Sometimes, a driver’s negligence causes the death of his or her passenger. When this happens, there could be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. Such action might follow a recent crash that involved three vehicles on U.S. Highway 98 in Florida.
A report by the Florida Highway Patrol indicates that an 86-year-old man in a sedan was westbound on the highway shortly before noon on a recent Tuesday. With him was an 86-year-old passenger — both from another state. The driver of this vehicle apparently attempted to make a left turn onto another road but failed to yield to an oncoming vehicle that was driven by a 22-year-old man. The resulting collision was violent, and the impact caused the first car to spin into the path of an SUV.
Reportedly, the 22-year-old driver of the SUV was uninjured, and the driver of the second vehicle received medical treatment at the accident. However, the two occupants of the first car both suffered critical injuries. They were rushed to a medical facility in the area, and while the driver remained critical the following day, the passenger did not survive.
The surviving family members of the deceased passenger will be entitled to pursue financial relief through the Florida civil justice system. This might be challenging, but the support and guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney can ease the process. A lawyer can help to establish negligence, which is the basis for a wrongful death lawsuit. A successful presentation in the court may lead to a monetary judgment for documented losses such as the expenses related to a funeral and burial, and more.
Source: nwfdailynews.com, “Alabama woman killed in 3-vehicle U.S. 98 crash“, Nov. 8, 2017