Although they may know their driver very well and trust his or her driving abilities, people in Florida and elsewhere who choose to ride with someone else essentially place their lives in the hands of another. Motor vehicle accidents can happen for any number of reasons, and when a trusted driver breaks that trust and chooses to drive negligently or recklessly, it places all passengers in the vehicle in jeopardy. Such may have been the case that caused a fatal single-vehicle accident in Lake County.
Details concerning the accident
Sometime on Wednesday, June 8, a white Dodge Durango was heading south along County Road 561. Although speeding was not mentioned in the report, for some reason, the 24-year-old driver of the SUV could not negotiate a right-hand curve and lost control. The SUV left the road and slid along the grass shoulder before striking a tree.
The driver along with three passengers were in the SUV. One of the passengers was a 5-year-old girl, and the others were a 23-year-old woman and 48-year-old man. All occupants of the SUV died at the scene. The report state that none of the adults in the SUV were wearing seat belts, and the child was not properly restrained. The accident is still under investigation.
Obtaining compensation
As tragic as this crash is, it is made even more tragic since it was probably preventable. Moreover, even if the accident was inevitable, the victims may have not suffered fatal injuries had they been properly restrained in the vehicle. Regardless, if the evidence suggests the driver was negligent or reckless and those actions directly led to the crash, the surviving family members of the deceased victims can pursue wrongful death claims against the deceased driver’s estate. Due to the complexities involved, affected parties will want to work closely with an experienced personal injury attorney in Florida to increase their chances of obtaining a successful outcome.