Wrong-Way Crash In Tampa Seriously Injures Three People

When a southbound driver inexplicably crossed over to the northbound side of McMullen Booth Road, the ensuing wreck seriously injured three people.

Few details were available about this wreck, which happened near the Curlew Road intersection. According to investigators, a southbound Tampa woman jumped a median onto the northbound side, where she collided with a driver from Clearwater almost head-on. Both drivers were seriously injured, as was a passenger in one vehicle.

The passenger, who was airlifted to a nearby hospital, did not survive.

Car Crash Injuries and Medical Bills

WHen emergency responders airlift victims to hospitals, their injuries are obviously quite serious. However, some of the most serious car wreck injuries aren’t always the most apparent ones.

Whiplash is a good example. The violent motion of a car wreck causes the neck to snap side to side, or back and forth, much like a cracking whip. This movement always affects the nerves in the neck, and often affects them quite severely.

However, whiplash’s initial symptoms, such as neck pain, are easy to dismiss as shock or soreness from the accident. Since this injury doesn’t show up on many diagnostic tests, the seeming lack of evidence confirms the doctor’s initial suspicions. So, these victims often don’t get the treatment they need.

Whiplash quickly gets worse. The neck pain gets worse and soon radiates down the arms. If left untreated, whiplash could cause paralysis.

Injuries like this one underscore the need to speak with a Tampa personal injury attorney as soon as possible after a vehicle collision. Attorneys can connect victims with doctors who focus on injury-related issues, like whiplash. So, these professionals know how to diagnose and treat these conditions. An attorney also carefully yet quickly evaluates your claim. More on that below.

Medical bills are not limited to diagnosis and treatment matters. We mentioned airlifting above. Frequently, a brief helicopter flight from an accident scene to a trauma center could exceed $40,000. That amount could exceed the doctor bills in many cases.

Compensation is available for all these economic losses. Victims also deserve compensation for their noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Fault vs. Liability

Insurance adjusters and emergency responders almost always fault wrong-way drivers in wrong-way collisions. This initial determination is based solely on the evidence available at the scene. A subsequent investigation often changes this situation. Liability is a final determination based on all the available evidence.

Mechanical problems are a good example. These issues often cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. That’s especially true if a car jumps a curb or, in the above story, a median. Steering issues and tire blow-outs are among the most common such defects. Usually, these defects are well-concealed. A routine inspection, even from a state inspector or other professional, might not detect such problems.

Typically, manufacturers are strictly liable for such defects. The victim/plaintiff must only establish cause. Common types of product defects include:

• Design Defects: Mostly to save money, manufacturers often take shortcuts during the design process. Safety features are often little more than unnecessary costs. Some jurisdictions require proof that the designer rejected a reasonably safe alternative.
• Manufacturing Defect: Many companies use cheap parts or components during the manufacturing process, again to save money. In other cases, the manufacturer ignores an issue on the assembly line, like a machine which does not punch a hole all the way through a sheet of metal.

In addition to the compensatory damages mentioned above, juries often award punitive damages in products liability cases. These damages are available if there is clear and convincing evidence that the company intentionally disregarded a known risk.

Connect with a Thorough Hillsborough County Lawyer

Car crash victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Tampa car accident lawyer, contact Mark H. Wright, PLLC. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.

Resource:

iontb.com/two-critically-injured-in-crash-on-mcmullen-booth-road/