Multi-vehicle crash in Miami kills elderly woman

A horrific crash at a Miami intersection took the life of an elderly woman and sent a number of people to local hospitals recently. The accident happened when a dump truck from the city public works department rear-ended a taxi cab that was waiting at a stoplight. The cab was thrown about 50 feet by the force of the impact. Eight other vehicles, including two buses, were also hit. The woman who died was a passenger in the back seat of the taxi. The taxi driver suffered critical injuries.

When confronted with the loss of a loved one in a fatal accident, grieving family members are often left with a lot of questions, as well as a desire to seek justice. If the accident was the result of another person’s negligence, the family has the right under Florida law to seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. Damages can include loss of support, loss of companionship and funeral expenses for the deceased.

When the negligent party was driving for their employer at the time of the crash, the employer can also be held liable under a legal theory known as respondeat superior. Under this theory employers are responsible for the acts of their employees while on the job, as long as the employee was acting within the scope of the person’s employment duties at the time.

A wrongful death lawsuit is a serious step for a family to take and requires careful consideration. People should understand their legal right when a loved one is killed.

Source: wgntv.com, “Startling video shows fatal, mass casualty wreck at Miami intersection,” April 8, 2016