In most accident cases, fault is clearly established because one of the drivers failed to obey a traffic law or rear-ended the other vehicle. However, when the driver has suffered a medical emergency, liability is not so simple. Most states recognize the “sudden medical emergency” defense in a car accident. The thought is that the driver who suffered the medical episode was not acting negligently unless their medical condition prevents them from driving legally. State statutes differ on what constitutes a medical emergency, but most states require that the suddenness of the medical emergency be established before it can be claimed as a defense.
The Daily Commercial reports that four people were injured when a car crashed in the Villages Shopping Plaza.
The accident occurred at about 4:25 P.M. as the driver traveled eastbound through the parking lot of the Southern Trace Plaza. The driver suffered from a medical episode and lost control of his vehicle.
He veered onto the sidewalk in front of Publix, where he hit several plants. He then hit another car and a pedestrian before colliding with a pillar in front of Salon Jaylee.
Debris that resulted from destroyed plants and the pillar struck two other pedestrians. All three pedestrians were taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
The driver who suffered the medical episode was also seriously injured. Despite an estimated $2,000 in damage done to their vehicle, the elderly driver and passenger of the car that was struck were not injured.
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