Earlier this month in Dade City, a tragic accident took the life of a 17-year-old high-school student after she was in a vehicle that collided head-on with another oncoming vehicle. According a report by the Tampa Bay Times, the accident occurred on Smith Road around 11:30 in the morning.
Reports state the high-school student was in the car with her boyfriend, who was driving at the time. The two were running errands when her boyfriend swerved out of his lane to avoid an oncoming car. As he did so, he lost control of his own vehicle, which then left the roadway and eventually crashed into several nearby trees before coming to a rest.
Both of the teenagers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident. However, the young girl sustained serious injuries in the accident that resulted in too much pressure being applied to her brain. She was flown to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. However, she sadly passed away from her injuries a short time later. Her boyfriend was taken to the hospital with a broken arm and is expected to fully recover.
At the time of the article’s publication, police had not yet filed criminal charges against either of the drivers, and they did not believe that drugs or alcohol were involved in the fatal accident. However, the accident is still under investigation, and charges may still be filed.
Civil Lawsuits Based on Negligent Driving
While there are still some unknowns surrounding the tragic death of the 17-year-old girl, as a passenger in the car that was struck head-on, it is not likely that she was at all at fault in the accident. In fact, in most cases there will always be some unknowns. This does not necessarily prevent an accident victim or their family from recovering for their injuries. Judges and juries are permitted to find liability based on circumstantial evidence.
Circumstantial evidence is evidence that that relies on an inference in order to get to the ultimate conclusion. In other words, it is not direct evidence, but it instead allows the trier of fact (in this case, the judge or jury) to connect the dots on their own. For example, if a car inexplicably veers into oncoming traffic, that may be circumstantial evidence that the driver was asleep, distracted, or otherwise negligently operating the vehicle. While one’s instinct may suggest that direct evidence is more persuasive than circumstantial evidence, that is not necessarily the case. Many Florida personal injury cases are successful based only on circumstantial evidence.
Have You Been Involved in a Serious Florida Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in a serious or fatal Florida car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation based on the other driver’s negligence. Proving a case of negligence in a Florida court can be difficult, however, since the opposing party will likely fight the case, trying to expose any potential weakness. Therefore, it is advised that you speak to a dedicated Florida personal injury attorney before you proceed with your case. Call 352-387-8700 to set up a free initial consultation with an experienced attorney today.
More Blog Posts:
Tragic Florida Van Accident Claims 8 Lives, Injures 10 Others, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published April 3, 2015.
Florida’s “2 Drunk 2 Care” Driver Pleads Guilty to DUI Manslaughter in Fatal Crash, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published March 3, 2015.