WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON GOLF CART ACCIDENT INJURIES?
Golf carts do not have restraint systems such as seatbelts, airbags, or doors, so when a golf cart crashes or suffers a rollover accident, the resulting injuries can be severe. The injuries can range from head and neck injuries to foot, arm and leg injuries. These may be permanent or require years of rehabilitation and medical care potentially costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. These injuries may often include:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
The force generated by a golf cart crash can cause brain injuries that can extend well beyond a mere concussion. Sometimes these injuries will not be symptomatic immediately, but the effects can be devastating.
NECK – BACK – SPINAL CORD INJURIES
Impact or whiplash to the neck and back can cause spinal cord injuries, potentially resulting in full or partial paralysis and respiratory problems.
BROKEN BONES
With such a high degree of force broken bones and internal injuries are commonplace in victims of a golf cart accidents.
SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Golf cart accidents can often lead to soft-tissue damage of muscles, ligaments, and tendons resulting in tears, pain, swelling, bruising, and damage.
BURNS
Burn injuries in golf cart accidents can also be caused by contact with hot metal, hot water or steam escaping from a damaged radiator, or contact with other heated elements of the golf cart.
AMPUTATION
Golf cart accident amputation injuries are often divided into two, main categories – traumatic amputation and surgical amputation. Traumatic amputation injuries occur during the accident itself. Surgical amputation injuries involve amputating an arm, leg or another body part due to injuries sustained in the accident.
DEATH
Unfortunately, a substantial percentage of those injured in golf cart accidents do not survive the crash. If your loved one was killed in a golf cart accident you may have the option to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact Charleston South Carolina golf cart accident Attorney Matthew Marin at Marin and Barrett, Inc. if you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a golf cart accident in South Carolina. We can help you recover the compensation you are entitled to and we are available 24/7 at (843) 642-2449.
HOW MUCH IS MY GOLF CART ACCIDENT CASE WORTH? WHAT DAMAGES AM I ENTITLED TO?
Golf cart accidents can result in injuries that range from simple bumps and bruise pain to catastrophic, disabling damages that can last a lifetime. Seeking treatment afterwards can be overwhelming, often requiring extensive medical treatment and missed time at work. Fortunately, South Carolina law provides a way for you to hold the negligent person or company financially responsible for your injuries and damages.
Damages for injuries to golf cart accident victims in South Carolina can include payment for:
ECONOMIC DAMAGE – such as tangible out of pocket costs which are often established with bills and invoices
- Medical expenses, including past, present, and future bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Transportation costs
- Costs of medical devices and modifications and accommodations to your home or vehicle
- Costs of assistive devices
- Expenses for in-home healthcare and household services
- Lost wages, both from missed work and missed future earning potential
- Household bills
NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGES – which include general intangible damages. These damages affect quality of life, but are oftentimes more significant, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Anxiety and post-traumatic stress (emotional distress)
- Loss of companionship or consortium
- Lifestyle impairment
PUNITIVE DAMAGES – In some instances the responsible party’s conduct is so egregious that punitive damages are appropriate as a means of punishment and a deterrent to future bad conduct.
In the event that a loved one has died in a golf cart accident you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim for those left behind. Of course no amount of money can bring your loved on back or provide adequate compensation, but you nevertheless may be able to recover for funeral and burial costs, loss of income, and loss of companionship.
At Marin and Barrett, Inc., golf cart accident injury lawyer Matthew Marin will fight for every dollar you deserve. On these types of cases it is often helpful to work closely with expert witnesses to ensure that your injuries and damages are valued fully. This extra effort makes sure that you recover all you deserve for your golf cart accident injuries.
GOLF CART ACCIDENTS INVOLVING E-Z-GO GOLF CARTS MANUFACTURED BY TEXTRON
In recent years, a rash of lawsuits have been filed against the E-Z-Go Division of Textron, Inc. based on injuries sustained in accidents involving the E-Z-Go Golf Carts. These lawsuits have alleged breach of warranty, manufacturing defects, negligence, design defects and failure to warn. Recently, in a lawsuit in Kentucky seeking to hold the E-Z-Go Division of Textron, Inc. responsible for the tragic death of a 15-year old E-Z-Go Golf Cart passenger after a rollover accident the plaintiffs sought to introduce evidence of over 47 prior accidents involving the E-Z-Go Golf Cart. They alleged that the prior incidents were proof of notice of defects and / or failures of E-Z-Go and Textron’s required corporate safety program. The plaintiffs wrote:
“Plaintiffs urge the Court to allow admission of the proof of other rollovers, other speed-related incidents, and other events that bear enough similarity to some of the facts in this tragic wreck so as to assist the jury in deciding if Textron had notice of use of its product by young teenagers, unlicensed drivers, on slopes, with braking issues and subsequent loss of control, and/or rollover, if one or more of those items constituted a known defect, if Textron intentionally minimized or destroyed evidence of such events, and if Textron’s response and lack of response to such events reflects an adequate corporate safety program.”
If you or a loved one has been injured after an accident or rollover involving an E-Z-Go Golf Cart manufactured by Textron, Inc. you should call Marin and Barrett, Inc. immediately. We may be able to assist in your recovery for breach of warranty, manufacturing defects, negligence, design defects, and failure to warn. Textron, Inc., who manufactures the E-Z-Go Golf Cart, is a major defense contractor and manufacturer and recorded a net profit of $1.22 billion in 2018.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INJURED IN GOLF CART ACCIDENTS?
In 2008, a study titled “Golf Cart-Related Injuries in the US” analyzed all non-fatal golf-cart related injuries in the U.S. emergency departments from 1990 to 2006. The study revealed an estimated 147,696 people aged 2 to 96 were treated in emergency rooms over the 17-year period. Injuries to children accounted from 31.2% of the cases and soft tissue damage was the most common injury at 47.7%.
CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA GOLF CART INJURY LAWYER
Have you or someone you love been injured by in a golf cart rollover or golf cart accident? Attorney Matthew Marin understands that injuries from a golf cart accident can have serious and long-lasting consequences. You have the legal right to seek compensation from the responsible parties and we can help to make sure that you are fully compensated. Call our office at (843) 642-2449 to schedule your free, no obligation golf cart accident case evaluation today.
To Learn More About Your Rights and Receive a Free Initial Consultation from Charleston Golf Cart Accident Lawyer Matthew Marin, Contact us 24/7 at (843) 642-2449
YOU ONLY PAY IF WE WIN
HOW DO I GET STARTED WITH MY GOLF CART ACCIDENT CASE?
First thing, be sure to get the medical attention you need. Once you do that, the bills will start pouring in and the expenses add up in a hurry. Realistically, you’ll want to contact an attorney as soon as possible. The evidence you may need is often the freshest shortly after the accident, and you can rest assured that the party or parties responsible for your injuries will be gearing up for their own legal fight and you will not want to be left behind.
