The beautiful weather and landscape of North Carolina make it an ideal setting for golf courses throughout our state. Many of the larger courses provide golf carts for their golfers to make their activities more enjoyable.
Some residential communities have made accommodations for their residents to use golf carts around their community, and some businesses, such as resorts and apartment complexes, make use of the convenient small vehicles as well. They became popular because of how easy they are to operate and how well they transport people around, especially people with difficulty walking long distances.
Unfortunately, people sometimes end up getting injured by the use of a golf cart. These carts are often seen rolling over, flying over hilltops, or sinking into water as comedic situations in movies, but when these things happen in real life, people get seriously hurt.
What Can a North Carolina Golf Cart Accident Attorney Do For Me?
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a golf cart, you may be able to get compensation for your damages. The North Carolina golf cart accident attorneys at Tatum & Atkinson will help you understand your rights and discuss your options with you.
By hiring us to help you get the best possible outcome, we will:
- Thoroughly investigate your case
- Find out who was responsible for causing the accident
- File the claim for damages
- Handle all negotiations on your behalf
- Advise you about the fairness of all settlement offers
- Strengthen your case and represent you in court, if necessary
What Are Some Common Injuries From Golf Cart Accidents?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, over 6,500 children are hurt in golf cart accidents every year. There are approximately 15,000 accidents involving golf carts each year, and 13,000 of these require visits to the emergency room.
Smaller children are more likely to suffer serious injuries because they have a higher chance of falling out of the vehicle.
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration does not govern golf carts, so these vehicles do not have to have safety features such as airbags or seat belts. Without basic safety equipment, people are at risk for serious injuries from golf cart accidents.
Injuries commonly seen as a result of golf cart accidents include the following:
- Broken Bones
- Crush Injuries
- Burns
- Head Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Organ Damage
- Lacerations
- Road Rash
- Puncture Wounds
- Impalements
- Eye Damage
Golf cart accident injuries are often life-changing and require extensive medical attention. The North Carolina golf cart accident attorneys at Tatum & Atkinson will help make sure that you receive full compensation to cover all your expenses, including those you may need in the future, depending on your circumstances.
Contact us right away to get the best possible outcome for your case.
Why Are Golf Cart Accidents So Common in North Carolina?
Most accidents involving golf carts have inexperienced or underage operators, and intoxication and negligent driving are also to blame. Many of the accidents we see involve:
- Flipping or rolling the golf cart over
- Colliding with other golf carts
- Collisions with other motor vehicles
- Accidents from driving drunk
- Golf cart and pedestrian collisions
There are many causes of golf cart accidents. Some of the more common causes include the following:
- Driving a golf cart while under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Driving a golf cart while intoxicated is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than driving a car while drunk. Consumption of alcohol lowers your ability to operate any vehicle. Alcohol slows your reaction times and reduces your decision-making abilities.
- Negligence: Disregarding safety while operating any vehicle is dangerous enough to turn deadly. These vehicles should be handled with the same amount of diligence that is given to driving a car or a truck, perhaps even more due to the lack of safety features. As fun and convenient as golf carts are, playing around can cause deadly accidents to you, your passengers, and any bystanders.
- Underage Drivers: Children under 16 years old should not drive a golf cart. This young age group is at the highest risk for severe injuries and death from an accident, and they are also the most likely to cause an accident.
- Driving on the Road: It is illegal to ride golf carts on the roads in North Carolina unless the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. Golf carts are not capable of high speeds, so they should not attempt to share the road with high-speed vehicles.
- Using Excessive Speed: Speeding can cause golf carts to flip over while going around a turn. It also gives drivers less time to react to any obstacles they may come across.
- Driving With Too Many Passengers: Golf carts are designed to carry a certain number of passengers. Too many passengers can cause the vehicle to be more likely to flip over because they cause a change in the center of gravity for the vehicle.
- Rollovers: Having a golf cart rollover on top of you can quickly cause severe injuries and death. This type of accident is very common, especially with uneven terrain, hills, high speeds, young or inexperienced drivers, or negligent driving.
- Collisions With Other Vehicles: Golf carts should avoid roads to prevent collisions with cars and trucks. They should be equipped with headlights and taillights for higher visibility and use extra caution when rounding a corner or going over a hill and are unable to see the path ahead.
What Are Common Injuries Suffered by Golf Cart Accident Survivors?
Depending on the factors surrounding the accident, injuries can range from very mild to death. The type of golf cart involved, where it was driven, and how it was driven all affect the outcome of an accident.
Without the protection of actually being inside a vehicle surrounded by a strong structure and held back by seatbelts and airbags, common injuries from golf cart accidents include:
- Broken Bones
- Crush Injuries
- Burns
- Head Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Organ Damage
- Lacerations
- Road Rash
- Puncture Wounds
- Impalements
- Eye Damage
Some of these injuries are life-changing, and some lead to death. If you or your loved one have been injured in a golf cart accident, consult with a North Carolina golf cart accident attorney to learn how you may be able to seek compensation for your damages.
What Compensation Can I Seek for My Damages?
The compensation awarded to the plaintiff is meant to cover any damages that were suffered as a result of the accident caused by the defendant. The plaintiff should be returned to the same financial status as before the accident and their injuries.
The plaintiff is also entitled to receive compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Common examples of economic damages include:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Lost Earning Capacity
- Property Damage
Medical Expenses
When you are injured in a golf cart accident, you must get medical attention. Medical bills in the United States are very expensive and add up quickly.
They are often the most costly part of the accident. Your medical bills include hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, therapy, medication, specialized equipment and care, and more.
Lost Wages
Most people are unable to work while they recover from their injuries. Losing your income is stressful, especially when bills are accumulating. Having to use vacation days during recovery, using up disability or sick time and receiving a reduced paycheck, or losing your income altogether is a financial damage that you should be compensated for.
These lost earnings will be included in your claim.
Lost Earning Capacity
Suppose the golf cart accident has left you unable to continue your work, or you need to take on a role with a lower salary. In that case, you can also claim this loss as economic damage.
For example, if you were a musician and the accident left you with limited fine motor skills in your hands, you would no longer be able to continue in your profession. Your future earning potential will be used to calculate your lost earning capacity.
Property Damage
Your vehicle, home, personal belongings, and anything else you own is your property. Any damage to these items from the accident will have to be recovered through payment for repair, replacement, or the reduction of their value.
You may also need to be compensated for special equipment and having to make modifications to your home and vehicle because you have been left with a disability. For example, according to Lifeway Mobility, having a wheelchair ramp installed on your home can cost anywhere between $1,000 and over $10,000, depending on the materials used and the design of your home.
This price estimate is only for getting inside your own house, but much more might have to be done inside your home as well.
What Non-Economic Damages Can I Claim in a Personal Injury Case?
According to Forbes Advisor, non-economic damages compensate you for intangible losses due to your injuries from your golf cart accident. These losses may include the following:
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Diminished Quality of Life or Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Loss of Companionship or Consortium
- Permanent Disabilities, Impairments, or Disfigurements
Pain and Suffering
Serious injuries cause excruciating pain. You deserve to be compensated for your discomfort that was caused by the accident.
Pain is usually short-term and fades as your injuries heal. Unfortunately, sometimes, it becomes chronic and can last for years or even be permanent.
Emotional Distress
Golf cart accidents can be traumatic. Many victims find themselves feeling fearful after an accident.
Serious injury, entrapment, and fatalities escalate emotional trauma. Some people develop anxiety, depression, phobias, decreased mental capacity, difficulty concentrating, or post-traumatic stress disorder, among other mental anguish-related issues, because of the accident itself or from their subsequent injuries and disabilities.
Diminished Quality of Life or Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Long-term and permanent injuries are a harsh reality for many surviving golf cart accident victims. Suddenly, becoming unable to do something you love can lead to severe depression.
Loss of autonomy is humiliating and makes people feel like a burden to their families. Even losing the ability to work or earn the same income level as before the accident and then watching your family struggle can be heartbreaking.
These losses can change your personality and outlook on life, and you should be compensated for that.
Loss of Companionship or Consortium
The accident may leave you with injuries or disabilities that change your relationships with your loved ones. For example, how can you hug your family members if you have become paralyzed or when your arms have been amputated?
Perhaps your spouse and children once saw you as strong and dependable, but now you can barely move and are constantly irritable because of your chronic pain. You can seek compensation for losing the dynamic of these relationships.
Permanent Disabilities, Impairments, or Disfigurements
Permanent injuries quite literally change your life forever. They change the way you live, your relationships, and how others see you.
People may stare at your scars or look at you with pity when they see your disability, leading to frustration, humiliation, and depression. Compensation for any permanent damage is usually substantial.
Call a North Carolina Golf Cart Accident Law Firm Today
Our golf cart accident lawyers at Tatum & Atkinson are professional and experienced in aggressively fighting for the rights of golf cart accident victims. We thoroughly investigate the accident as well as the surrounding circumstances to identify every party that shares fault and responsibility for compensating the victim.
We also interview witnesses to ensure no details have been overlooked or brushed aside. Our team diligently studies the evidence and consults with experts to make sure that you are being treated fairly and get appropriate compensation for the damages you have suffered.
Call us as soon as possible after your accident so we can get started before witnesses forget details or evidence begins to disappear. Having our knowledgeable golf cart accident attorneys handle your case gives you peace of mind while you recover and will ensure you get a settlement that meets your needs and restores your losses.
Call (800) LAW-0804 for your free consultation. We do not charge you anything until you get paid, so there is absolutely no risk for you.
