Common Causes of Fatal Accidents in The Tampa Bay Area
Fatal accidents in the Tampa Bay area can happen in many ways, including vehicle crashes, dangerous roadway conditions, and unsafe property conditions. When someone dies because of another person's negligence, Florida law may allow the decedent's survivors and estate to pursue a wrongful death claim under Fla. Stat. § 768.19.
For families in Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County, a fatal crash can leave more than grief. It can also leave questions about what happened, who was responsible, and how the family will move forward. Let our wrongful death attorneys in Tampa help you with that. Our legal team at Matthews Injury Law can investigate the cause of the fatal accident, identify potentially responsible parties, and determine whether your family may have a claim.
Speeding Can Turn a Crash Into a Fatal One
Speed gives a driver less time to react and increases the force of a collision. A driver traveling too fast along a busy Tampa road, such as Dale Mabry Highway, may have difficulty stopping when traffic suddenly slows or when another road user enters the driver's path. We can examine vehicle data, photographs, witness accounts, crash reports, and other evidence to determine whether excessive speed contributed to the death.
Distracted Driving Can Take a Driver's Attention Off Tampa Traffic
Looking at a phone, adjusting navigation, eating, or dealing with another distraction can prevent a driver from seeing a developing hazard. For instance, a driver checking a phone while approaching a congested intersection near Tampa's Westshore business district may fail to notice a slowing vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist. Evidence such as cellphone records, surveillance video, vehicle data, and witness statements may help establish whether distraction played a role.
Impaired Driving Can Cause Fatal Crashes
Alcohol or drug impairment can affect judgment, reaction time, coordination, and the ability to operate a vehicle safely. A driver leaving a downtown Tampa entertainment area, for example, may attempt to drive while impaired and then cross lanes, run a red light, or fail to respond to traffic conditions. Toxicology results, police records, video footage, and witness accounts can help establish what happened.
Commercial Truck Crashes in Tampa Can Have Deadly Consequences
Large commercial vehicles can cause especially severe injuries when they collide with small passenger vehicles. A tractor-trailer traveling on I-4 or I-75 may encounter heavy traffic, frequent lane changes, and sudden slowdowns. Fatigue, distraction, speeding, unsafe following distances, or improper lane changes by a truck driver can contribute to a deadly collision. Our wrongful death lawyers in Tampa can investigate driver logs, electronic logging data, vehicle event data, inspection and maintenance records, dispatch communications, and trucking-company practices.
Failure to Yield Can Kill Pedestrians and Cyclists
A driver who fails to yield can leave a pedestrian or cyclist with little protection from the impact. For instance, a driver turning through a busy intersection may fail to see someone legally crossing the road. Florida traffic laws establish rules governing how drivers must interact with pedestrians and bicyclists, and a driver's failure to follow those rules may become important evidence in a wrongful death investigation. Our Tampa wrongful death attorneys can assess traffic signals, surveillance footage, roadway markings, witness statements, and the driver's actions before the collision.
Dangerous Road Conditions Can Contribute to Fatal Collisions in Tampa
Poor lighting, inadequate signs, pavement problems, construction hazards, or roadway design issues can sometimes contribute to a fatal accident. A dangerous condition on a Hillsborough County road, for example, could make it difficult for a driver to see an obstruction or navigate a hazardous area safely. Determining liability requires examining who controlled the roadway, what condition existed, and whether a legal duty was breached.
Dangerous Property Conditions Can Lead to Deadly Injuries
Unsafe conditions on private property can sometimes cause fatal falls, drownings, or other deadly injuries. That could involve an inadequately secured pool, dangerous stairs, poor lighting, or another hazardous condition at a business or residential property. Our Tampa wrongful death lawyers can investigate the property's condition, ownership, maintenance, warnings, and whether reasonable safety measures were taken.
When a Fatal Accident in Tampa Leaves More Questions Than Answers, Contact Matthews Injury Law
Your family deserves to know what caused the crash and whether another person or entity should be held responsible. Reach us online or at 813-530-1000 for your complimentary consultation.