South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
In Florida, the family of Sarasota resident James Brashear is suing Zep Construction for his wrongful death. Brashear is one of two victims that died in a deadly 11-vehicle collision on Interstate-85 last October.
The families of the two men settled their wrongful death claims with the insurer of the semitrailer driver that drove into stopped traffic. Brashear’s family, however, says the Fort Myer’s construction company is liable for his death because its workers did not warn drivers that there was a closed lane on the freeway.
The construction roadblock had stopped traffic and there were no visible signs indicating the delay, which made it a challenge to react to the roadblock and the stopped traffic after driving through the overpass at speeds of 70 mph or greater. A construction supervisor would later tell the media that warning signs intended for the drivers had been moved on the day of the accident.
The deadly motor vehicle crash occurred after the semitrailer ran into Brashear’s car, which was in the stopped traffic. Brashear died from his injuries. His 12-year-old son Tyler sustained a ruptured spleen and other internal injuries from the crash and continues to experience emotional trauma.
Also killed in the truck collision was Miami resident Manuel Ramirez, whose Honda was also struck by the semitrailer. The large truck crashed into a pickup, two cars, and five other vehicles. At least three other people were injured in the crash and have also filed lawsuits against Southeast Logistics, the company that employed Ramirez.
Pablo Merlos, the semitrailer truck driver, never faced criminal charges for the crash because there was no reason that he should have expected there to be a roadblock on the other side of the overpass. He was, however, been charged with careless driving.
Brashear’s family also plans to sue the state of Florida, since the construction company was working on a project for the state when the truck accident happened.
If you were injured or someone you love died in a traffic collision, an experienced South Florida motor vehicle crash law firm can help you explore all avenues of recovery. There may be more than one party that can be held liable for your injuries.
Fatal I-75 crash leads to lawsuit, Heraldtribune.com, August 21, 2008
Roadblock Blamed In Fatal I-75 Pileup, 2TBO.com, October 2, 2007
Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Zep Construction, Manta.com