Although marijuana use in Florida is legal with a medical marijuana card, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while impaired by this drug. Should someone who has ingested or smoked marijuana caused an accident in which you were injured, you have the right to seek damages for your injuries and suffering.
Count on an injury lawyer for car and truck accidents caused by marijuana use in Fort Lauderdale, FL, to understand the state laws and to properly represent your interests in a case like this.
Call Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers at (855) 529-0269 today so we can discuss your case during a free consultation. Our partners will work with you directly on your case. We know how to fight for a fair settlement on your behalf.
Accidents Caused by Impaired Drivers
A study from AAA showed those who drove after ingesting or smoking marijuana were twice as likely to be in a car crash as sober drivers.
Receiving Compensation for Injuries
Should it be discovered that the other driver who caused your accident used marijuana before getting behind the wheel, you may be eligible for compensation for damages that may include:
- Medical care immediately after the accident, including an ambulance trip
- Follow-up medical care, including hospital stays and rehabilitation
- Long-term medical care at home or a nursing home
- Medications to deal with your injuries and pain
- Support equipment to help with your healing process
- Repairs for property damage
- Lost wages from missing work
- Diminished earning capacity, if you are unable to work the same job as before due to your injuries
- Pain and suffering
- A reduction in your quality of life
- Wrongful death
These are not the only examples of damages to which you may be entitled. Please call us at (855) 529-0269 today to learn more about how the team at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can work on your behalf to seek compensation for your immediate and future losses.
Protecting Your Rights
All Florida drivers must carry both property damage liability (PDL) insurance and personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. As part of PDL and PIP, you are entitled to receive up to $10,000 to cover your losses and medical care after an accident.
If your injuries and damages exceed that amount, you have the right to pursue recovery for those extra expenses.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
When you are trying to recover from your injuries after a car crash, it can be difficult to understand all of your options. That is where an injury lawyer for accidents caused by marijuana use in Fort Lauderdale, FL, can help with your case.
When you hire Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers, we will investigate the car crash and speak with witnesses to determine the best way to present your case. We will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, working toward a fair settlement or judgment.
Criminal Charges for DUI
Although the state of Florida does not yet specifically track accidents caused by marijuana influence, it does track crashes caused by drug use. In 2017, 668 crashes were caused by drivers using drugs, causing almost 600 injuries.
If you believe a driver who caused the crash is under the influence of marijuana, always mention this to the investigating police officers.
Should a driver be cited criminally for a DUI involving marijuana use, you may be entitled to further damages. A judge may grant you restitution for losses you have suffered in the accident, and this would be on top of other settlement amounts.
Common Car Crash Injuries
Drivers under the influence of marijuana and other drugs simply cannot react to situations on the highway as quickly or precisely as a sober driver. This can lead to a variety of types of accidents, including:
- Head-on collisions: often from crossing the centerline
- Rear-end collisions: often from being unable to brake in time
- Side-swipe collisions: often from drifting over a lane line
- Rollovers: often because the impaired driver does something unexpected, causing another driver to swerve suddenly.
An accident involving an impaired driver could be with another vehicle, with personal property, with a bicyclist, or with a pedestrian. In any of these types of accidents, you, as a victim, could be eligible to pursue recovery for your injuries.
Fighting for Injury Compensation
If you have been involved in a car crash with a driver who has been using marijuana, you should seek treatment for any injuries you have suffered. Even if you did not feel like you were badly injured in the aftermath of the crash, visiting a healthcare provider will make it easier to connect any symptoms that may develop later to your accident if additional complications develop over time.
Potential injuries you may suffer in a car accident include:
- Debilitating injuries to the neck or spine
- Facial cuts or broken bones
- Concussions or traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Broken bones
- Muscle and ligament damage requiring surgery
- Severe injuries to limbs
- Burns
- Internal organ injuries
- Mental anguish, PTSD, and depression
These are not the only examples of potential injuries you may have suffered. If you or a loved one was injured in an accident caused by marijuana use in Fort Lauderdale, FL, your injury lawyer can help you determine the damages that may be available to you.
Let Us Help You with Your Case Today
When you have been injured in an accident with a driver who has been using marijuana, your lawyer can help represent your interests at the negotiating table and, if necessary, in the courtroom.
The partners at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers for accidents caused by marijuana use in Fort Lauderdale, FL, will fight on your behalf for a favorable judgment or settlement.
Call us today at ((855) 529-0269 for a free consultation. We will be on your side every step of the way, and you do not owe us anything unless and until we recover a settlement or judgment for you.