Florida Accident Attorney Blog

Pedestrians crossing our busy streets in Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and other South Florida urban hot-spots know, when the traffic light turns green, you’d better watch out.

Deadly South Florida auto accidents involving pedestrians can occur for a variety of reasons, including drunk drivers who don’t see people in the road, to pedestrians stepping into the street at night, not using the crosswalk -- where even careful drivers may be less apt to see them.

Now the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA) has issued a new report stating that iPods, cell phones, and hand held devices used for text messaging and checking websites are distracting pedestrians when they step off the sidewalk. Serious and fatal pedestrian – car accidents are on the rise in Florida and other states around the country.

Florida urban locations are in fact among the most dangerous in the country for pedestrian and auto accidents. The GHSA reports that "in 2009, four high-population states with large urban centers – California, Florida, Texas and New York – together accounted for 41% of the nation's pedestrian fatalities."

An experienced Fort Lauderdale, Florida pedestrian accident attorney may advise families who have suffered injury or the death of a family member due to a car accident with a pedestrian. A Fla. injury lawyer familiar with traffic laws and issues surrounding liability may advise injured people on whether they have a legal case or insurance claim. Florida is second only to California among the states where pedestrians are most at risk for fatal traffic pedestrian accidents.

Deaths on the Rise for Distracted Pedestrians
CBSNews.com Jan. 26, 2011

Progress in Reducing Pedestrian Deaths Lags in 2010
GHSA Press Release Jan. 20, 2011

Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2010 Preliminary Data (PDF)

A Florida news source reports that an Ocala woman who was paralyzed in a 2006 commercial truck accident has received a settlement of $2.6 million for her injuries.

The serious traffic accident, which left a young woman in a wheelchair, took place in Aug. 2006. The female victim, age 18, was reportedly riding in the back seat of a vehicle turning onto Marion Oaks Course from County Road 484 in Ocala, Florida when the vehicle was struck by a Mack truck.

The lawsuit filed in Marion County Circuit Court, Florida indicated that the truck driver had been working too many hours and was fatigued when the crash occurred. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates the number of hours commercial truck drivers may be on the road before they are required to rest (see link below).

Fort Lauderdale truck accident injury lawyers stay current on the driving laws and safety regulations in place for commercial tractor trailer operators.

As experienced South Florida injury attorneys know firsthand from their work with berieved families, car accidents involving big rig tractor trailer trucks often have disastrous results: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2008, one out of nine traffic accident deaths involved a large commercial truck.

Related Webpage:

South Florida Truck Accidents : Frequently Asked Questions

Sources:

$2.6M settlement for 2006 vehicle crash victim
Ocala.com Jan. 12, 2011

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Data 2008: Large Trucks (PDF)

Related Web Resource:

U.S. Department of Transportation : Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Hours-of-Service Regulations

A new bill proposed in Florida and named for the victim of a deadly parasailing accident hopes to establish guidelines for an industry that critics say lacks safety regulations.

A Florida newspaper reports that the proposed bill is called the Alejandra White Act (Senate Bill 392) -- named for a young tourist who died last year when her parasail malfunctioned and dragged her toward shore, crashing her into objects on the beach below. She died from her injuries. The fatal parasail accident occurred in Clearwater Beach in Sept. 2010 as the Georgia couple, who were vacationing in Florida, decided to take a parasail ride. The victim's fiance, who was with her on the tandem parasail when their tow line reportedly broke, was able to free himself in the water. He survived the Fla. parasail accident and filed a lawsuit.

If passed, Senate Bill 392 would require Florida parasailing operators to...

• Equip their parasail harness apparatus with safety devices allowing parasailers to quickly release themselves in the event of an emergency


• Suspend parasail operations during high winds


• Obtain a license issued by the US Coast Guard that allows for carrying passengers for hire


• Carry at least $1 million per person in injury and death insurance

Experienced Fort Lauderdale parasail accident attorneys follow developments in Florida laws and regulations designed to keep consumers safe. For years, parasail safety advocates have demanded that the state of Florida enact legislation that requires parasailing operators to make their parasail rides safer--as self-regulation hasn't worked.

The founder of the Parasail Safety Council helped draft the current proposed bill. If the bill passes into law, Florida parasailing ride operators who do not follow the requirements will be subject to second-degree misdemeanor charges. The newspaper quotes a figure of 15 people who have died in Florida in the last 20 years, as a result of parasailing accidents.

Proposed parasailing bill would require insurance coverage, quick-release safety devices
St. Petersburg Times Jan. 15, 2011

Details of Parasail Regulations Bill SB392
Parasail Safety Council Jan. 14, 2011

Related Florida Parasail Accident Lawyer article:

Florida Parasailing Accident Survivor Speaks Out on Death of Fiancee

A South Florida news source reports that nursing homes in Brevard County, Florida, are establishing quarantine due to the dreaded norovirus spreading among residents. Norovirus is highly contagious and causes intense stomach and intestinal distress, including vomiting and diarrhea. The virus tends to come on quickly and cause gastro problems for 24 hours, though patients report feeling sick or weak for several days after the initial episode subsides.

As a Palm Beach County, Fla. nursing home neglect attorney knows -- Florida nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and retirement communities are entrusted with the safe and compassionate care of so many Sunshine State families' parents and grandparents.

FloridaToday.com reports that 8 nursing homes in Brevard County, Fla., have been hit by norovirus. Quarantines may limit visitor access until a few days after the last case of a sick patient is reported. Norovirus may be passed on by ingesting contaminated foods or liquids, or by touching a surface where norovirus is present and then putting hands in mouth. Regular hand washing is recommended to avoid norovirus.

Nursing home safety and sanitation is of utmost concern to people who live in South Florida -- where so many snowbirds and other seniors retire and never leave. Nursing home neglect and abuse are serious charges. Unfortunately, sometimes the institutions that are entrusted with our elderly loved ones' care can intentionally or indirectly inflict harm upon them -- either through physical abuse or neglect, poor care, and/or lack of adequate facilities. Issues around medical negligence or malpractice, such as prescription drug errors, may also arise in Florida skilled nursing facilities where patients are administered medications.

Experienced West Palm Beach injury lawyers can help families determine if they have a case, when a loved one in a nursing home is hurt due to negligence or recklessness.

Nursing Homes Quarantined Due to Norovirus
WFTV.com 9 Jan. 5, 2011

Norovirus hits 8 Brevard nursing homes
FloridaToday.com Jan. 5, 2011

Related Web Resources:

CDC.gov: Prevent the Spread of Norovirus

Florida AHCA Nursing Home Watch List

Past Florida Accident Attorney blog article:
State Attorney Calls West Palm Beach Summit on Florida Pain Clinics and Prescription Drug Abuse

According to a Palm Beach area news source, two men were injured while crossing Florida State Road A1A early on New Year's Eve. One man was released from the hospital with minor injuries while another remains in critical condition.

The newspaper stated that the Palm Beach County Florida pedestrian accident occurred around 5:30 p.m., as two men attempted to cross A1A in the southbound lane.

The men were allegedly in the crosswalk -- which was marked with fluorescent signs -- near the 3600 block of South Ocean Boulevard in front of Highland Beach Club when the traffic accident occurred. No charges have been filed at this time as the accident is under investigation. No names were released.

A Palm Beach pedestrian accident lawyer may provide consultation to Florida families where a loved one sustains minor, serious or fatal injuries as a result of a car and pedestrian crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2007, approx 70,000 U.S. pedestrians were hurt and more than 4,650 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts 2007 Data: Pedestrians). More than 500 pedestrians were killed in Florida in motor vehicle accidents that same year.

Pedestrian remains in critical condition after New Year's eve accident in Highland Beach
Palm Beach Post News Jan. 4, 2011

Related Web Resource:

Wikipedia: Florida State Road A1A