Who can be sued when a victim falls from a bridge in Tampa?
Some accidents involve bridges and other manmade structures that may cause or contribute to a serious accident. It may be possible to sue those responsible for these structures in some situations.
A fatal car accident happened on a bridge, and the search ended with rescue workers pulling a body out of the water in Tampa Bay.
SUV and body are removed from Tampa Bay after crash
Police believe that the incident began with an SUV driving recklessly on the Howard Frankland Bridge. The vehicle was going southbound at about 7:30 am, changed lanes multiple times, and hit a Ford pickup truck at a high rate of speed. The impact caused the SUV to flip over multiple times and go into the water below. A rescue crew responded to the scene with boats and also checked the driver of the pickup truck, who did not sustain any serious injuries. Initially, the St. Petersburg based fire rescue crew found the SUV without a body inside and it was removed with a large crane. Later that day, the Florida Highway Patrol released a statement that they found the body of a 53 year old male from Tampa. The crash was still being investigated further.
Who is responsible for the accident?
A single cause of the accident in the story above was not identified, but in situations such as this, there can be multiple parties who are potentially liable. This includes other drivers nearby who were involved in the crash, the manufacturer of the victim’s vehicle, and the city or other government entity that built and maintains the bridge. If the government responsible for the structure knew of dangerous conditions or other similar accidents and did not fix the situation before an injury occurred, they can be held responsible in a negligence case.
Attaching multiple parties to a civil lawsuit
When a civil personal injury lawsuit begins, sometimes all of these parties are attached and they either settle out claims against them or accusations against them may be dismissed if evidence uncovered exonerates them. This is especially true in cases like the news story above where a one cause of the accident or clear indication of fault cannot be made at the start of the case.
Wrongful death claims
When accidents end in death, the family still has options for receiving expenses related to things like a funeral and burial, or medical expenses immediately following the incident. An attorney can file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the deceased person with a spouse, children, or other party who was dependent on the victim for financial support. However, there are also shorter statutes of limitations on these claims, so it is important to speak with an attorney soon after learning about the death of a family member.
Talk to lawyers in your city about the possibility of a lawsuit
For expert help after any kind of accident near Tampa and surrounding parts of Florida, contact Larson Johnson Trial Attorneys. Over the years, they have helped victims of various injuries claim millions of dollars worth of damages.
