Golf Cart Accident

North Carolina is home to many enjoyable golf courses. Charlotte visitors and residents flee to golf courses in good weather to take part in relaxing golf games. North Carolina weather is pleasant enough to accommodate golf players throughout most of the year. Most of the time, golfers leave the green feeling relaxed and refreshed. In some cases, however, golfers suffer injuries from playing the sport itself or from the equipment and environment often found at a course.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries caused by someone else’s negligence at the golf course, you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The attorneys at Arnold Smith, PLLC, have successfully represented clients filing personal injury claims all across North Carolina.

Many people consider golf to be one of the safest sports someone can play. However, the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that the annual risk of injury for amateur golfers has increased from 15.8% to 40%. Professional golfers have a 90% chance of experiencing an injury every year. Thus, nearly seven out of every 10 amateur golfers will suffer an injury from golf every year.

Sometimes lightning strikes result in the death of golfers on a golf course. If a golf course knows that a lightning storm is happening or will happen soon, it may have a duty to warn its customers of the dangerous condition. It may also have a duty to evacuate people from the golf course.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that golf carts are responsible for almost 15,000 injuries every year. The study found that soft tissue damage is the most common type of injury related to golf cart accidents. In 7.8% of the cases studied, the golf cart injury required hospitalization. People can suffer a golf-cart related injury for all of the following incidents:

• Nearly half of all injuries related to golf carts happened after someone jumped or fell from a golf cart onto the ground
• A golf cart overturning and landing on someone
• Golf cart collisions with another moving golf cart or a stationary object
• A golf cart driver running over someone’s body or limb
• Injuries that occur while someone is entering or exiting the golf cart
• Injury to an arm, a leg, or head protruding from the golf cart
• Golf cart drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs while driving
• Golf carts colliding with pedestrians
• Golf carts colliding with motor vehicles

The report found that children were at a higher risk of falling or jumping off a golf cart than adults. Injuries from falling off of a golf cart were over twice as likely to cause neck or head injuries and over six times as likely to cause a concussion than other injury causes. New golf carts can reach 25 miles per hour speeds; however, many of the same safety regulations that apply to motor vehicles do not apply to golf carts. Golf cart accidents can result in several types of injuries, such as:

• Soft tissue damage
• Concussions
• Head injuries
• Lacerations to the hands and feet
• Arm and hand fractures
• Internal bleeding
• Internal organ damage
• Cuts to the head and neck
• Neck and back injuries

In North Carolina, successful personal injury plaintiffs must demonstrate that someone's negligent or reckless actions caused their injuries. If a golf cart driver's careless driving caused a collision that resulted in your injuries, you might have a right to compensation for your injuries. Successful plaintiffs may be entitled to the following types of compensation:

• The cost of medical bills including surgery, physical therapy, and home health expenses
• An amount for lost past and future wages depending on how long you are unable to work due to your injuries
• An amount for the pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injuries
• Punitive damages in egregious situations in which the defendant acted willfully or with malice

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we understand how difficult it is to recover from golf cart injuries. When we represent clients, we do everything we can to seek compensation for their injuries so that they can get back to their day-to-day lives. Every case is unique and requires a thorough investigation of the facts surrounding the case. Our skilled Charlotte, Monroe and Mooresville personal injury attorneys are ready to help you in your personal injury claim. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation.