10
January
Tuttle Avenue Crash: Car Hits Pedestrian Then Motorcycle Hits Car
A pedestrian accident causes a motorcycle accident on Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota Sunday night. It's an example of how dangerous the roadways can be immediately after a crash and how complicated it makes the accident investigation.
According to reports in the Sarasota Herald Tribune, Natalie Brush hit Joseph Stoudt with her car when he ran out in front of her on Tuttle. Tina Hawkins stopped her SUV when she saw the pedestrian hurt in the road. That's when Terry Johnston swerved his motorcycle to avoid rear ending the SUV. Instead, he clipped the SUV and was hit by Gregory Meadows' Pontiac. Both Stoudt, the pedestrian, and Johnston, the motorcyclist, were taken to area trauma centers with serious injuries.
Accidents like these get very complicated very quickly. It's tough to determine who is at fault for what part of the accident. Florida uses something called comparative negligence which means more than one person can be responsible or cause an accident. It allows the law to assign a percentage of fault to the people involved. In comparative negligence claims, more than one insurance company can also be responsible for a your injury claims.
If you were hurt in a multiple car accident that was partially your fault, you may still have a claim for compensation against one of the other parties in the accident. This is why an experienced personal injury lawyer is so essential in multiple car accident cases. An attorney can investigate the crash, interview witnesses, review the case, and make sure insurance companies treat your fairly.
For a free case evaluation of your Florida personal injury claim, contact Buckman and Buckman, P.A. by filling out our contact form or call our office at (941) 923-7700.
Lauren N.January 20, 20124:28 pm |
The above information is incorrect. Both my boyfriend and I were witnesses to these accidents having driven by shortly after the pedestrian, Joseph Stoudt was struck by the vehicle. We stopped to help since there were no paramedics yet at the scene. Tina Hawkins and her husband had been stopped in their SUV for a number of minutes, probably around 10, helping Stoudt in the right Northbound lane at Tuttle & Sunnyside. The motorcycle accident did not happen right when Hawkins stopped. I had been on the phone with 911 for a number of minutes after arriving at the scene. It was then while I was looking South down Tuttle when Terry Johnston sped up to the crash and tried to maneuver in between Hawkins' SUV and the passing Pontiac. Johnston should have had plenty of time to slow down as Hawkins' SUV had its flashers on. Both my boyfriend and I heard him accelerate and witness him lose control of his motorcycle. I am thankful Tina Hawkins and her husband had their SUV blocking the right lane of traffic, otherwise, we could have all been injured or even killed when Terry Johnston came upon the accident, as it was obvious he was not operating his motorcycle in a responsible manner. My thoughts are with everyone involved in these incidents. Just another reminder to slow down and pay attention when operating a vehicle. |
Buckman & Buckman P.A.January 20, 20125:59 pm |
Lauren, Thank you for adding additional information about this accident. Witness interviews are very important in these situations to figure out what really happened at the accident scene. As attorneys we conduct these investigations for our clients all the time, tracking down witnesses like yourself, researching the accident scene conditions, and reconstructing the crash to uncover evidence, like you brought up, that may not be found in an accident report or a news article. We're glad you weren't hurt in what sounds like a very dangerous situation. Our thanks to you for your good deeds in helping out at the scene. |