The New Year started tragically for an 80-year-old Florida woman who was seriously injured when a car slammed into her golf cart and the driver darted off.
Gloria Slowiak was driving her golf cart to a mailbox near her home in Bradenton when a Volkswagen Jetta struck the vehicle and then careened into a palm tree, according to the Herald-Tribune. Daniel Kersey, the 32-year-old man driving the Jetta, then fled on foot, Florida Highway Patrol officers told the news outlet.
Slowiak was transported to a nearby hospital that the Herald-Tribune described as “serious.” Kersey was apprehended and charged with leaving the scene of a serious injury accident and driving on a suspended license. He was also wanted on burglary charges unrelated to the accident.
Golf Cart Accidents Can and Do Happen
The crash is another unfortunate reminder of the risk that comes with getting in a golf cart in Florida.
Even the most experienced and cautious drivers can be involved in accidents. The open and light design that makes golf carts easy and enjoyable to use also leaves golf cart drivers and passengers susceptible to serious injuries in the event of a collision.
There are a number of safety precautions that golf cart drivers can take to limit the risk of accident and injury. That includes using seat belts to prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected from the vehicle if a crash happens. It also means maintaining safe speeds, complying with traffic laws and use limits and avoiding sharp or sudden turns.
A person who is injured in a golf cart accident has the right to seek compensation from those responsible. The money damages usually available in these cases include compensation for current and future medical bills, as well as property damage, missed wages during recuperation and pain, suffering, and emotional distress. In the tragic scenario in which a person is killed in an accident, family members can seek similar compensation for wrongful death.
Speak With a Villages Golf Cart Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a golf cart accident, it is important to have an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner. A golf cart crash attorney can help you understand your rights, consider your options and build the strongest possible case for compensation.
Villages golf cart accident attorney Tim Babiarz has been fighting for people injured in a wide range of crashes for more than two decades. He is committed to helping clients get the full compensation available under the law.
Our office is conveniently located in the Villages. We are also proud to represent people throughout the area, including in Ocala, Leesburg, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield and beyond. Call (352) 205-7559 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Villages golf cart accident attorney.
