Motorcycle accidents are often serious or even deadly due to the lack of protection a motorcycle provides its rider. A Florida man learned this lesson the hard way after hitting a truck that was crossing an intersection.
The motorcycle accident occurred on the morning of Aug. 7 in Lakeland, Florida. A red truck was crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. when a motorcycle traveling northbound on the same road hit the right side of the truck. Although motorcycles are much smaller than pickup trucks, the force of the motorcycle was so great that that truck rolled over on its side from the impact.
The motorcycle rider, a 39-year-old man from Lakeland, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center to be treated for his injuries. The man, who was wearing a helmet, died about an hour after the accident. The pickup truck driver, a 48-year-old man also from Lakeland, sustained minor injuries from the crash and was treated and released at the accident scene. He was wearing a seatbelt. The Uniform Patrol Division shut down the roadway for about four hours to clean up and investigate the accident.
The question remains: Who was liable for the accident? Was the motorcycle rider driving at an excessive speed or distracted and unable to slow down in time to avoid the crash? Was the pickup truck driver able to see the motorcycle coming before crossing the intersection? These details were not made publicly known, but judging from the impact of the crash, it is likely that the motorcycle rider was breaking traffic laws by traveling at an excessive speed.
What happens now from a legal standpoint? Can the family of the motorcycle rider sue for wrongful death? Can the pickup truck driver sue the motorcycle rider’s family for vehicle damage? Motorcycle accidents can be tricky to handle alone. A personal injury lawyer can help find the evidence needed to prove liability.
Source: The Daily Ridge, “Polk Man Killed In Motorcycle Accident” No author given, Aug. 07, 2013
