A bizarre and alarming car accident in a popular Villages shopping area is another reminder of the risk posed when drivers lose control of their vehicles.
Three pedestrians were hit on a sidewalk in front of Salon Jaylee in the Southern Trace Plaza in March. Three pedestrians, including one woman who was knocked into the salon’s front window, were sent to the hospital with serious injuries, according to Click Orlando.
Police say the accident happened when 55-year-old Steven Read experienced a “medical episode” and lost control of the vehicle. The car went up on a nearby sidewalk and struck several planters, sending debris flying into the air, before colliding with a parked car and a cement barrier in front of the salon.
Read, who made local news headlines in 2018 when he was arrested following an argument at a Guy Fieri’s restaurant in Lake Sumter Landing, was also taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. He was not ticketed for the accident. Police officers did not give details of the medical episode blamed for the crash.
As the Southern Trace Plaza accident shows, car crashes can and do happen. Everyone nearby is at risk in the event of a collision, even pedestrians who are not in a vehicle at the time.
Florida law gives people injured in car crashes the right to seek compensation from those responsible for the accident. That may be a negligent driver and his or her employer, a defective car manufacturer or a road crew that leaves driving areas in hazardous condition.
The money damages typically available for car accident victims includes compensation for related medical bills, missed wages while recuperating, property damage and pain and suffering. In the tragic situation in which a person is killed in an accident, his or her family can seek similar compensation for wrongful death.
To get that compensation, you typically have to prove that the person responsible for the crash was negligent. Car accident cases raise a number of legal and factual questions that can make or break the case. That is why it is vital to have legal guidance available to you to ensure you pursue all potential claims based on the specific circumstances of your case.
There are three primary actions you need to take immediately after an accident: Make note of the accident scene (which includes calling the authorities, taking pictures of the vehicles involved and the area in general and talking with witnesses); seek medical attention if you or anyone in your vehicle is hurt; and pack your patience and be persistent, as resolving accident cases can take a fair amount of time.
Undoubtedly, insurance adjusters will attempt to get you to take the first so-called “best offer” which will likely be a low-ball amount of money to get you to go away. But you do not have to settle for that. With proper legal assistance, you can obtain the most compensation possible from all potential parties.
