Jacksonville Man Who Lost Family In Buckman Bridge Crash Files $10 Million Lawsuit
A Navy corpsman who lost his wife and three children in a fiery automobile crash with an 18 wheeler last March recently filed a $10 million lawsuit against the driver, GM, and the shop which serviced the family’s SUV. The plaintiff’s lawyer hopes the lawsuit will serve as justice for the family and a deterrent to careless drivers on the road.
In March 2015, the family’s SUV became disabled on the Buckman bridge after the drive shaft broke. While stuck on the bridge, an 18 wheeler driven by a driver distracted on his phone careened into the SUV. All four occupants inside lost their lives that day.
While the state’s lawyer cited the truck driver with careless driving, the office declined to press criminal charges after reviewing the State Police report on the accident. Investigators could not find cause to charge the driver with criminal negligence.
The civil lawsuit filed by the family patriarch alleges the driver was unfit to operate a tractor-trailer since he tested positive for a controlled substance and failed to complete a substance abuse program. The claim further alleges carelessness on the part of the driver for driving in the left-hand lane and failing to see the disabled vehicle.
Also named in the suit are GM for designing and selling a defectively made vehicle and the service shop to which the family brought their SUV. The suit alleges the service shop should have spotted the dangerous condition the vehicle’s drive shaft was in and that failure was imminent.
Despite the loss of his family, the plaintiff remains in good spirits after an outpour of support from the Jacksonville community. A crowdsourced campaign raised tens of thousands of dollars for the man following the tragic accident. While The Pendas Law Firm is not representing any of the parties in this particular case, our office routinely represents the legal interests of auto accident victims.
Florida auto accident lawsuits
The law requires all of us to drive safely and refrain from putting those around us at undue risk. Drivers must take reasonable steps to ensure they follow the law and do not cause an accident. Unfortunately, accidents are often unavoidable and victims are injured.
Furthermore, vehicle manufacturers must not knowingly design or manufacture cars, trucks, buses, or motorcycles that may be defective. Auto makers and repair shops can be held liable for their failures to keep drivers, passengers, and pedestrians safe.
Auto accident victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for their injuries including lost wages, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other damages. Auto accidents can have devastating financial impacts on car crash victims but the law does give them redress to seek compensation to be made whole again.
Contact The Pendas Law Firm today
The auto accident lawyers of The Pendas Law Firm have years of experience handling claims on behalf of injured victims and their families. Our lawyers represent clients in the Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach areas. Contact us for a consultation about your case.
