Man Killed in Martin County Car Accident
A fatal car accident happened near South Fork High School in Stuart closed the road around the school for hours recently. According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, a head-on collision took place near the school around 5:00 a.m. last week. Thankfully, no students were involved in the accident but one man was reported killed.
The police report states that Joseph Maloney, 26, of Stuart was traveling north on Pratt Whitney Road when he entered the southbound lane in his 2010 Mazda3. He crashed head-on into a 2007 Ford Fusion driven by Christopher Harrison, 38, of Palm City. Mr. Harrison was declared dead at the scene of the accident, and Mr. Maloney was rushed to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and was listed in serious condition.
Pratt Whitney Road was shut down in both directions from Southwest Kanner Highway all of the way to the entrance of the school. For now, no charges have been filed against Mr. Maloney, but charges may come after the investigation by the Sheriff’s Office is complete. There was no word from the police as to whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the fatal crash.
Florida Head-On Collisions
During 2012 and 2013, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that the number of traffic accidents in Florida increased from 281,340 to 316,943 crashes. In 2013, there were a total of 2,224 fatal accidents and 2,402 deaths that resulted from traffic accidents. In addition, 140,074 traffic accidents resulted in injuries with a total of 210,887 people hurt.
On a national level, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that in 2013, more than 5.6 million traffic accidents took place across the country. A total of 28% of those accident resulted in injury and 30,057 accidents resulted in death. Of these accidents, 2,808 head-on collisions resulted in a fatality. Another 66,000 head-on crashes caused injuries to the driver and passengers involved, and 68,000 head-on accidents resulted in only property damage.
Compensation for Car Accidents
Oftentimes, victims of car accidents are unaware of how they can be compensated after they have been injured by the negligent driving of another. In cases of head-on collisions, the total cost of damages can be quite high. Some costs that can be recovered after an auto accident include the following:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Disability payments
- Impaired earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Wrongful death
- Funeral costs
…and other damages that are reasonably related to the costs of the auto accident.
Call a Personal Injury Attorney
Head-on collisions in car accidents often lead to serious injuries and even wrongful death. If you or someone that you know has been injured in a car accident in the West Palm Beach area, Gary Roberts & Associates can help. Call or contact the office today for a private and free review of your case.
