Car Strikes Electric Pole and Causes Fire
James Algeo struck an electric pole with his car that caused the pole to fall over into the roadway and then cause a fire with a palm tree. The accident happened at the intersection of 40th Avenue S and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street in St. Petersburg, Florida. A female passenger in the car was trapped by the live electrical line and was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
Unless the female passenger is a resident, relative household member, then she can sue the driver and reach his insurance limits. Regardless of insurance coverage, she could sue him for damages, however, the likelihood of collecting damages may be questionable at best without the availability of car insurance coverage. In Florida, the law permits a passenger to sue the driver for negligence causing an accident and injuries. However under such circumstances, the driver is frequently given a setoff of the first $10,000 in bodily injury damages due to the Florida no-fault law. Under the Florida no-fault law, PIP coverage on any automobile policy covering the injured passenger for the accident will typically cover the first $10,000 in medical expenses. Personal-Injury-Protection insurance, or PIP, is a mandatory coverage in Florida and cannot be rejected.
If you have questions about how insurance works following a Tampa Bar area car accident, please contact a personal injury attorney in the Tampa Bay area for a free consultation.
