What Loved Ones Can Do After a Fatal Tampa Car Accident

June 06, 2011

What Loved Ones Can Do After a Fatal Tampa Car Accident

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, there were many car accidents and tragically, some were fatal car accidents. In one accident, a St. Petersburg motorcyclist was killed when a passing driver didn't see him. The 58-year-old truck driver crossed over into the lane where the 30-year-old motorcyclist was riding. The motorcyclist was transported to Tampa General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

It appears that the motorcyclist tried to avoid the accident by laying his bike down, but he struck the left side of the truck. The police investigation into the Tampa car accident is ongoing to determine whether other influences contributed to the crash.

Sadly, this scene is relatively common in Florida. In 2009, 2,563 families endured the same heartbreak of losing a loved one in a fatal car accident. Nearly 200,000 other people were also involved in Florida automobile accidents in 2009. Even if you feel that you and your loved ones drive safely, you can't always count on drivers. It's often negligence or recklessness that causes fatal car accidents.

What Should I Do After a Loved One Was Killed in a Car Accident?

It's important to understand what to do when a loved one is seriously injured or killed in a car accident. For families, the question following the accident is often: What's next? While funeral arrangements and end-of-life proceedings take precedence, the family of a fatal car accident victim has options to recover all of the expenses lost in an accident caused by negligence.

Understanding the accident is as important as preserving information and evidence tied to the accident. To understand the accident, the family may need to reach out to the Florida Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies that investigated the accident to further determine the cause. The state often relies on skilled accident reconstructionists to help determine the cause of a fatal accident. This information is critical to understanding what caused the accident.

If the family suspects that negligence caused the crash, they may want to reach out to a Tampa wrongful death lawyer. An attorney who has handled car accidents in Tampa would be able to guide the family through the legal process after a fatal crash. If the at-fault driver was distracted or under the influence of drugs or alcohol or acted recklessly, the state may pursue criminal charges against him or her.

For the family, this can be a difficult time, rehashing the details of the accident. A knowledgeable injury lawyer can counsel the family on steps in the criminal procedure, which is separate from the civil proceeding, so the family better understands the legal processes involved.

Filing a civil wrongful death suit won't bring back a loved one, but it may provide financial compensation to allow the family to grieve without worrying about money, regardless of the outcome of any criminal proceedings. Wrongful death compensation in Florida includes the following types of damages:
-Lost wages, earnings and future support
-Medical bills
-Funeral expenses
-Pain and suffering

A spouse may also recover additional compensation, including loss of companionship, loss of protection and mental anguish damages. If the victim was not married, the parent or child of the victim may be able to recover for mental anguish damages as well.

Have Questions? A Car Accident Attorney Can Help

Any car accident, no matter what the result, is a difficult situation. It can be frightening and extremely complicated to understand the steps after an accident. Having an attorney advocate for the family can help alleviate some of the stress surrounding a fatal car accident. For more information about a wrongful death suit, contact a Tampa car accident attorney.

Article provided by Mitchell Lloyd Feldman, Esq.
Visit us at www.fightfortheinjured.com