Car Accident US92 in Lakeland April 2020

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A teenage passenger died in a car accident on E. Memorial Blvd. at Holly Road in Lakeland, Florida on April 1, 2020. The accident happened at approximately 12:24 a.m. when a 2002 Honda Accord driven by Jonathan Joel Acosta crossed the center of the roadway and struck a 2017 Jeep Compass driven by Raymond Brian Matt. Matt was traveling westbound on US92 (Memorial Blvd.). Acosta’s passenger, Jose Luis Sanchez, passed away from injuries sustained in the collision.

Legal Help For The Passenger’s Family

Without a doubt, this accident is a tragedy and our deepest condolences go out to the family of Mr. Sanchez. The purpose of this post is to offer direction on where to look for legal rights and benefits that may be available.

The list of possible sources of recovery include:

PIP/No-Fault death benefit of $5,000 (paid from family automobile policy covering the household where Mr. Sanchez lived)
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage on 2002 Honda Accord (see automobile guest statute in Florida)
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage from the adult who signed for Mr. Acosta’s driver license (as a minor, an adult was required to sign for his driver’s license and be jointly and severally liable for damage)
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (see automobile insurance policy covering the household where Mr. Sanchez lived, however, UM is optional coverage)

Further, the family should be careful about signing releases until all of the potential sources of recovery have been examined and whether a probate is required under the wrongful death statute.