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Star Delray Beach Football Player Killed in Dirt Bike Accident

in ATV, Off-Road Vehicles, Personal Injury Attorneys, wrongful death

According to a recent Sun-Sentinel report, an Atlantic High School senior and star football player from Delray Beach was recently killed in an accident when his dirt bike crashed into an SUV in the nearby town of Greenacres. The accident occurred when the dirt bike, which did not have headlights, and a Chevrolet Equinox crashed on a dark stretch of Cresthaven Boulevard in Greenacres. As the Chevrolet SUV was turning onto the road, the dirt bike slammed into the Chevrolet’s front passenger door. The dirt bike’s driver was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital after the accident for treatment but died a week later from his severe injuries from the crash. The dirt bike’s driver was a starter and star player on last year’s Atlantic High School football team, which finished as the Florida Class 8A state runners-up. He had already received multiple scholarship offers from Division I football programs including Syracuse, Iowa State, USF and Western Michigan. This was a tragedy of a young football career cut short by the decision to drive on an off-road vehicle without the necessary safety features.

Dirt Bikes, ATV’s, Off-Road Vehicles and the Dangers They Can Pose

Riding in or driving a dirt bike, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or other type of off-road vehicle can be extremely dangerous. If done safely and properly, driving or riding as a passenger in these types of vehicles can be extremely fun. Unfortunately, many people get behind the wheels of such vehicles and engage in reckless behavior by driving at breakneck speeds, taking sharp turns without braking, and other dangerous behaviors. This, coupled with the fact that many off-road vehicles lack even the most basic safety features like headlights or seat belts, can make the incidence of death or serious injury extremely high. This also can lead to issues for motor vehicle drivers in the vicinity or even passengers in the reckless driver’s off-road vehicle, who can be thrown from the vehicle and suffer serious injuries or even death. In addition, if a dirt bike or ATV is driven in the vicinity of motor vehicles, accidents can often be fatal for off-road vehicle drivers and passengers, as many do not wear helmets or other protective gear despite the lack of safety features on most such vehicles.

Damages Recoverable in an Accident Involving an Off-Road Vehicle

In a dirt bike or other off-road vehicle accident, like the recent incident in Greenacres that involved a star high school football athlete, the same damages apply as in any other personal injury lawsuit in Florida. These include the costs of any repairs to a vehicle or other property that is damaged as a result of someone else’s negligence, any medical treatment for injuries caused in the accident, as well as pain and suffering for any injuries associated with an accident caused by one party’s negligence. Therefore, in the accident above, if the high school football player on the dirt bike was determined by a jury to be at fault in the accident, his estate could be sued for each of these damages by the driver and passengers in the Equinox. In addition, if the driver of the Equinox was determined to be at fault in the accident, the deceased high school football player’s estate could file suit against that driver for his or her role in causing the accident.

The Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys of Schwed, Adams & McGinley Are Here to Assist Victims of Dirt Bike, ATV or Other Off-Road Vehicle Accidents in Florida

At Schwed, Adams & McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have more than 150 years of combined legal experience representing victims of motor vehicle and truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, golf cart accidents, dirt bike or other off-road vehicle accidents like the recent collision in Greenacres. We have successfully represented individuals who have been injured in accidents involving off-road vehicles in the past and have had success in obtaining compensation for their injuries suffered in such accidents. Therefore, if you have been involved in an accident involving a dirt bike, all-terrain vehicle or other off-road vehicle in Florida and have been injured by someone’s else negligent or reckless behavior, please call us today for a free consultation at (877) 694-6079 or email us at contact@schwedlawfirm.com.