Motorcyclists will always be at a higher risk of suffering catastrophic injuries when they are involved in crashes with motor vehicles. While drivers in enclosed vehicles have the structure of the bodies, safety belts and airbags to protect them, bikers have only helmets and some have protective clothing — often not enough to save lives in a serious crash. A recent motorcycle vs. bus accident in Florida might lead to a wrongful death claim.
Troopers in Lee County continued the investigation of the accident, but a preliminary accident report indicates the crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on a recent Wednesday. The Florida Highway Patrol says the 59-year-old driver of a LeeTran bus was on U.S. 41, heading south. As he approached a shopping center, he proceeded to turn left into the parking lot.
He might have made his turn without checking for oncoming traffic because he failed to notice a northbound motorcyclist. He pulled directly into the path of the bike. The right rear side of the bus was where the motorcycle smashed into it. The biker — a 29-year-old man — died at the crash scene.
Even though no criminal charges were filed against the driver of the bus immediately after the accident, the surviving family members of the deceased biker are free to pursue recovery of monetary damages. If they decide to file a wrongful death lawsuit in a Florida civil court, they will have to establish negligence on the part of the bus driver. Families in similar circumstances typically choose to utilize the services of experienced wrongful death attorneys to navigate claims for them. In a case such as this one, the owner of the bus may also be added as a defendant.
Source: fox4now.com, “Fatal crash between county bus and motorcyclist under investigation“, Scott Marcusky, Aug. 3, 2017