Proper Use of Car Seats Is Important To Stay Unharmed During Accidents

If you are a parent with an infant or a toddler, this is for you.

Jenna Rabberman, a mother to two children shared a photo on Facebook in 2017. It showed a wrecked car which clearly had a horrible accident. Luckily, Jenna’s sons (two and a half years old, Beckett, and six weeks old Brooks) survived the accident. In fact, they came out ‘completely unharmed’ and it was all because they were tucked in car seats.

Jenna’s story was shared 100,000 times and she might have saved just as many lives. Nothing emphasizes the importance of car seats with your child more than this story does.

Alisa Baer, or ‘The Car Seat Lady’ as she is called, told us she often sees children safe and sound after a road accident, just because they were tucked in properly in their car seats. Baer further told us that The Car Seat Lady advocacy group successfully set up about 45,000 in more than 30 years of its work.

“Car seats are very useful when used,” Baer said, “but even more useful when installed properly.”

If we think about it, car seats are a simple enough step we can take to ensure our children’s safety. Rabberman said that she may be a hassle-free parent sometimes but not when it comes to the safety of children. She said that a thing being as simple and safe as a car seat should not be passed over. Else, we might end up feeling sorry just because we thought the seat wasn’t important enough.

With this being said, let’s take a look at the things that are often ignored when it comes to our child’s safety in the car seat.

Turning too soon

Sometimes parents think their child is big enough to turn from rear face to front face or from a booster seat or a harness belt to a seat belt alone.

Not using a tether strap

The forward-facing car seats are equipped with a tether strap, and in the United States, these car seats can be secured with the strap to three places. Baer told us that this tether is essential since it prevents head injuries which are usually common by minimizing head movement of the child.

All buckled up

You need to make sure that everyone, child or adult is safe in the car. Let’s say there is a crash and someone in the car was not wearing the safety belt. That person could be the one to cause severe injuries to others as well as getting injured himself given that unbelted people are three times more likely to die in a crash than belted people.

Snugness

One more thing Baer said was that the seat should be tucked in properly and the child even more tucked in the seat. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
As a last note, Rabberman did suffer from minor injuries and it will be some time before she is relaxed in a car again. But the lesson she taught us all was totally worth it.

Call AMBER HALL LAW

If you or someone you know have been the victim of an accident, contact Tallahassee personal injury attorney Amber Hall at (850) 701-8850.

You may be familiar with the process of filing a claim for vehicle damage after a small fender bender. But what if you were injured resulting in mounting medical bills and lost wages? It is vital that you seek the guidance of an experienced Tallahassee personal injury attorney to protect your rights. Amber Hall is just that person.

Immediately Following a Road Accident

Contact the police to file a report after an accident. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may be required to report the traffic crash.

Complete thorough photo documentation of the accident. This includes taking pictures of your vehicle and other vehicles involved in the accident. While at the scene, take photos of any visible personal injuries as well. Additionally, obtain names and phone numbers of witnesses. Do NOT post photos or details of the accident on social media.

Seek medical attention following the accident. Doctors can begin the necessary treatment and provide documentation that may later be requested by your insurance provider. Continue to monitor and document symptoms.

Benefits of Hiring an Attorney

Specific Florida laws and regulations can complicate the process of seeking insurance benefits following a car crash. This is especially true in cases of server injuries or death. Insurance companies have a team of attorneys and you need one on your side as well.

AMBER HALL LAW can assist with your insurance claim by obtaining accident reports, investigating the scene, consulting of expert witnesses, and even speaking directly with your insurance company on your behalf. Furthermore, an attorney can help you fight any initially denied claims.

No-Fault State

Unlike neighboring states, being more than 50% at fault for a car wreck does not mean your insurance covers the entire incident.

Florida law requires that every motorist carry a minimum of $10,000 Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. PIP is designed to cover medical bills and lost wages for the driver as a result of a vehicular accident. In the case of an injury accident, each driver submits claims to their own insurance provider. PIP benefits must be exhausted before the other party can seek additional compensation.

Typically, PIP coverage only pays 80% of medical bills and 60% of lost wages. Additionally, your insurance deductible will be withheld from the benefits paid to you.

Exceptions to the “no-fault” law include if a person suffers permanent injury, as defined in Florida statute (627.737(2)) or is injury exceeds the $10,000 PIP coverage.

Florida Statute of Limitations

Car accident injury: Victims of a road traffic accident (RTA), including passengers or pedestrians have four years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.

Wrongful death lawsuit: Claims for wrongful death must be submitted within two years of the date of death caused by a vehicular accident.

Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage

Under F.S. 95.11(2)(b) Florida victims have five years to file a claim for UM. It is worth noting, that the statute of limitations for UM benefits is based on the state where the claim was issued, not the state of the accident. For example, if your car insurance is based on your primary residence of Minnesota, but you winter in Florida, the UM coverage and benefits are based on Minnesota law.

NOTE: The time to file a property damage claim with an insurance company differs from the statute of limitations to bring a lawsuit

Contact an Auto-Injury Attorney

If you in the Tallahassee area and have been injured in a personal injury collision (PIC), you should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact AMBER HALL LAW today for a free consultation.