RSSOrange County Crash Leaves Pedestrian Dead
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a pedestrian was killed after being hit by two vehicles in Orange County. The incident happened on Tuesday evening at North Pine Hills Road and White Heron Drive. A Volkswagen heading north on North Pine Hills Road and driven by a 25 year old female hit the pedestrian, who has only been identified as being a male. This impact threw the victim into the southbound lanes, where he was run over by a Chrysler driven by a 34 year old male. No further information was released as an investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
As made clear by this accident, car versus pedestrian accidents are extremely dangerous – and often deadly. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), nearly 5,000 pedestrians die every year in motor vehicle related accidents. These accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, including when a pedestrian attempts to cross a highway or busy road – the most likely cause of this Orange County, Florida accident.
When a pedestrian is injured – or killed – by a vehicle, he or she may be able to recover damages for their injuries. To do so, they most show that the driver’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident. Negligence, a legal term for the failure to do something that a reasonable person in a similar situation would do in order to protect others from a foreseeable risk, is proven by showing that the driver:
- Owed the victim a legal duty
- Failed to fulfill that duty through action (or failure to act)
- Caused an accident or injury
- That the victim was harmed as a result of the accident or injury
Common examples of negligent acts that lead to a pedestrian injury include:
- Driving while distracted
- Speeding
- Failing to stop at a crosswalk
- Disobeying stop signs and traffic lights
- Failure to signal when turning
- Driving recklessly in poor weather or traffic conditions
- Driving while under the influence
Although we do not know the cause of the accident in this Orange County incident, if it is shown that the driver had acted negligently, then the victim’s family could have the right to seek damages in accordance with Florida’s Wrongful Death act.
To learn more about what you can do to get the compensation you deserve, 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.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.