Stolen Car Crashes into Pole in Orange County

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on March 23, 2018

After stealing a car in Orange County, Florida, the driver lost control and crashed into a pole. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the fatal crash happened early Thursday morning. The driver of the stolen 2010 Kia had exited the Florida Turnpike and started traveling northbound on Orange Blossom Trail near Landstreet Road. For unknown reasons, he lost control of the vehicle, left the road and crashed into a nearby pole. Presumably driving at a high rate of speed, the impact split the vehicle into two pieces.

Upon impact, two passengers, neither of whom were wearing seatbelts, were thrown from the car. The driver and one passenger, a 17-year-old male from Orlando, were pronounced dead at the scene. A second passenger, a 19-year-old male, was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment of what FHP are calling serious injuries. The identity of the driver remains unknown and FHP continues to investigate the accident.

Although tragic, it is extremely lucky that nobody else what hurt – or killed – as a result of this driver’s recklessness. If someone else what injured, then they would have the right to seek compensation for their injuries by filing a Florida personal injury lawsuit. However, because the driver was killed in the incident, the lawsuit would be filed against the deceased’s estate. The injured could seek compensation for their medical bills, future medical treatment, damage to the car, loss of income and future loss of income.

Going back to the case at hand, the two passengers could seek compensation for their injuries by suing the driver’s estate. For the passenger with serious injuries, he could do this directly. For the deceased passenger, the lawsuit would have to be filed by any surviving family members via what is called the Florida Wrongful Death Statute. That being said, however, neither passenger would likely recover much in terms of damages – if any at all. This is because their own acts of negligence contributed to their injuries or death. For example, neither was wearing a seatbelt and both participated in the stealing of the vehicle.

To learn more about Florida’s personal injury laws and how they could impact the compensation you get for your Orlando motor vehicle accident, 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.