Golf carts are a common mode of transportation in The Villages and in many other local communities in the surrounding area. While golf carts are a great way to get around, they are lacking in the safety features present in most passenger vehicles. As a result, when an accident occurs involving a golf cart, it is likely to be serious and the injuries associated with the accident could be life-changing.
Victims of golf cart accidents need to understand their rights and pursue a claim for compensation if someone else was responsible for their accident. The Villages golf cart accident attorney can provide you with insight in determining if you may have a golf cart accident claim and can assist you in pursuing your case for compensation if you do.
Common Causes of Golf Cart Accidents
There are a few primary causes of golf cart accidents. The first category of golf cart accidents occurs when someone is operating a golf cart in a negligent and careless way. The second type of golf cart accident occurs if there was a problem with the golf cart itself. In either of these situations, someone could potentially be held accountable – either the golf cart manufacturer or person responsible for maintenance, or the person who was driving the golf cart dangerously.
Accidents can happen due to many different kinds of negligence on the part of golf cart operators. Common causes of incidents include:
- Golf cart operators joyriding or driving recklessly in the golf cart.
- Golf cart operators becoming distracted and failing to pay attention to their surroundings.
- Golf cart operators failing to understand the true power of the golf cart.
- Driving a golf cart while intoxicated.
- Failure to maintain a golf cart safely
It is not just the other drivers of golf carts who could possibly be held responsible for the incident. There are also other crash causes, such as uneven ground due to potholes or a malfunction of the golf cart itself. If you are hurt, it is important to determine if you should hold another golf cart driver accountable; if the cart manufacturer may be liable to you; or if you can make a case against those responsible for the danger in the road.
It's also important to show the extent of injury so you can maximize the chances of recovering full and fair compensation. Unfortunately, conditions associated with golf carts make the chances of severe injury more likely. For example, golf carts typically have open sides so victims are routinely ejected from the cart when an incident occurs. Golf carts also don't weight much and have small tires, which means they could quickly tip over and leave you pinned or otherwise seriously hurt due to being ejected from the cart
Because injuries are so often severe and can be costly to treat, you should contact The Villages golf cart accident attorney as soon as possible for help in taking action if you've been involved in an accident with a golf cart.