Eight Vehicle Accident on I-75 November 2019
News EventsNovember 13, 2019. An accident on I-75 near New Tampa Boulevard involved eight vehicles. Five injuries were reported and two deaths.
This accident was reported to have begun as a 2015 Mazda 6 driven by Usman Riaz stopped in the outside lane of I-75 and a semi-truck changed lanes to the center lane to avoid a collision with the Mazda 6. At that point, the semi-truck hit the rear of a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Candice Reetz. After that, secondary collisions with multiple vehicles occurred.
Among the injured is the driver of a 2013 Freightliner, Jason Howard, of Lakeland, Florida. The semi-truck that originally caused the collision struck a pillar for an overhead roadway sign and caught fire with one of the other vehicles involved in the crash.
Advice For The Injured
The first level of insurance for the injured is Florida no-fault insurance. It pays medical bills up to $10,000. Any drivers who were on the job at the time of the collision, including the injured semi-truck driver, will have the additional benefit of workers compensation to cover medical bills and lost income during the time of injury.
No-fault benefits do not need to be repaid from a settlement but workers’ compensation benefits do. This is an important consequence of a potential settlement. What normally happens in a case such as this is that the insurance company for the responsible truck will contact all the potential claimants and ask that they agree to split the policy limits that are available.
Considering that there is a wrongful death involved, an agreement to split the policy limits may be difficult or impossible as the claimants for the decedent may ask for the entire amount. The insurance company’s job thereafter is to prioritize the claims with regard to value and settle as many claims as possible within limits giving consideration to the probable value of each claim.
At that point, other insurance benefits may still come into play. Any uninsured motorist coverage that each driver has will apply as well as workers’ compensation benefits pay a lump sum settlement to any injured worker with a permanent injury.
Get Advice From A Lakeland Truck Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident in Florida, you should talk to a Lakeland truck accident lawyer about what you may be able to recover on your case. We can help you determine the priority of insurance benefits, what benefits must be repaid from a settlement, and ultimately put money in your pocket. Call Russo Law to schedule an appointment today for a free consultation about your case.
