Practice Areas

• Car and Motorcycle Accidents
• DUI and Criminal Defense
• Big Truck Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Serious Injuries:
  Slip and Fall | Dog Bites

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Vehicular Homicide Charge in Florida - What Does It Mean?

Many people do not realize the severe consequences that their driving might have beyond the potential fatal results of an accident. In this article, Gainesville Personal Injury Attorney, Jeffrey Meldon defines vehicular homicide and reckless driving along with their corresponding punishments.

A vehicular homicide, commonly referred to as a vehicular manslaughter, is the killing of a person or a fetus by an injury to the mother, caused by reckless driving of a vehicle. This crime is proscribed in Florida Statute §782.071.

Reckless driving is driving "any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property" (Florida Statute §316.192). This usually involves speeding, driving under influence, or racing. Because the driving is so reckless in vehicular homicide cases, the driver's intent to kill is not necessary to prosecute the crime. Therefore, the prosecution is not required to prove driver's intent to kill such as in a murder case.

Vehicular homicide is punishable as a felony of either a first degree or a second degree. Felonies are divided by several degrees of severity, which provide different levels of punishment. Vehicular homicide is usually a second degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $10,000. However, if at the time of the accident a person knew or should have known that the accident occurred and failed to give information to a police officer or render reasonable aid to those injured (per Florida Statute §316.062), a crime is prosecuted as a first degree felony, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine not exceeding $10,000.

For more information, please see:
http://www.meldonlaw.com/faqs/what-is-the-difference-between-criminal-and-civil-wrongs.cfm

The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates strongly believes that public education is the first step in the prevention of an accident or in the recovery from one.  

They are experienced personal injury attorneys, trial lawyers, negotiators and litigators that have been proudly working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 30 years in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, and the rest of North Central Florida and North Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, and motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents, dog bites, slip and falls and medical malpractice are all included in their practice.

Based on Jeffrey Meldon's, founder of The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon & Associates, over 30 years of helping accident victims get justice and a fair shake from the insurance companies he has written the consumer guide book, Seven Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Florida Accident Case.  You can request your free copy right now, or contact his office for your complimentary copy sent to you today.

Contact the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon at (800) 373-8000 or (352) 373-8000 immediately if you have been involved in a serious auto, truck or motorcycle accident.  They are in your community, have the experience and resources required to work towards obtaining a fair settlement for you, and are there to help you.

Mr. Meldon's Office proudly handles accidents that occur on all roads and in the areas including: I-75, I-10, I-95, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 441, State Road 40, State Road 26, State Road 24, Archer Road, Main St, and University Avenue.  Our law firm has  been representing accident victims in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, Palatka, Crystal River, Daytona Beach, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Dunnellon, Bunnell, Live Oak, Starke, Jasper, Cross City, Perry, Trenton,  Leesberg,  Lake Butler,  Tavares, Chiefland, Bronson, Brooksville, The Villages and the counties of Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Citrus, Volusia, Sumter, Levy, Lake, Bradford, Flagler, Hamilton, Dixie, Gilchrist, Union, Hernando, Suwannee, Union, and Putnam since 1971!

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