Automobile accidents occur every day all across the country. Most result in property damage and sometimes minor injuries. Some, though, kill people whether because of weather conditions or equipment failures or because a driver is careless or negligent.
This was the case in a recent fatal car accident in the parking lot of a church in Florida. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 79-year-old female driver accidentally sent her car into reverse instead of drive and plowed into a group of pedestrians behind her vehicle. The FHP cited the driver for improper backing. The car collision led to the deaths of three individuals and injured four other people.
In 2011, the driver was involved in a separate incident when she stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes as she was entering a parking space. As a result, her vehicle struck a building and caused significant damage.
In situations like these, injured victims and surviving family members of those killed may be able to file personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against the driver for failure to exercise due caution. Accounts from witnesses and the results of the FHP investigation may be helpful in any out-of-court settlement or lawsuit against the driver deemed responsible for the injuries and deaths.
Both personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits can lead to awards and damages if the plaintiffs are able to prove the negligence of the defendant in court.
In Florida, car accident victims and surviving family members of those killed in car accidents can make the same claims if the accident was caused by another person’s negligence. Legal assistance often makes the biggest difference in winning such cases.
Source: upi.com, “Driver cited in parking lot collision that killed three,” Feb. 6, 2014
