Earlier this month in Jacksonville, a 21-year-old man was driving with two passengers when his vehicle was struck by an AMTRAK train when he attempted to cross a set of railroad tracks while the gate-arms were down. According to one local news source, the accident occurred at around 11 in the morning in the Riverside area of Jacksonville.
Evidently, the young man attempted to cross the tracks while the railroad gate arms were down, but he misjudged the amount of time he would have to cross the tracks. As a result, the train clipped the car as it was crossing the tracks, cutting it in two.
The driver suffered only minor injuries, and the front-seat passenger suffered road-rash and other minor injuries. Both men were released from the hospital the same day. The rear-seat passenger was ejected from the split-in-half vehicle and was taken to the hospital with a cracked vertebrae. She is currently listed in fair condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
The driver of the vehicle was given a ticket for negligent driving for attempting to cross the tracks while the gate-arms were down.
Accidents Caused By Reckless Driving
Thankfully (and somewhat miraculously), no one was seriously hurt in the accident above, but that will not always be the case with this kind of negligent behavior. Each year in Florida, thousands of vehicle accidents are caused because one party was not paying attention or trying to get somewhere in a hurry.
When a driver causes an accident, he may be held accountable by those who were injured due to his negligence. This certainly includes potential victims in other vehicles, but it may also include the victims in the driver’s car at the time of the accident.
It is still early in the investigation, but it seems unlikely that either passenger in the accident discussed above was at fault for the driver deciding to cross the railroad tracks in front of an approaching train. That being the case, they may look to the driver and his insurance company to help them cover their medical bills and other expenses associated with the accident. Injured parties may recover compensation for past medical expenses, future medical care needs, lost wages, and potentially pain and suffering as well. To learn more, contact a dedicated Florida personal injury attorney.
Have You Been Injured in a Florida Accident?
If you or a loved one have recently been involved in any kind of Florida car accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation, even if you were riding in the car with the at-fault driver. Every case is different, and these types of cases in particular are very fact-dependent, meaning that the specific facts of each case determine the case’s ultimate outcome. To learn more, and to speak with a dedicated and experienced attorney, call the Dean Law Firm at 352-387-8700 to set up a free consultation. There is no cost to you unless we are able to recover for you in your case.
More Blog Posts:
Tragic Florida Van Accident Claims 8 Lives, Injures 10 Others, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published April 3, 2015.
Walgreen’s Pharmacy Facing Several Claims of Pharmacy Errors, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published May 18, 2015.