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Fatal Vehicle/Pedestrian Crash in St. Lucie County

A teenage boy who had just moved with his family from Fort Lauderdale to Port St. Lucie was killed in a pedestrian/vehicle crash.

Lucie County Sheriff’s deputies said the wreck occurred near the intersection of Southwest Apricot Road and Southwest Rosser Boulevard. According to his mother, the 16-year-old boy left his home to walk to a neighborhood fast-food restaurant; about an hour later, a passing motorist hit the victim while he was standing near a median. The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital and later to a regional medical center, where he was subsequently pronounced dead.

The driver, who showed no signs of impairment, called 911 immediately after the incident and remained at the scene.

Damages in a Car Crash

Florida is a no-fault auto insurance state, so in cases that involve mainly property damage with very little physical injury, victims may file claims with their own insurance companies for economic losses, such as property damage and lost wages.

However, if the crash involved a serious injury, victims are also entitled to compensation for their noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium (companionship), and loss of enjoyment in life. Section 627.737 of the Florida Statutes classifies “serious” injury as:

  • Permanent: The statute uses the phrase “Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability,” but does not define these words. Therefore, it is up to the treating physician or other medical expert to establish permanent injury. Bear in mind that there is a difference between “permanent” and “complete,” so a 10 percent loss of mobility in a knee or elbow can be a permanent injury.
  • Disfigurement: Juries sometimes award women more money than men for facial scars and other disfiguring marks.
  • Death: Some victims linger for months or even decades before they succumb to their injuries.

A number of motor vehicle crashes, such as ones that involve motorcycles, taxicabs, and some uninsured motorists, are automatically exempt from the no-fault law.

Reach Out to Zealous Attorneys

Car crash victims are often entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an aggressive personal injury attorney in Port St. Lucie, contact Eighmie Law Firm, P.A. Home and hospital visits are available.

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