Tallahassee police had little information as they investigated a deadly crash
An investigation after a motor vehicle crash can provide crucial information about who is at fault and other important conclusions regarding how the collision happened.
The Tallahassee police and fire departments responded to the scene of a deadly crash near the intersections of Thomasville and Waverly Roads.
Fatal crash happens at local intersection
The accident first happened at around 5:30 pm, and the local Traffic Homicide Unit was eventually called in to assist with the investigation after the police arrived.
Police had to block off Thomasville Road southbound entirely, and they told drivers to avoid the area if possible. They said the street would be shut down for a while, but did not give a specific timeframe.
Local police had very little information about how the accident happened or how many people were involved, and they were asking the public if there were any witnesses available. They also had a local Crime Stoppers hotline set up for people to leave anonymous tips if necessary.
At the time of the news report, the Florida Highway Patrol said that the investigation was still open and active.
Dealing with a collision when little evidence is available
As with all accidents, it is important to contact both the local police and your insurance company in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Notifying these entities will help start an investigation and determine who is responsible, as well as a legal cause of the crash. These pieces of evidence can be very important at trial or for the process of negotiating a settlement agreement. The police also make their own conclusions which are listed in a formal printed accident report. This documentation may help clear up any uncertainties and can also be useful for taking legal action.
Deadly accidents and civil lawsuits
When someone is killed during a motor vehicle accident, their family can file a wrongful death action in the civil courts. This is independent of any criminal cases that may be brought against the person responsible.
Florida’s wrongful death law is slightly different from every other state, but the general outline of the statute is the same all over the United States. It gives certain surviving family members the authority to bring a case to be compensated for things like medical expenses, the dead person’s future lost income, and funeral and burial expenses. A plaintiff will prevail in a wrongful death case by proving that the party at fault either negligently or recklessly caused the fatal injuries. The structure of this kind of lawsuit is similar to most other civil cases.
Learn more about civil accident lawsuits
There are accident attorneys who can assist you in Tallahassee and nearby areas. To get help from an experienced legal professional, contact Smith and Vanture.
