Large transportation vehicles like buses can cause serious injuries to multiple people when an accident occurs. If any of these injuries prove to be fatal, there are special remedies available to the surviving family members through a wrongful death lawsuit. Because wrongful death cases are slightly different from other injury cases, you should have an attorney thoroughly explain the state’s wrongful death statute to you.
A school bus accident took the life of a 15 year old girl in Palm Beach County in the suburbs outside of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Police respond to find young girl was hit in the crosswalk in a suburban area
Sheriff’s deputies first responded to the area of Haverhill Road’s 1700 block at about 6:30 am on a school day. Their investigation and report detailed the facts leading up to the accident. The school bus driver claimed to have a green light to make a right turn onto Haverhill Road. Around the same time, the light was changing for traffic in the opposite direction. The victim started to enter the crosswalk at the intersection, which is where she was struck by the front end of the bus. Fire rescue believes that after the initial impact, the victim was trapped under the bus and her body was dragged for a small distance.
The victim was rushed to St. Mary’s Medical Center to be treated in the trauma unit, but she succumbed to her injuries shortly afterward.
The family of the victim confirmed that the crash happened just days before her 16th birthday. She was a student in the 10th grade at Inlet Grove Community High School, located in Riviera Beach. She was also enrolled in a medical program at the school. Her mother remembered her as a fun and joyful person. Her uncle also added that she always had a great sense of humor about pretty much everything. The family had planned a vigil for her later in the same week.
Her school principal was going to make grief counselors available for any other students at the school who may need their services. Because the campus is fairly small, most of the students knew each other very well. All of the students’ parents were notified about the incident, and told the staff would be available to help in any manner possible.
No one else was harmed during the incident aside from the one victim. The name of the bus driver was released to the public, but it is unknown if he will face any criminal penalties or receive any traffic citations for his role in the accident. There was also no information released regarding whether the family was considering legal action against the driver.
Accidents that result in the death of one or more victims
When a transportation company that owns buses or other vehicles is responsible for a person’s death, the victim’s family can file a wrongful death lawsuit with the assistance of a personal injury lawyer. This can be done whether or not the driver responsible is charged criminally or convicted for their actions.
Wrongful death claims are so important for a family because they can receive compensation related to the victim’s funeral and burial costs, future lost wages, hospitalization and medical treatment, and the value of any other services they provided. The sum of all of these amounts can be quite large, especially if the victim was young or had high earning potential. The state of Florida regulates who can file a wrongful death lawsuit, and the statute of limitations for filing such a case is relatively short. This means that it is best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after a fatal motor vehicle accident.
What exactly will your attorney do to help you receive compensation?
The first thing to do is discuss the situation thoroughly with your lawyer. You should receive a basic overview of how the process will work and either accept or decline their services for representation for this particular incident. Lawyers cannot guarantee a certain outcome or that a client will receive a certain sum of money. However, most civil attorneys work on a contingent fee, where a client does not pay the attorney unless they win the case.
If you agree to let them handle your case, they will file the initial complaint in the local court. This document lists the plaintiff, the defendant, a brief statement of facts regarding what happened and why the defendant is responsible, along with a monetary amount that is meant to compensate the plaintiff for all of these losses.
Consult with an attorney to determine if you should file a lawsuit
To talk to a local lawyer after an accident in the West Palm Beach area, contact Smith and Vanture. They serve the citizens of south Florida with superior legal representation after all kinds of motor vehicle incidents.