If you got in a low-impact car accident while pregnant, you are likely worried about your and your baby’s health. You may also wonder if you have any legal options. In this article, we’ll explain your legal options and how aFort Lauderdale car accident lawyer can help.
What Are Your Legal Options After a Low-Impact Car Accident While Pregnant?
While minor car accidents typically occur at low speeds and cause minimal damage to the vehicles, they can still result in injuries. For example, if your car is hit by another vehicle backing out of a parking space, the impact can cause sudden force trauma. Your seat belt could tighten, forcing pressure onto your abdomen, or you could suffer whiplash. When you’re pregnant, even seemingly minor injuries can cause stress to your unborn child.
If you’ve been harmed in an accident, you have the legal option to recover compensation through yourpersonal injury protection (PIP) coverage first. It may be possible to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver if your case meetsthe criteria for serious injury. This compensation can cover losses like medical expenses, emotional distress, loss of quality of life, pain and suffering, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity.
However, you will need to prove that their negligence directly led to harm to you or your baby.
Even if the injuries seem minor at first, pregnant women are uniquely vulnerable in auto accidents. Placental abruption, uterine rupture, or fetal trauma can occur from even modest impact. Complications such as preterm labor or restricted fetal growth might not be apparent until days or weeks later. Florida law allows mothers to seek compensation not only for their own injuries but also for injuries or losses affecting the fetus.
In some cases, an unborn child’s injuries may lead to wrongful birth or wrongful death claims. These complex cases require in-depth medical documentation and expert testimony. If your pregnancy was high-risk before the accident or became high-risk afterward, that change in status may increase the damages you are entitled to recover.
Documentation from your OB-GYN, emergency room records, ultrasound reports, and fetal monitoring data will help build a strong case. Additionally, journaling your symptoms and complications can help show the emotional toll of the crash.
Proving Negligence After a Minor Car Accident in Fort Lauderdale
Negligence that leads to minor car accidents may include:
- Distracted driving, for example, a driver talks on their phone while backing up their car
- Drunk driving
- Speeding
- Failing to yield
AFort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer can investigate the accident on your behalf. They will gather evidence like:
- Witness statements
- Surveillance footage, such as from parking lot security cameras or traffic cameras
- Physical evidence, such as photos of skid marks
- Phone records, medical records, police reports, and other official documents
- Expert testimony, such as from an accident reconstructionist
Some evidence may be time-sensitive, so it’s helpful to get started on your case early. Additionally, you may only have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit underFlorida Statutes § 95.11.
If fetal monitoring after the crash indicates distress or a deviation from normal development, that evidence can help link the crash to harm done. Doctors may also note changes in amniotic fluid levels or blood flow, which can be caused by seat belt force or other trauma during the accident.
In some cases, a driver may try to downplay the crash to avoid liability. Your attorney can help subpoena phone data, driving logs, or toxicology results to prove they were at fault. This is particularly important when the collision occurred in a parking lot, where liability disputes are common.
Understanding the Full Impact on the Mother’s Health and Future
A car accident during pregnancy does not always cause immediate physical harm, but the emotional distress can be overwhelming. Anxiety about the baby’s health, repeated medical visits, and disrupted birth plans all contribute to mental anguish. These are valid damages under Florida personal injury law.
If the crash results in a miscarriage, premature birth, or long-term disability in the baby, you may be able to file for significant compensation. These cases often require coordination with maternal-fetal medicine specialists and pediatric experts to estimate lifelong medical costs and quality-of-life impacts.
You may also be entitled to claim damages for lost wages if your doctor places you on bed rest or restricts your ability to work following the crash. Maternity leave benefits, missed promotions, and even loss of business opportunities can be considered when calculating damages.
Should You Get a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident?
Whether you choose to have legal representation or not is up to you. However, having a personal injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale can be helpful. Your lawyer handles the entirety of the legal process, letting you focus on recovery.
Your attorney can:
- Investigate to determine all liable parties
- File all needed paperwork
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- Fight for fair compensation
- Represent you in court if necessary
Additionally, your attorney will help calculate your current and future losses related to pregnancy complications. They will also work to ensure any settlement accounts for follow-up care for both you and your baby.
Insurance adjusters may try to argue that your pregnancy complications were unrelated to the crash. Your legal team will present medical expert opinions showing that the timeline and nature of your injuries are consistent with trauma from the accident.
A lawyer can also protect you from accepting a lowball settlement too early, before the full impact of the crash on your pregnancy is known. In many cases, problems may arise in the third trimester or even after birth that can still be traced back to the incident.
Choose a Legal Team That Delivers Proven Results
At the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato, we understand the sensitivity and urgency of cases involving pregnancy. Our Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys have handled numerous cases involving fetal trauma and maternal injury. We fight for full accountability from reckless drivers and negligent parties.
Our firm has secured:
- $3.85 million in a truck rollover accident
- $5.25 million wrongful death recovery in a trucking case
- $925,000 in a negligent security case involving long-term disability
We also examine whether your vehicle was towed or altered before you could obtain evidence. We preserve every detail necessary to prove your case, including black box data and medical timelines.
We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay us nothing upfront and only owe legal fees if we secure compensation for you.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyer
If you got in a minor car accident while pregnant, you shouldn’t have to go through the aftermath on your own. The Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys atthe Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato are here for you.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay us if we recover compensation. There are no upfront costs, and that starts with your free initial consultation. Contact us today at (954) 633-8270.