Bridge and Causeway Accidents in the Tampa Bay Area
Tampa Bay is stitched together by bridges. The Howard Frankland, the Gandy, the Courtney Campbell Causeway, and the Sunshine Skyway all carry tens of thousands of commuters every single day, and that volume alone makes them some of the riskiest stretches of pavement in the region. Add in construction zones, high speeds, and long sightlines that tempt drivers to look at their phones, and you have a recipe for serious crashes. If you were hurt in a wreck on one of these spans, a Tampa personal injury lawyer can help you understand what comes next.
Why Bridges and Causeways Are So Dangerous
Unlike a typical city street, a bridge or causeway rarely offers an easy place to pull over. Shoulders are narrow or nonexistent, exits are few and far between, and a single fender bender can trap thousands of vehicles behind it. This creates several unique hazards. Traffic often backs up quickly, which raises the risk of rear end collisions. Drivers who are frustrated by the backup may attempt risky lane changes to escape the congestion. Wind and rain, both common in the Tampa Bay area, can also make elevated roadways more hazardous than surface streets.
Ongoing construction adds another layer of risk. Several of Tampa Bay’s bridges have had lane closures, reduced speed limits, and shifting traffic patterns in recent years as crews work on expansions and repairs. Drivers who are not paying close attention can miss these changes entirely, sometimes with tragic results. News outlets have reported multiple fatal and injury crashes on the Howard Frankland Bridge alone within the past year, including collisions tied directly to active construction zones.
Who Can Be Held Responsible
Determining fault after a bridge or causeway accident often requires more digging than a typical crash. In addition to the other driver, potential defendants may include a construction company if a work zone was poorly marked or unsafe, a government agency responsible for maintaining the roadway if a defect contributed to the crash, or a trucking company if one of its drivers caused a pileup. Because so many vehicles can become involved in a single incident, these cases sometimes turn into complex, multi-party claims where insurance companies from several sides are pointing fingers at one another.
What to Do After a Crash on a Tampa Bay Bridge
If you are able to safely do so, move to whatever shoulder space is available and turn on your hazard lights. Call 911 and request that law enforcement respond, since a police report will be important evidence later. Take photos of the scene, including vehicle positions, any construction signage, and weather conditions. Seek medical attention promptly, even if your injuries seem minor at first, since some injuries such as concussions and soft tissue damage may not show symptoms right away.
Florida law gives injury victims a limited window to pursue a claim. Under Florida Statutes, negligence based personal injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years of the date of the accident. Waiting too long to speak with an attorney could mean losing your right to recover compensation altogether.
Can Tampa Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Help Me?
Many of the drivers crossing Tampa Bay’s bridges every day are doing so for work, whether they are making deliveries, traveling between job sites, or driving a company vehicle. If your bridge or causeway accident happened while you were on the clock, you may have both a personal injury claim against the other driver and a separate workers’ comp claim through your employer. Tampa workers’ compensation attorneys can help sort out which benefits apply to your situation and pursue every source of compensation you are entitled to, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you were hurt in a crash on one of Tampa Bay’s bridges or causeways, contact Franco Law Firm today to discuss your options.
Source:
fox13news.com/news/deadly-howard-frankland-bridge-crash-snarls-rush-hour-traffic
