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County Set To Settle With Ambulance Wreck Victims
April 18, 2016
Escambia County is set to make final settlement payment for injuries resulting from a 2012 ambulance wreck in Century.
The accident happened about 8:15 a.m. on October 22, 2012, when an Escambia County EMS unit in the parking lot of the Whataburger on North Century Boulevard received an emergency call to Century Care Center.
The county ambulance driver activated the emergency lights and sirens on the ambulance and stopped at the stop sign while exiting the parking lot onto Highway 29, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Traffic in the northbound lanes stopped to allow the ambulance to proceed. The driver did not see a 2004 Chevrolet SUV and begin to cross over the northbound lanes to turn south, with the front of the ambulance colliding with the side of the SUV.
The driver of the SUV, then 80-year old Barney Cash of Century, was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries. His passenger, Clifton Underwood, Jr. of Century, was airlifted by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition.
Underwood was severely and permanently injured and his case was previously settled for the total sum of $195,000.
Cash claimed injury to his back, but has extensive pre-existing conditions involving his low back and both knees which limited his mobility. A jury would have taken these pre-existing conditions into account in determining whether Mr. Cash suffered a permanent injury from the collision, according to county documents.
The county attorney’s office and the Escambia County Commission met in an attorney/client session on June 2, 2015 and was given maximum settlement authority of $30,000. Deputy County Attorney Charles V. Peppler conducted negotiations with the attorney representing Barney Cash and his wife Irene who proposed to settle the case for an additional $1,500.
If approved by a vote of the county commission on Thursday, the county will settle the Cash’s claim for a total of $31,500.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
11 Responses to “County Set To Settle With Ambulance Wreck Victims”
REGARDING:
“This is ridiculous. If an ambulance has his lights/sirens on, IT HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY.”
One thing I remember over all others from Drivers Ed (and reinforced in CDL training) is that nobody JUST HAS the right of way.
Certain people are legally required to yield it to certain other people.
There IS a difference.
Florida Drivers Handbook – Chapter 3 – Right of Way
Who has the right-of-way in Florida? The answer is no one! The law only says who must yield (give up) the right-of-way. Every driver, motorcyclist, moped rider, bicyclist and pedestrian must do everything possible to avoid a crash.
David for understanding
It’s not right I think ambulances police officers etc should have the right away. But they only have the right away when cars are stopped. A ambulance can’t just come out of a parking lot and run straight into a car. Just like if a ambulance comes threw a red light and those cars don’t stop ambulance is at fault people with the green light have the right away he has to slow traffic down before proceeding. He has to make aure all traffic is stopped before going.
It was an accident! It is amazing there aren’t more with so many distracted drivers! All you judgemental people ought to remember your comments when they are called to pick up you when you have a heart attack from all those Whataburgers!
This is ridiculous. If an ambulance has his lights/sirens on, IT HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY. If the driver of a vehicle has vision, hearing, or attention issues and hits the ambulance, they have no business driving in the first place.
Ambulances, police officers etc any emergency vechiles always have to obey the laws of the road doesn’t matter if emergency lights are on or not. If the roadway isn’t clear he can’t proceed. They have to wait til traffic is clear just like anyone else.
Even though he was in a parking lot, he had lights and sierens activated. When lights and sierens are activated , the emergancy vehicle always has the right of way, or so I thought. At least thats the way I was raised.
Ten days prior to this incident one county employee was relieved of his duty because of the lack of care he has provided during his 20 +year career. Really funny how the county can settle with victim’s that has survived versus the ones that dies because the lack of there duties, the family is the one that suffers the loss of there loved one. With all due respect Mr Cash I hope and pray you are well and all things work in your favor. I love and miss you dearly momma.
Looking at the SUV damage its not all that bad, passenger A and B pillers intact, mostly door and fender damage,
1.They should not have settled.
2. Fire the ambulance driver.
The suv has the right away. Ambulance was in a parking lot no car coming from a parking lot has the right away.
This was an accident.
From the article it reads like the outside north bound lane stopped.
Inner north bound lane was open and that is where the SUV was traveling.
Perhaps there were some tall vehicles that blocked the view of both the SUV and the ambulance.
Perhaps the driver of the car should have been paying more attention to their surroundings , just a thought. Things happen.