Crash Brings an End to North Miami Joyride

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on January 11, 2017

When police officers responded to a report of a stolen car in North Miami, what they found was the vehicle crashed into a tree – with an injured 10 year old passenger inside. What’s more, as the police approached, the driver took off running. The driver was also 14 years old. The teenage boy, who was later caught, was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He readily admitted to crashing the car and has been arrested and charged with grand theft and leaving the scene of a crash with injuries.

The 10 year old boy was airlifted to a nearby hospital and his condition remains unknown. He has been charged with a misdemeanor.

It is unclear if anyone else was involved with the incident.

It is lucky that nobody else was hurt, as the combination of a stolen car and underage drivers could be a recipe for disaster. If the joyriding teen had hit and caused damage to a pedestrian or another person, of course the victim would have the right to seek compensation from the perpetrator. But given the fact that a) they were driving a stolen vehicle and b) they were kids, it is unlikely that a victim would be able to recover any financial damages from a law suit. Furthermore, it is not likely that the ‘drivers’ would be insured.

Even though in this particular case no other people besides the driver and passenger were injured, it goes to show the importance of having uninsured motorist coverage (UM coverage). Uninsured motorist coverage is insurance that will pay for any injuries that you suffer if you are ever hit by a driver who does not have adequate insurance – such as joyriding teens driving a stolen vehicle. It is important to note, however, that UM coverage will likely only cover any injuries suffered by your physically and not pay for any damage to your car or other property.

To learn more about how uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance coverage works in Florida, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham, P.A. today and schedule your free initial consultation.

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.