School Bus and Semi-Truck Collide

An accident occurred between a school bus and a semi-truck in Lake Hamilton, Florida.  The accident happened at approximately 11 a.m. on U.S. 27 near Crump Road.  There were no children on the school bus at the time of the accident.  This accident resulted in hospitalizations for both drivers.  There were witnesses to this accident.  The facts of this accident are still under investigation.

Negligence on one or both drivers is likely the cause of this crash.  In Florida, persons injured in motor vehicles are entitled to compensation even if they are on the job when the accident occurred.  Florida has a sweeping worker's compensation system that is generally the exclusive remedy for an injury that occurs on the job.  The purpose of the sweeping worker's compensation system was to eliminate the risk of lawsuits against their employers by providing immunity to the employers in exchange for participation in the system.  Notwithstanding Florida's worker's compensation laws, a person injured on the job by a car accident caused by a third party has a right to sue that third party for their negligence in causing the accident.  In doing so, the worker's compensation system generally has a lien against any recovery made by the injured person from the third party tortfeasor.  The injured worker must repay the system for past medical expenses and lost wages paid to the claimant or on the claimant's behalf.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, please contact a Polk County personal injury or car accident lawyer for a free consultation of your rights and responsibilities.  There may be some twists and pitfalls to these claims that you are unaware of.