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Fatal Crash in Palm Beach Gardens Involving Venus Williams Ends in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Tennis Star

Tennis star Venus Williams recently was involved in a car accident in Palm Beach Gardens that turned fatal for another motorist and resulted in a wrongful death lawsuit against the professional tennis player. Williams was crossing an intersection in her Toyota SUV on June 9 when, according to a police report, she collided with a car driven by a 68-year-old motorist. According to witnesses at the scene interviewed by police, Williams’s car was crossing the intersection at approximately 5 mph after running a red light when the other car ran into Williams. Police deemed Williams to be at fault in the accident for violating the other vehicle’s right of way, who had a green light and thus the right of way under Florida law. Nevertheless, Williams was not cited or given a ticket for the accident but police are still investigating the accident according to a Palm Beach Gardens police spokesman.

According to the wrongful death lawsuit, which was filed on June 29th, the 68-year-old driver of the car hit by Williams also suffered serious injuries, including a cracked sternum, a shattered right arm, and a broken wrist and hand. The other driver’s husband was a passenger in the car hit by Williams and he died two weeks after the accident from injuries he sustained in the crash. Williams is not currently facing any criminal charges related to the accident and is currently competing in the Wimbledon Tennis Championship in London, England.

Wrongful Death Lawsuits Involving Motor Vehicle Accidents under Florida Law

Motor vehicle accidents often can be fatal. This is true even for low speed accidents like that in which tennis star Venus Williams recently was involved in Palm Beach Gardens. However, Florida law protects the rights of those who have been killed by another driver’s negligence. If a death in a motor vehicle accident is caused by another driver’s negligence, the estate of the person killed as well as the decedent’s surviving spouse can recover a broad array of damages. Although no amount of money can adequately compensate someone for the loss of a spouse or another loved one, Florida law allows the surviving spouse of someone killed in a motor vehicle accident to recover damages for the pain and suffering caused by the death of that person’s spouse as well as any injuries the surviving spouse may have suffered if he or she was also involved in the accident. In addition to pain and suffering, the other damages recoverable in a wrongful death lawsuit under Florida law include any medical expenses the decedent incurred before his or her death, lost income and property damage. Therefore, in the scenario above, the driver of the vehicle which collided with Venus Williams can recover for her own pain and suffering and her medical bills for her injuries as well as her pain and suffering and the lost income she suffered as a result of the death of her husband. Her husband’s estate can recover for any medical bills, which were incurred in the two weeks prior to his death in addition to other damages.

Contact the Experienced Accident Attorneys of Schwed, Adams, Sobel & McGinley if You or a Loved One Have Been Involved in a Motor Vehicle Accident in Florida

If you or a loved one have been involved in a motor vehicle accident in which another driver’s negligence caused serious injuries or even death, the experienced motor vehicle accident attorneys at Schwed, Adams, Sobel & McGinley are here for you in your time of need. Our experienced personal injury attorneys have over 150 years of legal experience representing victims of motor vehicle accidents, including wrongful death lawsuits where a loved one or family member’s death was caused by someone else’s negligence. If you, a family member or a loved one has been injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident caused by another motorist’s negligence, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams, Sobel & McGinley today for a free consultation at contact@schwedlawfirm.com or 877.694.6079.