Woman charged, sued after accident killed 3, injured others

On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 4, 2014.

After a deadly crash in Bradenton, Florida, a Manatee County woman has had her driver’s license suspended for one year and faces other penalties. The accident, which occurred back in February, took the lives of three people and injured four.

The accident occurred when a 79-year-old woman driving an SUV backed into a group of people after accidentally stepping on her accelerator instead of her brake. The charge against the woman ended up as improperly backing up, to which she pleaded no contest. As a result of that charge, she’ll have her license suspended for one year and pay a $1,000 fine.

Civil litigation in connection to the incident is apparently pending, though sources didn’t provide any further details. In such a case, it would not be surprising if surviving family members filed wrongful death claims against the woman.

Unlike with criminal charges, one does not have to have had a malicious intent to be taken to court. All it takes is a showing of negligence. In this case, the woman was did not exercise a reasonable degree of caution in backing up her vehicle, and she killed three people as a result. The surviving family members of the victims and the victims who suffered injuries have a right to be compensated for their losses, pain and suffering.

Those who have been harmed in a traffic accident should do everything possible to work with an attorney experienced in the area. This will ensure that they have the best possible opportunity for a good outcome in their case.