Florida Injury Attorney Blog

In West Palm Beach, a jury has awarded Terry Williams, a 45-year-old mural artist $2.1 million for permanent and disabling neck and brain injuries that he sustained in a 2003 Florida truck crash.

Williams’s van was rear-ended by a Loomis & Fargo truck on Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Garden. Because of the accident, he cannot paint quality work. The jurors ruled that the driver and Loomis & Fargo were negligent in causing the accident.

Traumatic Brain Injuries
Some 1.4 people sustain traumatic brain injuries each year. A TBI usually occurs when there is a violent blow to the head. Common causes of TBIs include car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck collisions, assault crimes, fall accidents, physical abuse involving violent shaking of the head, and gunshot wounds.

Traumatic brain injuries can be completely life changing. A person with a serious traumatic brain injury may have problems speaking, eating, remembering things, or have difficulty controlling their motor functions. Seizures may ensue and a TBI patient may experience sudden mood swings or personality changes.

A TBI can also seriously affect the lives of the victim’s friends and family, who can no longer enjoy the kind of relationships and interactions that they used to with their loved ones. If the TBI victim was the main source of financial support for the family, their quality of life can also be compromised.

A person with a serious TBI may also require costly, ongoing, specialized medical care.

In South Florida, our serious injury attorneys know how to properly pursue your case and prove to a jury that your injuries warrant significant recovery. Our motor vehicle crash lawyers have helped many auto accident victims and their families recover compensation through settlements and verdicts.

Jury awards West Palm artist $2.1 million for 2003 car wreck, Sun-Sentinel.com, May 27, 2008

Traumatic Brain Injury, MayoClinic.com

Related Web Resource:

Traumatic Brain Injury Information Page

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Patricia Floyd, the 51-year-old mother of three that died in a Florida motor vehicle collision on Mother’s Day was buried on Monday. Floyd was killed when a stolen truck that was speeding struck the car she was riding in.

Floyd’s 17-year-old son was also seriously hurt in the multi-car collision. He was taken immediately to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. His Injuries included internal bleeding and a broken leg.

Two other people from one of the two other autos also involved in the motor vehicle collision were also taken to hospitals. Fortunately, their injuries are not fatal.

The two men that fled the scene after the deadly crash had reportedly stolen the truck from Gold Coast Crane Service. They have yet to be found although Florida police are continuing to look for them.

Reasons why drivers hit and run:

• They are riding a stolen automobile
• Drunk driving
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• No driver’s license
• They may have violated their probation or are avoiding apprehension for another reason
• Panic or fear

In 2004, the AAA Foundation reported that almost 11% of police-reported collisions are hit and run cases. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 14,914 people died in hit and run accidents between 1993 and 2004.

Our South Florida auto crash law firm represents surviving family members that have lost loved ones in motor vehicle accidents resulting from driver negligence or recklessness. We can pursue all possible avenues of recovery for you. Just because the negligent driver hasn’t been apprehended yet doesn’t mean that you don’t have any options to receive compensation for your injuries and property damage.

Killed On Mother's Day Laid To Rest, CBS4.com, May 19, 2008

Police: Driver Of Stolen Truck Flees After Fatal Crash, NBC6, May 12, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Florida Hit and Run Laws

Hit-run deaths see 20% increase, USA Today, October 17, 2008

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In Florida, a Palm Beach County jury awarded the estate of a man murdered at a West Palm Beach apartment $3.2 million for his wrongful death. The defendant in the Florida premises liability wrongful death case was Haverhill Affordable Housing and Picerne Management, the management company and owner of the complex where Corey Beckford died.

The 32-year-old father of four was shot to death on April 10, 2007 at Saddlebrook Apartments. This was not the first murder at the complex. In 2005, a 25-year-old man died and his nine-year-old daughter was injured after being shot by a masked gunman.

Florida’s Wrongful Death Statute:

768.19 Right of action.--When the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty of any person, including those occurring on navigable waters, and the event would have entitled the person injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued, the person or watercraft that would have been liable in damages if death had not ensued shall be liable for damages as specified in this act notwithstanding the death of the person injured, although death was caused under circumstances constituting a felony.

The managers and owners of the many housing and apartment complexes and retirement centers in Florida are responsible for keeping their properties safe for residents and visitors. Adequate security measures, such as locks on entrances and windows, proper lighting, alarm systems, security cameras, security gates, and security guards, must be in place—especially on a premise where there has been a history of crimes committed on the property or in the surrounding area.

When failure to take the necessary steps to prevent crimes from happening occurs, the injury victim of the estate/family members of the deceased can file a personal injury or wrongful death claim or lawsuit based on premises liability and/or inadequate security.

Contact our Palm Beach wrongful death lawyers to discuss your case.

Jury awards $3.2 million in wrongful death at apartment complex, Sun-Sentinel May 7, 2008

The 2007 Florida Statutes

Related Web Resource:

Saddlebrook Apartment Homes, Yahoo.com

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The Florida Department of Transportation has joined the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other state departments of transportation in the nationwide campaign to promote motorcycle safety awareness during the month of May.

Promoting motorcycle safety is essential across the United States, as the death toll for motorcyclists continue to rise each year. Across the nation, 4,810 motorcycle riders died in 2006—5% more than the number of motorcyclists that died in 2005. 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2006—1,000 injury victims more than the 87,000 injured motorcycle riders in 2005.

In Florida, 388 motorcyclists died in 2004 compared to 339 in 2003. 6,558 Florida motorcycle riders were injured in 2004—again, an increase from the 5,973 that were hurt in traffic crashes in 2003.

The sunny weather in Florida makes motorcycle riding a yearlong, popular mode of transportation. One reason that motorcycle accidents happen so often is that other drivers forget to watch out for these smaller motor vehicles. Many motorcycles end up in a motor vehicle’s blind spot, which makes them even harder for a driver to see unless they are purposely looking around.

In South Florida, our motorcycle accident law firm represents injury victims and their families in the recovery of the financial compensation that they are owed by the negligent parties. If you contact our Miami motorcycle crash law firm for your free case evaluation, we can explore your legal options with you.

The Florida Department of Transportation offers several safety tips regarding how motor vehicle drivers can share the roads safely with motorcyclists:

• Give a motorcycle the full width of a lane rather than sharing one with them.
• Check your mirrors and blindspots for motorcycles.
• Be aware that certain road conditions that aren’t dangerous to you might be hazardous to a motorcycle rider.
• Don’t tailgate a motorcycle.

Our South Florida motorcycle collision injury law firm has law offices in Miami, Naples, and Hollywood, Florida.

May is Motorcycle Safety Month, Florida Highway Patrol

Share the Road, NHTSA

Related Web Resources:

Safety Tips for Motorcycles, Share the Roads Safely

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

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