Florida Accident Attorney Blog

Officials for the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, have agreed to pay the family of a pedestrian killed by a police car $65,000. Donald Perry, 49, was killed on March 29, 2007, when a police car driven by Police Detective Christopher Young-Tem hit him on Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Young-Tem was driving west to Lincoln Park, responding to a call about gunfire.

New reports said this was the second car pedestrian accident Detective Young-Tem had been involved in with his cruiser. Records show he had struck another pedestrian earlier that year -- a woman crossing Florida interstate 595 whose boyfriend had kicked her out of the car. In that case, the victim survived. Young-Tem has been cleared of wrongdoing in both pedestrian accidents. City commissioners met privately and decided to settle the case with Perry's family; taxpayers will foot the bill for the $65,000 settlement.

Accidents between cars, trucks and pedestrians happen in every city, in every state. There's a sad irony when a pedestrian is killed by a police officer, whose job it is to protect the public.

The National Safety Council reported that 6,074 pedestrian deaths occurred in 2005 -- that's more than the 4,387 motorcycle rider deaths reported for the same year. The same report indicates that a person born in 2005 has a 1 in 627 lifetime odds of dying in a pedestrian accident. Cross the street safely out there. Motorists are in a big hurry to get where they're going, particularly police officers responding to calls.

Fort Lauderdale to pay $65,000 to family of man struck and killed by police car
SunSentinel.com Jan. 22, 2009

Related Web Resource

National Safety Council
Odds of Death Due to Injury, United States, 2005

A Broward County Florida physician was killed in a hit-and-run accident Jan. 24 while crossing a Miami street after dinner with another group of doctors. Fort Lauderdale kidney specialist Dr. Robert Geronemus, 60, was crossing Brickell Ave. at Fifth Street when he was hit by a truck that left the scene of this deadly pedestrian truck accident.

Witnesses followed the truck and were able to get the attention of an off-duty Miami police officer. The driver, identified as Richard Anthony Duval, 40, led Miami police on a chase before he was apprehended. Duval failed a sobriety test and has been charged with driving under the influence, DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident.

The doctors were in Miami to attend a conference and had just finished dinner at the Capital Grille on Brickell Ave. in Miami. All the doctors, including Dr. Geronemus, were in the crosswalk and had the right of way in this fatal South Florida pedestrian accident that caused the untimely death of someone who helped save lives.

An experienced Florida personal injury lawyer can advise families on their rights when someone they love is hurt or killed in a tragic pedestrian hit and run accident, such as this one. Florida laws are in place to protect pedestrians, but they only work when both pedestrians and drivers obey them.

Police identify suspect in doctor's hit-run death
MiamiHerald.com Jan. 27, 2009

Broward doctor hit, killed crossing Miami street
MiamiHerald.com Jan. 26, 2009

Related Web Resources

Miami-Dade Pedestrian Safety Project: Phase II
Final Implementation Report and Executive Summary, Aug. 28, 2008

Florida Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide

Beef O'Brady's on Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers Shores in Lee County is holding a benefit to assist the family of a Fort Myers cheerleader seriously injured in a South Florida motorcycle accident. Elizabeth Selenke, 16, was riding on a motorcycle driven by her friend, Shawn Temple, 18, on Dec. 21, 2008, when the motorcycle crashed into a car at Palm Beach Boulevard and Interstate 75. Temple was killed and Selenke suffered serious injuries, including head injuries.

According to news reports, Selenke emerged from a coma and is recovering in a rehabilitation center where she receives occupational, speech, and physical therapy. Beef O'Brady's will donate 20 percent of their sales made on Feb. 8, 2009, to assist Selenke and her family with their medical expenses.

Why Florida Motorcycle Accidents Can Cause Serious Personal Injury and Death
Tragic accidents such as this one illustrate why motorcycle drivers and passengers are the most vulnerable motorists on South Florida streets, highways and interstates. When a Florida motorcycle driver is in an accident, that operator and his or her passenger have little to protect themselves from everything around them; they are physically exposed to traffic, the road, and the environment. This often stacks the odds against Florida motorcyclists if they have the misfortune to be in an accident with a car, truck, or SUV. Even single-vehicle accidents involving a lone motorcycle, where the operator loses control and crashes, can be catastrophic.

Many factors can contribute to a Florida motorcycle crash, including operator responsibility, the actions of other drivers, road and weather conditions, and whether the motorcycle was in good repair. As of July 2008, all motorcycle operators in Florida are required to pass the Florida Rider Trainer Program's Basic Rider Course before they can add the motorcycle endorsement to their Florida driver's license.

An experienced Florida motorcycle accident lawyer makes sure a motorcycle accident case is properly investigated and documented to determine who may be liable.

Benefit planned to help family of teen injured in crash News-Press.com Jan. 14, 2009

Loved ones try to wake teen from coma MSNBC.com Jan. 2, 2009

Related Web Resources

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles:

New Laws for Motorcycle Licensure

Florida Rider Training Program

Broward County Florida motorists frustrated by traffic delays on interstate 95 will soon get a heads-up warning them of what they're in for before they get on the highway.

South Florida motorists have long complained that electronic signs on I-95 informing them of traffic delays ahead are merely telling them what they already know -- and what mess they're already in. Besides being frustrating, highway traffic delays can be a precursor to multi-vehicle pile-ups, rear-end accidents, road rage, and other potential causes of highway motor vehicle accidents in South Florida.

Now the State of Florida is installing small changeable message signs for nearly every east-west cross street intersecting I-95, which runs north/south in Florida, as well as two points of crossing for I-75 in Broward County. The warning signs initiative is part of a $32 million upgrade to Florida's "intelligent transportation system." Construction has already begun and the signs are expected to be live by this summer.

The first South Florida highway to have electronic signs installed on its feeder roads was the Sawgrass Expressway. Signs are now being installed on Florida's Turnpike -- which parallels I-95 in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale -- at Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County interchanges. Highway transportation officials say that while the warning signs won't completely unlock South Florida highway gridlock, they may help give motorists time to decide to take an alternate route.

Every year, interstate 95 claims too many lives and injures too many people in South Florida highway accidents. It will be interesting to see if warning signs at highway crossroads, interchanges and feeder roads help reduce highway accidents -- as well as headaches.

New signs to warn of I-95 traffic trouble in Broward County SunSentinel.com Jan. 16, 2009

Related Web Resources

Florida Department of Transportation

Florida Highway Patrol: Traffic Incidents by Region

South Florida public swimming pools are supposed to be safer for kids, thanks to a new act that went into effect Dec. 19, 2008, requiring drain covers for pool filtration systems. As we've discussed before, Florida swimming pool accidents are a leading cause of childhood injury and the number-one cause of infant drowning deaths in Florida.

But some child safety advocates are concerned that the new federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act is not being enforced, as some states have not begun inspecting pools or have allowed pools with uncovered drains to remain open.

The law was named after former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker's granddaughter Virginia, age 7, who died as the result of a horrific hot tub accident. In 2002, at a school graduation party, Virginia was sucked into a hot tub drain and trapped on the bottom of the pool. The fierce suction in swimming pool drains can essentially eviscerate a child if the suction pulls the child in by the abdomen. Virginia's mother and two other adults eventually freed the little girl, but by the time she got to the hospital, it was too late.

The controversy now is how individual states, including Florida, will go about enforcing the new federal swimming pool safety law. Child safety advocates are calling for immediate inspections of all public swimming pools and demanding that states close down non-compliant facilities, before more children like Virginia suffer a needless and wrongful death.

As South Florida swimming pool accident lawyers, we are well aware of the many dangers swimming pools present to young children. We will be following this story to see how well the new federal Virginia Graeme Baker law is being enforced in public swimming pools in South Florida and around the state.

Some ignore law to prevent pools from being child deathtraps CNN.com Jan. 15, 2009

Related Web Resources

Safe Kids USA: Water Safety Campaign

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Pool and Spa Safety Publications

The Association of Pool and Spa Professionals

If you're a motorist sporting around South Florida highways, beach drives and city streets in a stylish Mini Cooper, the next drive you take should be straight to the dealer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that BMW is recalling the Mini Cooper due to the risk of people getting burned from the car's tailpipe. The defective automotive product recall is expected to commence this January 2009.

According to the NHTSA website that documents automotive recalls, manufacturer BMW of North America announced on Dec. 12, 2008, that it would recall 28,450 Mini Cooper S cars made in the years 2007-2008. The centrally located tailpipe protrudes beyond the rear bumper and if someone touches it while it's still hot, they could get burned. BMW has offered to replace the defective part free of charge with a shorter tailpipe less apt to come in contact with human skin.

As South Florida personal injury lawyers with experience in defective product cases, we're aware of the injuries people can suffer when something they own isn't safe to use. If you're driving a Mini Cooper made in 2007 or 2008, don't wait for the manufacturer to contact you. Owners may contact BMW directly at 1-866-275-6464.

Related Web Resources
NHTSA Defects & Recalls: Mini Cooper S / BMW North America

SaferCar.gov

BMW of North America

The Broward County Sheriff's Office reported a hit and run accident on Jan. 9 that damaged several vehicles and sent the North Lauderdale Florida fire department to the scene to extricate victims trapped in their vehicles.

The South Florida motor vehicle accident happened near the intersection of SW 81st Avenue and 24th Street in North Lauderdale, Florida. Law enforcement officials believe a motor vehicle hit several cars and then fled the scene. BSO Air Rescue flew victims to the Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for treatment.

This was the second hit & run accident in the Broward County area in two days. It is not known if drunk driving might have been a cause. The names of the victims have not been released and police continue to seek who is responsible for these accidents.

South Florida hit and run accident lawyers can assist drivers, passengers and pedestrians injured in accidents where the responsible motorist flees the scene and/or is uninsured or underinsured. You may still be entitled to compensation even if an unidentified driver runs your vehicle off the road, causes you to lose control and crash, or hits you and flees the scene. It's important to consult an attorney to help you document your Florida hit-and-run accident case, whether or not law enforcement identifies and apprehends who hit you.

Second Hit & Run In 2 Days In S. Florida CBS4.com Jan. 9, 2009

Related Web Resource

State of Florida.com: Florida Insurance Guide

A large SUV smashed through the front window of a Hialeah adult daycare center on Jan. 6. Two elderly persons were treated at the scene for minor injuries and another two were sent to the hospital, one with lacerations and another with a shoulder injury. Police in Hialeah Florida are investigating the cause of this South Florida SUV crash.

While SUV manufacturers claim these motor vehicles are safer than regular passenger cars due to their sheer size, the truth is their bulk and power can be hard for some drivers to handle, as may have occurred in this case. Luckily here, the injuries were not fatal and there were no pedestrians hit in this SUV accident. This is not always the case in a Florida SUV accident when the driver loses control of such a large, powerful vehicle.

SUVs are often in the news because of rollover accidents or accidents caused by under inflated or defective tires.

While you may feel safe in your big SUV, consider these sobering statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

• In 2006, 43 percent of car occupant deaths occurred in single-vehicle crashes and 57 percent occurred in multiple vehicle crashes. But for sport utility vehicles, single-vehicle crashes amounted to 65 percent of crashes involving SUVs. That means if you're driving an SUV, you are more likely to be in a fatal single-vehicle accident than if you're driving a car.


• A total of 8,062 SUV occupants died in accidents in 2006.
  
• Since 1975, car occupant deaths have declined 31 percent, while pickup truck occupant deaths have risen 55 percent and SUV occupant deaths are more than 10 times as high.

Remember, a car is a weapon. And an SUV is doubly loaded. A Florida car accident lawyer can help you learn your rights if you and your car or SUV are involved in an accident in South Florida. Whatever you drive, please drive defensively on South Florida's highways, city streets, and suburban roads.

SUV smashes through front of Hialeah adult day-care center MiamiHerald.com Jan. 6, 2009

Related Web Resources
Georgia.gov: SUV Rollover Accident and Death Statistics

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Crash Testing & Highway Safety