Woman Run Over By a Truck and Recovery Possibly Limited by Florida Law
A woman was run over by a vehicle while she was sunbathing, and now she is filing a lawsuit to be compensated for her injuries. The car accident occurred in July 2011 while the woman was sunbathing at Daytona Beach. She was injured when she was run over by a truck that was being driven by a lifeguard. The truck ran over her head, fracturing her eye sockets and causing permanent paralysis in her face. It is unclear how long it will take for these injuries to heal, but it is expected to be a long recovery process that could ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
Another Woman Run Over by a Police Officer While Sunbathing
This is not the first time that a woman has sustained serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle while sunbathing at a Florida beach. Another woman was struck by a vehicle in May 2009. In that case, a police officer attempted a U-turn and accidentally drove over her. As onlookers shouted at the police officer driving the vehicle, he turned the car around and ran over her again. The victim described the scary ordeal to a news agency, “It rolled over me, and then it came back again. And my thought was, oh no it’s coming again.” This woman was a musical prodigy who had played piano since she was three and performed as a soloist with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Although she could do very little in the 8 months following the accident, she eventually made a full recovery.
Recovery for These Serious Injuries May be Limited by Florida Law
The woman injured in the May 2009 accident suffered many serious injuries, including a fractured vertebra, a fractured pelvis, broken ribs, a deep puncture wound in her lower back, cuts and abrasions, and a head injury that she compares to “being scalped.” Despite the seriousness of the injuries, these women will likely be unable to recover more than $100,000 because of a Florida law that limits recovery of damages from government agencies. In order for a victim to be awarded more than $100,000, the payout would need to be approved by the Florida legislature. For that reason, there is a lot of interest in the more recent lawsuit being brought by the woman who was injured in Daytona Beach. Her injuries were much more extensive and long lasting, so it will be interesting to see if she will be able to recover more than the $100,000 cap that was imposed by the legislature. Regardless, she will likely be able to recover $100,000, which will help pay for her hospital bills and future medical care.
If you have suffered injuries as a result of being hit by a car, you should contact the personal injury attorneys at West Palm Beach based Pike & Lustig, LLP who can help you seek the compensation that you are legally entitled to receive.
