[fusion_builder_container background_color=”no” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” padding_left=”0px” padding_right=”0px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#a2a4aa” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Golf Cart Accident[/fusion_title][fusion_text]Golf Cart Accident

Hopefully if you are reading this portion of our website, you or a loved one are not victims of an accident which occurred on a golf course or as a result of the use, operation or design of a golf cart. Because, if you are, then you unfortunately know all too well, the potential disaster that can occur from this otherwise pleasurable past time. Statistically there is at least one serious injury or death involving the use of a golf cart every single day in the United States. There are countless incidents of individuals who are either struck by a motor vehicle while operating or occupying a golf cart, or of individuals who are injured by the use, operation or design of the golf cart itself, as the cause of serious injury.

It is not uncommon for occupants of golf carts to be involved in intersectional roadway accident resulting in serious injury or death. There are claims and reports of unattended golf carts – not only accelerating unexpectedly, but running down and killing individuals. There are the instances of people operating a golf cart in such a careless or reckless manner, whether due to the use of alcohol, drugs or plain carelessness that result in occupants of the cart being thrown out thereby striking the ground, object, being run over and suffering either serious injury or death.

Unfortunately, it seems as though the calm and beauty of the surroundings of a golf course and the often pristine environment of a golf course can lure many operators and passengers into neglecting to pay enough attention to the fact that they are operating or riding in a potentially, very dangerous mechanical device. People seem to often overlook the simple rules of using common sense and reasonable care to the operation, use, maintenance and occupancy of a golf cart; and that the same principals should apply as those for the use and care of all other motor vehicles which are intended for our streets and highways.

And there are also the instances in which the design of the cart itself may turn out to be the prominent producing cause of someone’s serious injury or wrongful death.

According to the Journal of Preventative Medicine injuries from being hit by or from falling off a golf cart rose over 130% over a sixteen year time period ending in the year 2006. Almost 150,000 people were injured due to the use of a golf cart over that time span. And the local of the injuries are not limited simply to a golf course, although the vast majority of golf cart accidents occur near a sports facility or golf course.

Another unfortunate fact is that many of the victims are children, who are either caused to fall off the rear facing seats in a golf cart, which is being operated in a careless manner, or by a cart which turns over or otherwise looses control.

Most golfers are aware that a golf cart is often being operated on uneven terrain with both perceived and hidden undulations, or slopes which can cause the golf carts to overturn. The frequency of golf carts are so prevalent at a local South Florida golf course (named Bonaventure in Weston, Florida) that their staff had an expression for when a golf cart flipped into an adjoining canal or lake. They refer to this very unfortunate event as a “Jacques Cousteau”.

And the insurance industry is all too well aware of the tragic frequency of golf cart related accidents, inasmuch as they are often ultimately the entity that satisfies a claim for negligence that may be brought against either the operator of the cart, the golf course, its community, the owner of the golf cart, the lessor, the lessee or the manufacturer.

Evidently, there are far less, if any, regulations regarding the safe use and operation of golf carts as there are for motor vehicles. After an accident occurs it’s up to the courts to decide who will ultimately be held responsible; but it’s up to the victims attorney to uncover all the potentially available insurance benefits that that will step up to cover a verdict that maybe rendered in that lawsuit (as well as which companies may cover the victims medical expenses and loss of wages in the interim, if possible).

So while most individuals would presume that the operator of the golf cart might be solely responsible, guess again! The golf course/cart owner is often ultimately held responsible; as well as potentially the golf cart manufacturer, its lessor, or distributor, to list just a few potential liable entities.

And what might be the liability for a golf course that has aided and abetted an obvious drunken operator to consume way beyond the legal limit of blood alcohol? Did the golf course possibly know, or should have known that this wrongdoer was a habitual drunkard perhaps; which speaks to another potential area of liability.

Once liability and/or coverage has been determined, does your attorney understand the nature of your bodily and emotional injuries and can they seek the full amount of appropriate compensation for all the damages that have been, and will continue to be suffer throughout the course of this tragedy and possibly for the remainder of your life? All of these questions should factor considerably in interviewing and choosing an appropriately committed and skilled personal injury law firm.

So if you are at the ill effect of a golf cart related accident or know of someone who has been and are in need of the appropriate sophisticated representation in the most respectful of manners, kindly consider contacting attorney Marvin S. Schulman, Esq., at the Schulman Law Group.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]