Today six people were hurt at an intersection accident between a Sarasota County SCAT bus, a pickup truck, and a car.  According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, the car violated the right of way by crossing into oncoming traffic at the Beneva Road & Fruitville Road intersection.  That's when the bus slammed into the car's front passenger side.  The car then collided into the truck in a domino effect. The two people in the car were flown to a trauma center because they were so badly hurt.  The SCAT bus driver, a bus rider, and the pickup truck driver were all treated at the scene, but there's no word about their condition.  Ironically, the City of Sarasota plans to install intersection cameras at 10 of the city's busiest and most dangerous crossroads in the next few weeks, including the Fruitville & Beneva intersection.  Those cameras are due to be up and running by December 1st, according to BayNews 9.    

Intersection accidents are very common and usually happen in one of three ways:

1. A driver runs a red light causing a head on collision.
2. One car rear ends another, or
3. A vehicle turns into the path of oncoming traffic while trying to cross the intersection, causing a side-impact accident. 

In this case, the car was trying to make a left hand turn onto Beneva Road at the busy Fruitville Road intersection.   Side impact accidents like the one that happened here are usually severe and the people involved often have spinal injuries, brain injuries, broken bones, and worse.  In fact, side impact car accidents are often fatal because the victims are sitting in a part of the car that has very little structural protection.  

The law says that the driver who causes an intersection accident can be held liable for injuries to other drivers and passengers in the accident. But even in a clear cut accident case, you should never file a "do it yourself" insurance claim because that's exactly what the insurance company wants.  It allows them to manage your claim.  That's why it's important to have an experienced personal injury and accident lawyer representing you if you've been injured.  Remember, it's the insurance company's job to settle your claim for as little money as possible, no matter how badly you're hurt.

For more information about your rights when involved in an intersection traffic accident or side impact crash, contact the attorneys at Buckman and Buckman at (941) 923-7700 or email us by filling out the form at the top of this page.