Golf Cart Accident Attorney in Florida

Golf carts are a common sight in Florida, not only on golf courses but also on public roads. Despite their low speed, golf carts can cause serious accidents with devastating injuries and even fatalities. Over 18,000 golf cart-related injuries occur in the United States each year. Severe injuries can leave victims in physical, emotional, and financial dire straits.

If you got hurt in a golf cart accident, you could potentially recover compensation for your healthcare costs and other expenses. However, finding an accident lawyer who knows the laws applying to golf carts could be crucial for your case. Morgan & Morgan’s experienced FL golf cart accident lawyers can help. Contact us now for a free review of your case.

Golf Cart Accidents

Golf carts can be operated legally on some roads and can lawfully cross a county road or highway in Florida. However, golf carts were not designed to be used on roads. Most lack the essential safety features of roadworthy vehicles, such as:

• Seatbelts 
• Headlights
• Signal lights
• Mirrors
• Windshield wipers

Common accidents with golf carts include rollover accidents, falling from the cart, and colliding with cars.  

Injuries in Golf Cart Accidents

According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, golf cart injuries are on the rise. Injuries in golf cart accidents can potentially be just as severe as those suffered in motor vehicle accidents and can include: 

• Traumatic brain injury and other head injuries
• Spinal cord damage and paralysis
• Fractures
• Road rash and lacerations
• Neck and back injuries
• Knee injuries

A catastrophic or disabling injury can be physically and emotionally devastating and result in steep medical bills for years to come. If someone else is responsible for your injury, you deserve justice. Finding an experienced and dedicated golf cart accident lawyer could help you pursue the compensation you need to rebuild your life.

Filing an Insurance Claim After a Golf Cart Accident

Unfortunately, filing an insurance claim when you get hurt in a golf cart accident is not as straightforward as in a car accident. Since golf carts are generally not classified as Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs) under Florida law, owners are not required to carry insurance. Moreover, if you get hurt, you are generally not entitled to any Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits from your own insurer since a golf cart does not normally qualify as a motor vehicle.

While some homeowner insurance policies offer coverage, not all do. It is mostly up to the owner of the golf cart to obtain a policy with liability coverage. In short, when it comes to filing an insurance claim for damages arising from a golf cart accident, you could be out of luck. Your only option to get what you deserve could be filing a lawsuit. 

Golf Cart Accident Lawyers Can Handle a Variety of Cases

As golf carts have become increasingly popular in Florida due to their manageable size, low cost, and low maintenance, accidents with the vehicles have also increased. 

Cases We Handle

FL golf cart accident attorneys deal with a variety of accident claims, including but not limited to:

• Collisions between golf carts
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Accidents due to overcrowding of golf carts
• Golf carts struck by cars or other motor vehicles
• Accidents due to defective roads 
• Passengers falling off or getting thrown from carts 

Finding a Good Golf Cart Accident Lawyer in Florida

Golf cart laws and regulations vary markedly from the laws dealing with motor vehicles. Therefore, you should look for an accident lawyer who knows about the specific issues and laws relevant to golf carts. For example, a good golf cart accident lawyer should know the difference between the laws applying to LSVs and golf carts, as the laws applying to the two types of vehicles diverge. The best attorney for your case will have handled other golf cart injury cases.

Asking for Referrals 

Word of mouth can be a great way to find a good FL golf cart accident attorney. You could ask friends, family, and coworkers whether they have worked with a good attorney. You could also ask any attorneys you know if they are aware of a colleague who specializes in golf cart accidents.  

Using Online Resources 

A good first step can be to simply type “golf cart accident lawyers in Florida” into a search engine, and you will probably come up with a few names of law firms and attorneys. However, make sure to check clients’ reviews which can offer great insight into how satisfied past clients are with their legal representation. You can also use free online databases such as Avvo or Martindale to search for lawyers and check their credentials. 

Schedule Free Consultations with Golf Cart Accident Lawyers

One step you should not skip in searching for a good golf cart accident lawyer in FL is a personal meeting. Once you have compiled a list of a few potential candidates, make sure to schedule some free consultations to get to know the attorney, the legal team, and the office you would be working with. This is also your opportunity to find out about the lawyer’s track record. Good questions to ask at the consultation can include: 

• How many golf cart accident cases have you handled?
• Have you won a case at trial?
• How much experience do you have with my type of injury?
• What is the approximate worth of my golf cart accident case?
• Will you or someone else handle my lawsuit?
• What are my costs if I lose the case?
• Do you charge upfront attorney’s fees?

How you feel about the attorney and law firm after the consultation can be an important indicator. Do you think you could build a good rapport with the legal team? If the attorney or a member of their team answered your questions truthfully and did not brush your concerns aside or seemed disinterested, you may have found a good match. 

Make Sure You Know the Attorney’s Fee Structure

Knowing how you are expected to pay your attorney can avoid any unpleasant surprises later on. Most golf cart accident attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if they win your case. However, you could be liable for other costs and expenses, including: 

• Costs for pulling and copying documents
• Court filing fees
• Expert witnesses’ fees
• Mailing costs and other miscellaneous expenses

While some lawyers will include these expenses in their final fee, others may ask you for upfront payment. Morgan & Morgan understands that money can be tight when you get hurt in an accident. When we agree to take on your golf cart accident case, you pay nothing until we win, and you recover compensation.