Car Crashes into Parked Semi-Truck, Leaving Two Floridians Dead

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on August 13, 2018

Two people from Lakeland were killed Sunday during an auto accident that occurred on Interstate 75. According to the police report, the accident happened when a vehicle driven by a 26-year-old Lakeland female was driving southbound in the right hand lane of the interstate. Near Mile Marker 396, the vehicle suddenly veered out of the right lane and into a semi-truck parked in the right emergency lane. The car then ricocheted off the semi, crashing head-on into a tree.

Both the driver and an eight-year-old passenger were killed.

Although what caused the driver to veer into the emergency lane is not yet known, police say they that the crash was not alcohol or drug related.

At first glance, it would seem that the driver of the vehicle was at fault, thus there would be very little room for her surviving family to seek compensation for their loss (via Florida’s wrongful death suit). However, one would need to learn more about the semi-truck parked in the emergency lane. For instance, did the truck take proper precautions to ensure that other motorist would see them in the emergency lane, such as have their hazards on and laying out orange cones behind it? If not, then one could make the case that the drivers of the semi-truck or, more likely, the company that owns the semi-truck, were partially responsible for the accident and the resulting deaths. Or perhaps the vehicle in front of the car suddenly slammed on their breaks, forcing the 26-year-old driver to swerve into the emergency lane. If so, perhaps the driver of the other vehicle had acted negligently, in which case he or she could be held (partially) responsible for the accident.

It is exactly because of complexities like these that you should always seek the advice of an experienced Orlando car accident attorney. No matter how minor an accident, or whether or not you think it was your fault, an attorney will be able to review the facts and the evidence to see if you have a claim. To learn more, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.