Four Injured When Car Hits Toll Booth on Florida Turnpike

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 4, 2018

On Sunday a vehicle crashed into a toll plaza while driving on the Florida turnpike. The accident happened in the northbound lane at mile marker 236 near Saint Cloud. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the vehicle hit a protective barrier that surrounds the toll both. Upon impact, the car caught on fire. All four of the vehicle’s occupants were taken to local hospitals for treatment of serious, if not critical, injuries.

Although the accident remains under investigation and little facts as to its cause are known, the accident could result in numerous lawsuits. First, the state could file suit against the driver for damage to state property. Furthermore, the three injured occupants could file lawsuits for personal injury. Doing so, however, would require that they be able to show that the driver had acted negligently and that this negligence is what caused the car to crash into the toll booth. Common examples of negligent driving include:

• Speeding
• Driving while intoxicated
• Driving while distracted (i.e., texting)
• Driving while drowsy

If the driver was in fact negligent, and this negligent caused the passengers’ injuries, then each could file a lawsuit seeking compensation for their injuries. This compensation can be used to cover such damages as:

• Past and future medical expenses, including:
  • Physical and/or cognitive therapy
  • Ambulance fees
  • Consultations with doctors and other healthcare professionals
  • Devices like crutches and wheelchairs
  • Disfigurement
  • Permanent disability
  • In-home services
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of wages (including future loss of wages)
• Loss of affection

However, if any of the passengers somehow contributed to their own injuries, then their ability to receive compensation will be limited. For example, let’s say one of the occupants was not wearing his or her seatbelt. If it can be shown that had they been wearing their seatbelt their injuries would have been 50% less severe, than a court will reduce the amount of compensation they received by half.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a Florida car accident, you have the right to compensation. 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.