PEDESTRIAN HIT BY GOLFCART IN THE VILLAGES
It is known in The Villages that multi-modal paths are used by cyclists, pedestrians, runners and golfcarts. But that is part of the problem. All of those people on the same stretch of The Villages makes for a dangerous mix and many times the pedestrians, runners and cyclists get the worst of it. This is not to say we, the attorneys at www.GolfCartAttorney.com, are not aware of golfcart-v-golfcart crashes involving injuries. Certainly we see those, but golfcart crashes causing injuries to pedestrians and cyclists is increasing along with the booming sales and presence of golfcarts.
Recently the local publication, The Villages News, published two stories dealing with this very issue: golfcarts and pedestrians on the same path. Plenty of tension between walkers and golf carts on multi-modal paths – Villages-News.com and Walkers have a right to enjoy paths without being endangered – Villages-News.com The interesting dynamic about those articles is the ability of The Villages News readers to comment on articles like this subject. In those comments there are certainly many stay-out-of-the-way type responses and indicates the part of The Villages population who value their happiness over the rights and safety of others. While that may be way it is perceived, in the laws of the State of Florida it is quite different. Certainly, a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a golfcart can sue the person driving the golfcart that struck them, and the pedestrian victim can also sue the owner of the golfcart for the negligence of the driver. In Florida, the law considers the golfcart a “dangerous instrumentality” and therefore if an owner of a golfcart loans out their golfcart to a neighbor—and the neighbor strikes you—then you can sue the owner and driver of the golfcart.
When a person has been struck by a golfcart or otherwise injured because of the golfcart driver’s actions it can lead to serious injuries. And who do we ask to pay for those medical bills that arise from a pedestrian being struck by an at-fault driver of a golfcart? The victim? Not in the eyes of the law of the State of Florida. A pedestrian, cyclist or other golfcart passenger has the right under Florida law to ask that the at-fault driver pay for: 1. Medical Bills, 2. any Lost Wages, and 3. for the Injuries and Pain-and-Suffering of the accident victim. That is what most people would consider to be fair, that the at-fault person who caused the injuries should take responsibility for paying those damages of the golfcart accident victim.
Many people believe that if they pursue payment of their medical bills and lost wages and damages that the case will be decided in court. But that is not the usual way such cases go. Here at www.GolfCartAttorney.com our work is focused on getting your golfcart injury case done before suit has to be filed. And, just because a suit could be filed in your case it does not mean that the case would necessarily go all the way to a jury deciding the outcome. Very few cases end that way. But it also can depend on whether the attorney you have is effective and knows the laws that govern golfcart accident cases. In a golfcart accident case you should choose an attorney and law firm that has years of experience handling golfcart accident cases. At www.GolfCartAttorney.com we have handled cases all across the State of Florida. We are golfcart accident specialists and know the laws that apply to your case. You can trust our 25 years of handling golf cart accident injury cases.
Call us now to work for you.
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