 2021, Doral and the surrounding areas also saw more than 7,900 crashes involving commercial vehicles that resulted in 1,089 injuries and 27 deaths.
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, you could walk away with minor or catastrophic injuries. Some people do not walk away at all, leaving their families heartbroken and suddenly in financial trouble.
Doral Auto Accident Statistics
Source: https://www.flhsmv.gov/
Consequences of an Accident
After an accident, you might not be able to return to work. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may miss a week, a month, or a year of work--or you may never be able to return to work again because of a resulting permanent disability. Regardless of the amount of time, the ordeal can affect your finances and leave you struggling with how you will pay your medical bills on top of your other expenses.
Claiming injuries on your insurance only pays for medical expenses. Trying to settle a case yourself leaves you with trying to recover and fight the insurance companies who don't care about you—they only care about their bottom lines. Even if the insurance company is yours and you've been faithfully paying premiums, they will give you the least amount possible to make you go away—if they don't outright deny your claim.
When you retain a Doral car accident lawyer, you don't have to worry about fighting the insurance companies—we do that for you. We also ensure that you recover the compensation you deserve.
The Complexity of Car Accident Cases
Even a Doral car accident case that involves you and one other driver can be complex. However, accidents that involve several vehicles or just one commercial vehicle are almost always complex because of the number of defendants involved.
If a wreck involves a commercial vehicle, the driver might only be partially at fault. A dispatcher, auto tech, trucking company, inspector, truck owner, or even another vehicle could share responsibility for the accident.
In an accident with multiple cars, the driver that hit you is not necessarily at fault. Someone could have hit them, pushing them into you. A Doral car accident lawyer will investigate the accident to determine which driver or third party caused the accident.
Accident Injuries and Recovering Damages
A common question personal injury attorneys hear is, “How much is my car accident case worth?” It's impossible to determine that without investigating the case and reviewing your medical records. In many cases, especially if the accident victim has catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, it's more difficult to determine what your case is worth until we speak to experts on your injuries.
Florida accident victims can recover two types of compensation: Compensatory damages and punitive damages. Compensatory damages include two types of compensation: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages have a monetary value. They include medical expenses, replacement or repair of destroyed or damaged personal property, lost wages, loss of future earning income, and if you lost a loved one, death-related expenses.
Non-economic damages do not have a monetary value.
They include:
- Quality of life.
- Pain and suffering, including emotional distress.
- Loss of companionship.
- Loss of consortium.
- Loss of use of a body part.
- Loss of use of a bodily function.
- Amputation of a digit or limb.
- Disfigurement or excessive scarring.
In most cases, only those who have lost a loved one or suffered injuries that result in long-term or permanent disabilities receive non-economic damages.
The court only orders punitive damages if the plaintiff—the accident victim—can prove the at-fault driver's actions or inactions were grossly negligent or intentional. It is difficult to recover punitive damages, and the process takes longer since the court bifurcates the trial. The first part determines compensatory damages and the second part punitive damages. You cannot collect punitive damages if the court does not order compensatory damages.
What to Do After a Car Accident
In many cases, accident victims' injuries are too severe for them to do anything after an accident. However, if you can move without further injuring yourself, you can help your case by documenting it.
After calling first responders and checking on other drivers, take photos of the accident scene. Be sure to include damage to the road and nearby property.
Swap contact, registration, insurance, and license information with other drivers. Obtain contact information from witnesses, including passengers in other vehicles involved in the accident.
Give the police officer your statement and allow emergency medical technicians to check you over, even if you believe your injuries are minor. Some injuries take hours or even days to manifest. Allowing the EMTs to check you over starts a paper trail should you need it.
After the police release you from the scene, seek medical attention even if you don't think you need it. We prefer that you allow an attorney to contact your insurance company. However, if you do contact the insurance company yourself, only give it your name, policy number, date and location of the accident, and your attorney's contact information. Insurance companies will use what you say to deny your case or will twist it so that they have a “reason” to offer you a pittance.
Finally, contact a Doral car accident attorney as soon as possible.