Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to auto insurance. Basically, this means that all drivers are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury coverage in case of an accident. Unfortunately, this also means that because personal injury litigation is also the most common civil litigation. In order to move forward with a personal injury case in Florida, a person’s injuries must meet a certain threshold before a lawsuit can be filed. Most of the time, an injury like a broken bone will put a person past this threshold. An injury need not permanently impair a person to meet the qualifications, but simply may just impair it for an extended period of time.
CBS 12 reports on an off-duty deputy who has pleaded guilty to traffic citations following a crash that left a 19-year-old woman seriously injured.
While 19-year-old Farrah Fox is struggling to learn how to walk and live again following a traumatic brain injury, the man who caused the accident that led to her injuries lost his license for three months.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael D’Avanzo was speeding at 53 m.p.h. in a residential area when he blew through a stop sign and slammed into the car in which Fox was riding. She suffered from a traumatic brain injury in the collision.
D’Avanzo pleaded no contest to two traffic offenses. Fox’s family looked on in traffic court as the possibility of felony charges was taken off of the table. He was ordered to pay a $500 fine.
However, Fox’s family may yet get their day in court. They are suing D’Avanzo and the case is still pending.