• 29
  • December
    2011

The Florida Highway Patrol has reported that the motorcyclist injured in a Weirsdale motorcycle accident on December 14th has died. He is the 64th person killed in Marion County motor vehicle accidents this year. This is a drop from last year's death rate - there were 73 traffic deaths in Marion County in 2010 - and less than Marion County's 5-year average (71 traffic deaths).

While some of these fatal auto accidents were entirely accidental, many others were caused by negligent or reckless acts such as drunk driving (there were 32 fatal drunk driving accidents in Marion County in 2010, accounting for 44 percent of all fatal accidents), distracted driving, failure to watch for other motor vehicles on the road and speeding.

When a family loses a loved one because of someone else's negligent or reckless driving act, they can bring a lawsuit to recover compensation for economic and noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, medical and funeral expenses, loss of consortium, and loss of income. In drunk driving accident cases, the family may also be able to recover punitive damages, or damages that punish the drunk driver for the actions he took that caused the wrongful death.

Thankfully, no one else was injured in the Weirsdale motorcycle accident. In this particular case, investigators attributed the cause of the accident to the motorcyclist's own behavior. The motorcyclist had passed a stopped vehicle near County Road 25 and County Road 42, which caused him to hit a minivan.

Our hearts go out to the family members of the motorcyclist and to anyone who has lost a loved one in a tragic accident.

Source: Ocala.com, "Man Dies a Week After Weirsdale Accident," Austin Miller, Dec. 24, 2011.