You can learn a lot about how common golf cart accidents are and the types of injuries suffered by reviewing Florida golf cart accident statistics. This includes the locations where they occur, the injuries suffered, and how often they involve children.
If you suffered injuries in a Florida golf cart accident, working with a personal injury lawyer can ensure your rights are protected and you pursue fair compensation.
Statistics Show How Common Golf Cart Injuries Are in Florida
While Florida does not track the number of golf cart accidents that occur each year or how many people receive injury treatment, several interesting statistics are available. This includes:
- According to a study published in the Journal of Safety Research, an estimated 156,040 people received emergency room treatment for golf cart-related injuries over ten years.
- The average rate of traumatic brain injuries in kids involved in golf car accidents was 1.6 per 100,000, more than three times the rate of adults.
- Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the most common type of golf cart injury was soft tissue damage, accounting for almost half of all emergency department visits.
- While children under age 16 made up 31.2 percent of emergency department visits related to golf cart accidents, the age range in the study was two months to 96 years.
- The most common cause of injuries was falling from the cart, with 38.3 percent of people sustaining injuries in this way.
- According to research from Pediatrics, the mean age of young victims (under age 21) hurt in golf cart accidents is 11.75 years.
Where Are Golf Cart Accidents Most Likely?
According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, most accidents continue to occur at sports facilities. Of course, with the proliferation of golf courses and communities, this could include areas around homes and community centers in this number.
The statistics showed the location of most injuries as:
- 70.3 percent at sports facilities
- 15.2 percent on public streets or property
- 14.5 percent at home or on a farm
These statistics show that serious accidents can occur at any of the local golf courses or golf communities in Lakeland and Tampa. This could include:
- Avila
- Buckhorn
- Cambridge Cove
- Champions Club
- Cheval
- Cypress Lakes
- Diamond Hills
- Eaglebrook
- The Eagles
- Grasslands Golf and Country Club
- Gulf Harbors
- Heritage Harbor
- Heritage Isles
- Hunters Green
- Lake Bernadette
- Lake Jovita
- Lexington Oaks
- Pebble Creek
- Plantation Palms
- River Hills
- Saddlebrook
- Sandpiper
- Summerfield
- Tampa Palms
- Westchase
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Causes of Florida Golf Cart Accidents
Golf carts have many of the same features as cars, such as turn signals, headlights, brake lights, and two-wheel braking. However, most do not have seatbelts, airbags, or other safety features like a car. They are also more prone to rollovers and are much lighter than most passenger cars.
This is why golf cart accidents often cause serious or even deadly injuries. While many are single-vehicle incidents and some involve other carts, most involve passenger vehicles. In these car accidents, other drivers often ignore the golf carts or refuse to yield to them. They do not like sharing the road with this slower traffic, so they pass them carelessly, fail to yield, and take other reckless actions that cause collisions.
When this occurs, the injured victims could have a case against the driver who caused the collision. Other liable parties in these cases could include the owner or operator of the cart, a golf cart manufacturer, or a company tasked with maintaining the property or road.
Options for Justice in a Florida Golf Cart Accident Case
Generally, victims can secure compensation in a golf cart case by negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance carrier. This could occur before or after the victim files a lawsuit in civil court.
Even when a lawsuit is necessary, these cases rarely go to trial. As a lawsuit progresses, each side collects evidence and learns more about what happened through a process known as discovery.
If there is no settlement, the case can go before a jury. Each side presents evidence at trial, and the jury decides what happens. At the close of the trial, the jury reaches a verdict. If the victim wins, they will likely receive a court award. This is the amount the court will tell the defendant they must pay in the case.
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Damages Recoverable After a Florida Golf Cart Collision
Whether you suffered relatively minor or catastrophic injuries in a Florida golf cart collision, you can hold the at-fault party legally responsible. An insurance settlement or personal injury lawsuit may be possible, seeking fair compensation based on your expenses and losses.
Each case is different, but some of the types of damages recoverable in a golf cart accident claim or lawsuit could include:
- Current and future medical bills and related expenses
- Ongoing care and support costs when necessary
- Missed income from time not working
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Miscellaneous expenses with receipts
- Pain and suffering
If your loved one died from their injuries, you could have a wrongful death case against the liable party. The victim’s personal representative—the executor of their estate—files these lawsuits, representing the immediate family and other heirs.
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Contact a Florida Golf Cart Attorney for Help With Your Case
If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a Florida golf cart accident, Dismuke Law can help you. We provide free initial consultations and represent clients with no upfront costs. Our attorney’s fees come only from any money we recover for you.
Contact us for a free case evaluation today. We will answer your questions, assess your options, and discuss how we can help you pursue justice and compensation based on the case facts.
Call or text 863-250-5050 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form