Truck Accidents Take a Toll on Florida's Commuters

January 29, 2013 (Press-News.org) Trucks can be dangerous on Florida's roads and streets. Recently, the city of Tampa was considering a settlement in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a child who was seriously injured by a utility truck driven by a city employee.

Child struck by a city truck

In November 2009, a four-year-old was riding his tricycle near his home in unincorporated Hillsborough County. This area receives water service from the city of Tampa, and a meter reader for the city was in the neighborhood to check water meters.

The meter reader was using a city truck and had been out of the truck to check meters and talk with a resident about how the water billing process worked. Before getting into the truck and driving away, the meter reader noticed children playing nearby and told them to move out of the way.

Unfortunately, the city employee and the resident failed to see the four-year-old and the truck struck him, dragging him and his tricycle 13 feet.

The little boy was left with serious injuries to his upper body, right ear and right eye. Three years later, scars remain as a reminder of the accident. Surgeons can repair the scarring but will wait until the boy is older and can cooperate more fully with treatment. If done right now, doctors estimate the surgery would cost about $35,000, a number that will probably increase by the time the surgery is done some years in the future.

An officer who was not as fortunate

Another truck accident a couple of years ago took the life of a veteran police officer working for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department. The well-liked 48-year-old officer was driving his police car in downtown Tampa when it collided with a semitrailer truck at a busy intersection. The driver of the semi survived and insisted that he had the green light at the intersection, but there was no video recording at the intersection to verify his claim.

Legal recourse for truck accident victims

Representatives for the family of the child who was hit by the Tampa meter reader's truck sued the city. The driver has a good record over his 10 years with the city, and police did not cite him for the incident. He has been recognized with outstanding performance evaluations, including his rating for safety.

The lawsuit claims, though, that the driver was negligent, and the city of Tampa was prepared to settle for $65,000.

People who have been injured because of someone else's negligence can contact a Florida attorney for help with a personal injury claim. It may be possible to receive money to cover the cost of medical care and lost income, along with compensation for pain and suffering.

Families of persons who are killed in traffic accidents, like the officer with the Sheriff's Department, can ask a Florida attorney to help them file a claim for wrongful death.

Article provided by Stamatakis + Thalji + Bonanno
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