Florida Injury Attorney Blog

In Broward County, a Florida jury awarded Yvette Lorenzo and her three daughters $8.07 million for the wrongful death of Orestes Lorenzo. The deadly accident occurred on July 2, 2004.

The North Miami Beach police officer was driving his vehicle on Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines when he swerved his vehicle to avoid striking a Honda Civic, driven by Natasha Russo. The 18-year-old failed to halt at a stop sign.

Lorenzo’s motor vehicle then went into a drainage curb, which caused his car to trip and smash against a big royal palm tree. He was ejected from his vehicle and died several days later.

Lorenzo’s family sued the Florida Department of Transportation, Natasha Russo, and William Russo for his wrongful death. The family’s complaint claims that Natasha’s negligent actions while driving her father’s vehicle caused Lorenzo’s wrongful death. It also accused the FDOT of negligence and violating its own regulations by placing big palm trees and a drainage curb on a road that had a 50pmh speed limit.

The Broward County jury estimated that Lorenzo’s family sustained $11.5 million from the crash. After determining that Lorenzo, as well as the FDOT and Russo, was also liable for causing the Florida car accident, the jury awarded Lorenzo’s family 70% of the damages, placing 30% of liability with the police officer. Natasha was held 55% responsible for causing the deadly auto accident.

Failing to Obey Stop Signs
Running red lights and failing to halt at a stop sign are two common causes of traffic accidents. Stop signs are there to help drivers and pedestrians determine whose turn it is to move forward through an intersection. Unfortunately, not all motorists remember to stop at these signs, which can lead to serious injury accidents and deaths—especially for motorists, pedestrians, and pedalcyclists who may have expected the driver to yield the right of way.

Family of North Miami Beach police officer killed in crash is awarded $8 million, Palm Beach Post, December 10, 2008

Jury Awards $11.5 Million in Tragic Car Accident, MarketWatch.com, December 10, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Wrongful Death Overview, Justia

Florid Department of Transportation

The Florida Highway Police say that five children sustained critical injuries early Saturday, during a two-vehicle auto collision on Interstate 95 close to Hobe Sound. As of Sunday, Syntyche Jacques, 7, was in “very grave condition,” while the four other children, Luke Jacques, 9, Carlo Jacques, 10, Ricky Jacques, 9, and Mose Jacques, 4, were in stable condition after undergoing surgeries at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

The Florida motor vehicle crash occurred at around 4:30am on Saturday when the Honda Accord the kids were riding in spun out of control and collided with a Dodge truck, driven by Port St. Lucie resident Jaime Alfred Jaramillo. The 41-year-old driver, who left the accident scene, was later apprehended by police and is now being held without bail in Martin County Jail.

Jaramillo claims he fell asleep at the wheel. His vehicle had swerved into a construction zone before getting back onto the street. Police are waiting for toxicology results, but they say alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the two-vehicle crash. Also injured in the South Florida car accident were the Honda’s driver, Igline Henry, and passenger Rose Henry.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
• Auto crashes are the number one cause of death for kids, ages 8 to 14 and 3 to 6.
• Each day in the US last year, about 5 kids, age 14 and under, died and 548 others were injured in traffic accidents.
• 1,670 kids, age 14 and under, died in motor vehicle collisions last year.
• 245 of those fatalities involved a drunk driver.
• 29 of the kids, age 14 and under, who died in drunk driver-related motor vehicle crashes last year, were pedalcyclists or pedestrians.

Personal Injury Protection only provides so much coverage for injuries sustained by Florida car crash victims.

Five children were in car that collided with truck on I-95 on Saturday, Sun-Sentinel.com, December 15, 2008

Port St. Lucie driver says he fell asleep at the wheel before crash injured 7, TC Palm.com, December 15, 2008

Related Web Resources:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Florida's Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law

Continue reading " Five Boynton Beach Children Injured in Florida Car Crash on I-95 " »

In Florida, billionaire Jeffrey Epstein has been named the defendant in another sexual abuse lawsuit. Epstein is serving an 18 month sentence for engaging in sexual acts with minors and soliciting prostitution. This latest sex abuse lawsuit brings the number of lawsuits against the millionaire to nine federal lawsuits and seven state ones. He is now a registered sex offender.

All of the lawsuits accuse Epstein of similar allegations: Epstein brought underage girls to his home in El Brillo Way where he would receive erotic massages and sometimes engage in sex.

In this latest lawsuit, a girl who was 15 when she was recruited for sex acts with Epstein says the billionaire knew how old she was when they engaged in the alleged acts and used his money to take advantage of girls who were economically disadvantaged. Sarah Kellan, Epstein’s assistant and also a defendant in this Florida personal injury lawsuit, is accused of recruiting the girl to attend to the billionaire.

Epstein is a part-time Palm Beach resident. The complaint seeks over $15,000 in damages to cover medical costs and psychological care for the trauma the girl experienced from her involvement with Epstein.

In other sexual abuse lawsuits against Epstein, a woman who says she was 16 when Epstein sexually assaulted her a few years ago is suing the billionaire for over $50 million. In September, two Florida women also sued Epstein for sexually assaulting them when they were minors.

Epstein pleaded guilty in state court to the criminal charges against him as part of the terms of a plea agreement that prevents prosecutors from pursuing him in federal court. Epstein’s lawyers continue to claim that Epstein didn’t know the girls were minors because they lied about how old they were.

Child Sexual Abuse
It is against the law for anyone to sexually abuse or assault another person. If your son or daughter was the victim of sexual abuse, you may be able to file a Florida personal injury claim on his or her behalf.

Sexual abuse not only causes physical harm to the victim, but can also result in lifelong emotional trauma that can lead to eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, depression, problems maintaining intimate relationships, and other issues. A victim may have to undergo costly the therapy and other medical bills in an attempt to recover.

Palm Beach billionaire sued again over underage-sex allegations, Sun-Sentinel, December 5, 2008

Another lawsuit filed against Jeffrey Epstein, WPTV.com, December 4, 2008

Related Web Resources:
Banker Epstein pleads in prostitution case, gets 18 months, Palm Beach, June 30, 2008

Child Sexual Abuse, American Society of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

In Miami-Dade County, the family of Starsky Garcia has been awarded $8 million for his Florida wrongful death. Garcia was shot to death in the parking lot of The Arbors, a North Miami Beach apartment complex, two years ago.

The 27-year-old’s body was discovered at around 4:30am on December 9, 2006. Garcia had gone to The Arbors to visit a friend. The shooter has yet to be found, but on November 21, 2008, a Florida jury held the apartment complex’s managers and owners civilly liable for failing to provide proper security at the apartment complex.

According to the family’s Florida wrongful death lawyers, Maxx Property failed in its duty to provide adequate security on the premise when it neglected to install surveillance cameras and security guards at The Arbors complex despite the fact that crime was growing in the area. Police, in fact, recorded 9 assaults, 24 burglaries, 2 robberies, and 3 shootings that took place at The Arbors between 2002 and 2006.

The personal injury attorneys also noted that the property owners’ failure to repair the apartment complex’s broken security gates and a fallen fence made it easy for anyone to enter the premise and commit a crime. Maxx Properties has denied engaging in any wrongdoing leading to Garcia’s death.

Premises Liability
Apartment complex owners and managers are supposed to implement the proper safety measures to prevent residents and visitors from becoming the victims of crimes. When inadequate security leads to crimes being committed on a premise, the property owner and/or manager can be held liable for Florida premises liability or wrongful death.

Recent crimes that have occurred at Florida apartment complexes include:

• Shootings
• Stabbing crimes
• Carjacking
• Murder
• Sexual assault

$8 million awarded in North Miami Beach shooting death, Miami Herald, November 26, 2008

Related Web Resources:

The Arbors, Apartment Guide

Premises Liability Overview, Justia.com