Miami joggers hit by sleeping driver, suffer brain injuries

A group of five joggers in training for the Miami marathon faced a serious setback on the morning of Nov. 30. A driver left the roadway and injured three members of the group before overturning a light pole on a causeway near Pelican Harbor. The driver was arrested, and two of the joggers who may have suffered brain injuries were taken by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital. The third jogger appeared to have suffered only minor injuries.

Miami Fire Rescue responded to the accident. They said that the driver of the vehicle had fallen asleep prior to leaving the roadway. One female jogger hit by the car was thrown over the causeway rail into brush below. Both airlifted victims were listed in stable condition at the time of this report, and they were being treated for critical injuries, which were described by police as serious head trauma. Prior to the arrival of emergency personnel, the two uninjured joggers provided assistance to the victims.

The 22-year-old motorist was arrested for failure to produce a valid license. Courts have suspended the individual’s license 13 times. Police did not speculate on further criminal charges against the driver.

Car accidents involving pedestrians present a high risk of serious injury and death. In this case, the two victims with suspected brain injuries and their families may face months or years of medical expenses related to surgery, long-term care and rehabilitation. There may also be the costs of permanent disability, loss of income or career and loss of companionship for any spouses. Following catastrophic car accidents, victims and their families are often too traumatized to take effective action for their financial well-being. An experienced attorney may be able to help them discover their options.

Source: NBC Miami, “3 Joggers Injured in Crash on 79th Street Causeway: Officials“, November 30, 2013