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Jaylyn Fehr, 17, of Cumming, Georgia, was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 65 in Franklin County, Florida, on Monday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A Jeep left the road and struck a tree line. Good Samaritans and off-duty law enforcement officers pulled one passenger from the vehicle before it erupted in flames.
Two other teenagers in the Jeep died. A 17-year-old girl survived and was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash and how fast the SUV was traveling.
While the cause of the crash is being investigated, families of the deceased passengers are left searching for answers regarding liability and vehicle control. Investigators will examine the scene to determine why the Jeep veered off the pavement and into the tree line.
"When a community experiences a fatal accident, we have to look closely at the road's engineering," said Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal. "Sight distance and drainage grooves can be the difference between a driver seeing a hazard or losing control of their car."
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 2,849 traffic deaths across the state last year.
The sudden loss of young lives in a single-vehicle crash leaves families dealing with deep grief and complex liability questions regarding the driver and the vehicle's owner.
"Nobody thinks about how a road's curve is slanted until a high-speed crash happens," said Stefano Formica, Of Bond Legal"If the drainage grooves aren't right, they'll pull a car's tires off the pavement in ways that investigators can't ignore."
Individuals involved in car accidents may have legal options. Consulting a personal injury attorney can help clarify rights and potential claims.
Under Fla. Stat. § 768.16-768.26, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. Florida applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Recoverable damages may include loss of support and services, loss of companionship, mental pain and suffering of survivors, and medical and funeral expenses.