Teenage Passenger in SUV Killed in Accident on Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida
An SUV was driving on the Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida last week when the driver hit a tow truck that had stopped for slowing traffic, according to an article on Firstcoastnews.com. The 16 year old passenger in the SUV was killed in the crash.
According to the article, the crash was caused when the SUV driver failed to stop for traffic on the Buckman Bridge and crashed into the back of the tow truck. The accident occurred at rush hour when motorists are supposed to be on alert for slowing or stopped traffic, particularly on the Buckman Bridge. One issue that arises from such an accident is whether the family of the deceased passenger can make a claim against the driver of the vehicle in which she was riding. The answer is yes. A passenger, or in a wrongful death case that passenger's family, can make a claim against the driver of the vehicle in which he/she was riding if that driver was negligent in causing the crash. Also, in Florida, the deceased passenger's family can also make a claim against the owner of the SUV if the owner is different from the driver. If one or both of those individuals do not have sufficient insurance to cover the death of a young girl due to negligent driving, a third alternative would be for the deceased passenger's family to make a claim against the passenger's own insurance company for uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits.
In a tragic accident such as this involving the death of a young girl, it is important to identify all possible insurance policies that may cover the victim's family for the crash. I have referenced a few insurance policies that likely apply to an accident such as this, but there could be more. If you or a family member has been involved in a serious accident and you have questions about the insurance policies that are available, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
