Senator Marco Rubio’s 12-year-old daughter is listed in stable condition at Miami Children’s Hospital after a golf cart accident in Lakewood Crest. The girl was reportedly visiting classmates in a private gated community when the golf cart she was riding on was involved in a collision. She was airlifted to Miami Children’s Hospital with a head injury and is currently listed in fair condition in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Golf carts are popular modes of transportation in many of Florida’s communities. In fact, many communities allow only golf carts on some streets, and these rules are expressly written in homeowner’s association charters and other legal documents. However, stories such as this one illustrate that golf carts can be as dangerous as cars, trucks and other motorized vehicles.
Some golf cart accidents are caused by poor product designs that make golf carts more susceptible to rolling over and pinning riders. Other accidents are caused by human error, such as carts that are overloaded or driven into immovable objects or another golf cart, people trying to get on or off a moving golf cart and other causes.
Because golf carts don’t go very fast or have seatbelts, we have a tendency to think that golf cart accident injuries are little more than a bad bruise or skin abrasions. However, accidents like the one that injured Sen. Rubio’s daughter can result in very serious and occasionally fatal injuries such as these:
- Subdural hematomas
- Severe concussions
- Lacerated internal organs
- Compound bone fractures
- Paralysis
- Disfiguring facial injuries
- Neck and spine injuries
- Other injuries that require extensive medical care
According to a study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, golf cart accidents are up significantly (132 percent) in recent years. More than 30 percent of all golf cart-related injuries involve children aged 16 and younger.
If you or someone in your immediate family has been injured in a golf cart accident caused by negligence, you have a right to seek damages to defray the cost of medical care, replace lost wages, compensate you for pain and suffering and other damages. If you would like to speak with an Orlando golf cart accident lawyer and learn more about your rights and legal options, call James O. Cunningham today at 800-425-2004. Mr. Cunningham has nearly 40 years of experience as an Orlando personal injury attorney and works hard to help clients receive the best possible outcomes from their cases.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a vehicle accident, call at (386) 243-4994.
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