Florida Injury Attorney Blog

Florida Jury Awards $3.2 Million Premises Liability Wrongful Death Award to Estate of Man Killed at West Palm Beach Apartment Complex

2008-05-13T07:22:21Z

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

]]> The personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop, & Ameen, PA represents injury and wrongful death clients in cities across South Florida.

Florida Department of Transportation Declares May Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

2008-05-07T00:42:34Z

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

]]> Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen, PA today.

Florida Husband To File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office For Handling of 911 Call

2008-04-29T21:56:41Z

In Florida, the husband of a woman who was kidnapped from her North Port residence and murdered says he plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Charlotte County and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. He is accusing them of “severe incompetence” over the handling of a 911 call about her abduction.

Denise Amber Lee disappeared from her house in January. Her husband, Nathaniel Lee, returned home in the afternoon and found their two children, ages 2 and 8 months, alone. Denise’s naked body was discovered in a shallow grave two days later. Michael King was arrested and charged with her murder. He has pled not guilty.

Nathaniel says that a Port Charles woman heard Denise screaming and banging on King’s Camaro after he had raped her. The woman called 911, reporting that she had heard crying and “not happy screaming.”

Two 911 dispatchers failed to send police to the intersection where the woman said that she saw Denise. She is believed to have been killed several hours after the 911 call was placed.

Just 90 minutes before her call, police had issued a “be on the lookout” for Lee and his Camaro. A Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is located less than half a mile from where Denise’s body was found.

An internal affairs investigation found that Denise also called 911. Transcripts record her saying “I'm sorry I just want to see my family, please let me go,” before the call was disconnected.

Police officers, lawyers, doctors, investment brokers, and other professionals are required to provide a certain level of professional care when doing their jobs. When failure to perform at that required standard results in serious injuries or deaths in Florida, the negligent or careless party may be held liable under Florida’s Wrongful Death statute.

Our South Florida personal injury law firm is committed to protecting you. We Represent the People, Not the Powerful. Contact one of our Florida wrongful death lawyers to discuss your case.

Denise Lee's husband files intent to sue sheriff's office, ABC7.com, April 10, 2008

Charlotte should settle Lee lawsuit, Heraldtribune.com, April 13, 2008

Nathan Lee: dispatcher showed "severe incompetence", Tampa Bay 10.com, April 10, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Charlotte County Sheriff's Office

]]> Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen PA today.

Town Center at Boca Raton Mall Sued For Premises Liability that Allegedly Lead to Wrongful Death of Customer

2008-04-24T02:03:31Z

The husband of Randi Gorenberg, the 52-year-old Boca Raton resident who was abducted and shot in the head before her body was dumped behind a South Florida civic center, is suing Town Center at Boca Raton Mall and its owner, Simon Property Group, for their alleged inadequate security-related premises liability negligence that led to her kidnapping and wrongful death.

Randi’s body was found an hour after credit card receipts document purchases that she had made will shopping at the mall. Her husband, Stewart, is seeking unspecified damages. This is the third Florida personal injury lawsuit recently filed that names the mall and its owners as defendants over inadequate security-related injuries and deaths.

Police in Florida have never said that Randi was kidnapped, but Stewart’s Florida personal injury lawyers said they believe that they can prove that she was abducted from the mall premises. Simon Property Group calls the allegations “self-serving and ridiculous.”

Palm Beach County police are investigating whether there Is a connection between Randi’s murder and the murders of 47-year-old Nancy Bochicchio and 7-year old Joey Bochicchio-Hauser, a mother and daughter that were kidnapped while leaving the mall, forced to take money from an ATM, and then bound and shot in the heads Their bodies were discovered in their SUV at the mall’s parking. Bochicchio’s family sued the mall and Simon Property Group for Nancy and Joey’s wrongful deaths.

In August, a mother and her two-year-old son were kidnapped and also forced to withdraw money from an ATM. The woman was able to free herself and her son after their attacker left them tied up. She is suing the mall for injuries related to alleged negligence and inadequate security that allowed the crime to happen.

In January, Boca Raton Council members accused Simon Property Group and the mall for not remedying inadequate security issues after the Bochicchio slayings. Boca Raton police and mall patrons have also complained to the mall about its poor security measures.

If someone you love has died because of the negligence of a property owner or anyone else, our South Florida wrongful death law firm can help you determine whether you have grounds for a civil case. You may be entitled to wrongful death compensation for your losses.

Lawsuit filed against Town Center mall owners over 2007 murder, Sun-Sentinel.com, April 23, 2008

Boca mall faces lawsuit in murders of mother, Sun-Sentinel.com, January 9, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Town Center at Boca Raton

Simon Property Group

]]> Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen PA today.

Florida-Based Tomato Grower Ag-Mart Settles Birth Defects Lawsuit With Lifetime Financial Support for 3-Year-Old Boy Born Without Limbs

2008-04-18T20:46:53Z

A Florida judge has approved the birth defects personal injury settlement between tomato grower Ag-Mart and the family of 3-year-old Carlitos Candelario, a boy who was born without legs or arms. Under the terms of the agreement, Ag-Mart will cover all of Carlitos’s medical costs and provide financial support for life. His medical expenses are expected to run in the millions of dollars.

Carlitos’s parents, Francisca Herrera and Abraham Candelario, worked as tomato pickers for Ag-Mart in fields that were sprayed with pesticides. They filed a birth defects lawsuit against Ag-Mart in 2006, claiming that the pesticides that Herrera had been exposed to during her pregnancy caused his birth defects.

Their personal injury lawsuit claims that at least three of the pesticides sprayed over the fields had caused deformities in lab animals when used on them in high doses. Florida and North Carolina health officials, however, found no connection between the pesticides and the birth defects.

Carlitos is one of three babies with birth defects, born in 2005, whose parents picked tomatoes for Ag-Mart and lived in Immokalee.

An expert testified that Francisca had been heavily exposed to pesticides during the first trimester of her pregnancy. In her deposition, Francisca said that the company forced her to work in fields that were freshly sprayed with pesticide and that pesticides on nearby fields also affected her. Other employees have supported her claims.

Ag-Mart has voluntarily agreed to stop using five products linked to developmental problems in lab animals.

The Shriner's Children's Hospital in Tampa and Miami Children's Hospital have agreed to take care of Carlitos until he turns 18. Doctors are hoping to fit him with prosthetics one day. He continues to use a wheelchair.

The settlement amount is confidential. Ag-Mart continues to maintain that pesticides did not cause Carlitos’s defects.

Our Florida personal injury law firm represents children and their families that have been seriously injured because of the negligence or recklessness of others.

Ag-Mart to pay for limbless child's needs, Palm Beach Post, April 17, 2008

Farmworker Family's Ag-Mart Settlement Amount 'Significant, MSNBC.com, April 16, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Pesticides the Root Cause of Birth Defects in Farmworkers, Palm Beach Post/Organic Consumers Association, March 13, 2005

Pesticides and Pregnancy

]]> Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen PA and ask for your free consultation with one of our Florida personal injury lawyers.

Family Sues City of Lakeland, Florida For Man's Wrongful Death During Police Car Chase

2008-04-09T18:27:38Z

The family of Kenneth "Roger" Gadd has filed a Florida wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Lakeland, Florida. Gadd was killed on July 17, 2006 when the car that he was riding in was struck by a truck being driven by a theft suspect that Lakeland police were chasing.

The suspect, Tonya English, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for DUI manslaughter. Police discovered that there was alcohol and drugs in her system when the car accident happened.

Gadd’s son, his mother Dorothy Holm, and his sister Deborah McGlothen are also suing English and Erik Pearson, the owner of the car that English was driving. Pearson had picked up English, a hitchhiker, and left her in the car with the engine running while he ran into a store. English took off with his car and Pearson called 911.

Police chased English, even deploying stop sticks. The police pursuit was moving as fast as up to 70mph. During the chase on State Road 33, English moved into the opposite late and hit Gadd’s Toyota Camry. He died instantly.

Lakeland police say the pursuit was justified and that they acted within police pursuit policy. Gadd’s family says that they hope the lawsuit will lead to a stricter police pursuit policy.

The family is suing Pearson because they believe that he never took responsibility for leaving a stranger in his car with the engine on, which resulted in the deadly car chase and collision.

Our South Florida wrongful death law firm has helped many families recover compensation for the accidental deaths of their loved ones. In Florida, survivors of a decedent that can claim wrongful death include the deceased’s children, spouse, parents, and other that may have relied on the victim for support. One of our Florida wrongful death lawyers in Hollywood, Naples, or Miami would be happy to speak with you during a free consultation.

Financial recovery for wrongful death may include medical expenses, funeral/cremation/burial costs, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, loss of financial support, loss of emotional support, and other damages.

Family of Police Chase Victim Files a Lawsuit, The Ledger.com, April 3, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Woman Charged In Police Chase That Killed Innocent Motorist, TBOBlogs.com, September 26, 2006

Statutes, The Florida Senate

]]> Contact Paige, Trop & Ameen, PA today.

Hulk Hogan Is Sued In Florida Personal Injury Lawsuit By Family Of Man Seriously Hurt in Car Crash With Wrestler’s Son

2008-03-25T02:02:05Z

In Florida, wrestling and Reality TV star Hulk Hogan and his family have been named in a car accident injury lawsuit by the family of John Graziano, a friend of Hogan’s son Nick Bollea.

Graziano sustained serious head and brain injuries in the August 26 crash. He remains in the hospital.

Graziano had been riding a car driven by Nick, who was racing his friend, Daniel Jacobs, in Clearwater, Florida. According to prosecutors, Nick had been driving his car about 40 miles above the legal speed limit. His car spun out of control and hit a palm tree.

Earlier this month, the Clearwater Police Department released photos from the catastrophic motor vehicle collision.

The lawsuit, filed in Pinellas County, names Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, his wife Linda Bollea, Nick Bollea, and Daniel Jacobs as plaintiffs.

According to the lawsuit, Hogan is responsible for the catastrophic auto collision because he had signed a consent form so his son could get his driver’s license and allowed his son to drive even though he knew that Nick enjoyed speed driving and racing. Hogan also owns the car that Nick had been driving during the crash.

Linda is being held legally liable for allegedly being aware of Nick’s reckless habits and “encouraging his dangerous behavior.”

Nick is named as a defendant because he drank alcohol before driving even though he is under 21 years of age and for speeding and racing his car on the night of the accident. Jacob’s is named in the lawsuit for participating in the speed racing that lead to the catastrophic car crash.

Graziano could require millions of dollars in medical care for the remainder of his life. He is reportedly in a semi-conscious state. Graziano’s parents, Edward and Debra Graziano, want to place any money they receive from the lawsuit in a trust for him.

Nick has been charged with reckless driving.

In South Florida, if you have been injured in a car collision because another driver was negligent, do not hesitate to contact our Florida personal injury law firm right away for your free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers.

Hulk Hogan sued by family of Florida crash victim, Reuters, March 24, 2008

Photos Released Showing Severity Of Bollea Crash, 2.tbo.com, March 12, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Hulk Hogan's Son Nick Arrested in Connection With Car Crash That Injured Friend, Foxnews.com, November 7, 2008

Traumatic Brain Injuries, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

]]> Paige, Trop & Ameen, P.A. handles serious injury and wrongful death cases. Our law offices are conveniently located in Naples, Hollywood, and Miami, Florida.

Florida Highway Patrol Name Wrong-Way Driver in Deadly Delray Car Collision

2008-03-19T18:05:32Z

The Florida Highway Patrol has identified Kenneth Jenkins as the driver whose wrong-way driving on Interstate 95 lead to a car crash that killed three people on Sunday in Delray.

According to investigators, Jenkins, a 25-year-old North Lauderdale resident, was driving his Pontiac headed southbound in the northbound lanes when he crashed head-on into a Mercedes. Riding in the Mercedes were Boris Rapoport, his mother Renee, Robert Rutman, and Angelica Pagliuca.

Pagliuca was seriously injured and her condition has improved to fair since then. Rapoport, his mother, and Rutman were killed in the fatal car crash.

Jenkins is reportedly in fair condition at Delray Medical Center. Conflicting witness reports had initially made it difficult to identify which car was driving in the wrong direction. Florida Police are waiting to see whether alcohol or drugs were involved. They have yet to press criminal charges against Jenkins.

Two other accidents related to the wrong-way driving collision also occurred on Sunday. Lake Worth resident LaShawn Antoinette Brown sustained minor injuries while trying to avoid the deadly crash. In the process, she hit one of the cars involved, as well as a white Honda Accord.

Delray Beach police Sgt. Toby Rubin broke his ankle when he was hit by another car that was trying to avoid the Pontiac, driven by Jenkins. Rubin had been following the Pontiac from the freeway shoulder and tried to warn other drivers.

Wrong-Way Driving
Driving the wrong way on a road or freeway can be very dangerous and can lead to serious injuries or death for the driver and other motorists and pedestrians. According to information from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 350 people die every year in the United States because of wrong-way driving.

When a driver is careless, reckless, or makes a mistake by driving the wrong- way on a road and others are injured or killed as a result, the driver may be held liable by the injured parties through personal injury and wrongful death claims and lawsuits.

Our Florida injury law firm has helped the victims of car accident, truck crash, motorcycle collision, and injured pedestrians recover injury compensation for the harm they have suffered.

Wrong-way driver identified in I-95 crash in Delray, Sun-Sentinel.com, March 19, 2008

FHP faults Pontiac driver in wrong-way crash, Palm Beach Post, March 19, 2008

Wrong-Way Driving on Freeways: Problems, Issues, and Countermeasures

Related Web Resources:

Top 10 Basic Driving Mistakes

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

]]> Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen, P.A. today.

Florida Wrongful Death Lawsuit Focuses on Use of “Fill-In” Nurses in Hospitals

2008-03-10T16:58:05Z

The family of William T. Fain, 80, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Westside Regional Medical Center. Fain was admitted to the hospital’s ER on Super Bowl Sunday in 2006 after having a seizure. Hospital doctors told nurses to take him to the intensive care unit and to make sure that he didn’t fall off the bed. The nurses were ordered to lower the bed, install bedrails, and frequently check on him.

The agency nurse monitoring Fain did not follow these orders. Soon after kissing family members goodbye for the night, Fain was found on the floor after falling off the bed. He sustained brain damage from hitting his head and died two weeks after the fall.

The family alleges that the fact that agency nurses are unfamiliar with or do not follow hospital procedures is an issue at Westside Regional. The hospital has responded to this accusation by stating its confidence in the care that the nurses at the hospital provides. Nightingale Nurses is the staffing agency that provided the agency nurse to the hospital.

Agency nurses are being used more often to staff hospitals because of the shortage of full-time nurses. In two hospital surveys conducted in 2007, results showed that 10% of nursing posts are vacant. This does not take into account the fact that many hospitals reportedly wish that they could hire more nurses than the number of posts that their budgets allow.

About 1 out of every 8 nurses working in Florida is a fill-in nurse. The Florida Hospital Association has acknowledged the downside of employing someone who is only a temporary worker and not a permanent part of an organization. It also, however, noted that hiring a temporary nurse is better than being understaffed. The use of agency nurses is reportedly an even more common practice at hospices and in the home health service.

Problems that can arise with fill-in nurses include:

• They may be unfamiliar with the facility, its policies and procedures.
• Because they don't always work with a patient regularly, they may not notice when there has been a change in the patient's condition.

Groups who represent Florida nurses are supporting bills that would obligate Florida hospitals to report staffing levels, including nurse-to-patient ratios. They are hoping that such a mandate would improve work conditions for nurses and provide better care for patients.

Our Florida personal injury law firm handles wrongful death cases as well as claims and lawsuits involving medical malpractice.

Lawsuit over man's death puts use of agency nurses in spotlight, Sun-Sentinel, March 10, 2008

Measure would require hospitals to divulge nurse staffing levels, Naplesnews.com, March 9, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Westside Regional Medical Center

Nightingale Nurses

]]> To schedule your free consultation, contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen PA today.

Family of 20-Year-Old Girl Sues Florida Psychologist for Her Wrongful Death by Prescription Overdose

2008-03-03T21:58:55Z

The family of 20-year-old Rachel Finzi has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Florida psychologist Adam Feder, who has been criminally charged with her manslaughter death and of trafficking in controlled substances.

Finzi was a patient of Feder, 40, for two years. He also was sexually involved with Finzi, who he started treating when she was 18. The wrongful death lawsuit, filed today in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, accuses Feder and Compass Health Systems (CHS), the company that employed Feder, of being responsible for her death.

Finzi’s family brought her to CHS for treatment because she was suffering from psychological problems and depression. Feder was her psychologist and he gave her illegal prescription drugs and marijuana. Prosecutors say that Feder used other doctors’ prescription pads to write the prescriptions and obtain them illegally. As a psychologist, Finzi is not allowed to prescribe medication.

Finzi was found dead at his apartment from an OxyContin overdose in 2006. Finzi’s family says that CHS acted negligently by hiring Feder.

Medical professionals are required by law to provide their patients with the proper and ethical medical care. When failure to do so results in the serious injury or death of a person, that medical provider can be held liable via a medical malpractice or wrongful death lawsuit.

In South Florida, our wrongful death law firm has successfully handled all kinds of death and injury cases, including claims and lawsuits involving medical malpractice. We would like to offer you a free consultation to discuss your case.

Finzi’s family is seeking financial compensation for their daughter’s medical costs and their pain and suffering caused by her death.

Victim's Family Files Lawsuit against Florida Psychologist Arrested for Patient's OxyContin Death, EMediaWire.com, March 3, 2008

Psychologist charged in girlfriend's OD death, Miami Herald, February 26, 2008

Related Web Resources:

OxyContin, DEA

OxyContin Side Effects, RxList

]]> Contact the Florida personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop & Ameen, PA to discuss your case today.

Woman Sues Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach for Wrongful Death of Son in Florida

2008-02-14T04:46:36Z

In Florida, the mother of a man who drowned last year while trying to save two girls caught in the ocean currents is suing the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach for his wrongful death.

Giankarlo "J.C." Squicimari died last May while at the resort. He and his friend were at the beach, when they reportedly heard the girls screaming and noticed that resort employees did not respond. No lifeguards were on duty. Squicimari, 31, and his friend ran into the water to help the girls. His friend saved the 12-year-old, but nearly drowned until someone else came to the rescue.

Squicimari held the 8-year-old girl above the water so she wouldn’t drown. He was under the water for several minutes before he was pulled out. He never regained consciousness.

The National Weather Service had cautioned that there were very dangerous rip currents that day that could put even experienced swimmers at risk of being dragged into the ocean.

Squicimari’s mother, Olga Giner filed her complaint in Palm Beach County Circuit Court today. She says the resort only had one sign, located near the pool, which noted the temperature of the water and the low and high tides.

The lawsuit claims that even though the sign explained what the different colored warning flags signified, no one who was at the beach on May 27 remembers seeing any flags. No explanations were posted regarding what to do if someone got caught in a rip current. Such signs exist at public beaches. Since Squicimari’s drowning death, the Four Seasons has posted similar signs.

It is the responsibility of all premise owners—especially the owner of a property frequented by guests, visitors, patrons, or workers—to ensure that their premise is safe and hazard free. In the event that a hazardous condition does exist on the premise, the premise owner must remedy the condition or—at the very least—provide proper warning that the unsafe condition exists. Failure to do so can be grounds for a premises liability or wrongful death case if someone on the premise is seriously injured or dies.

Family of hero who drowned during rescue sues Palm Beach resort, Sun-Sentinel.com, February 13, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Four Seasons Palm Beach

Rip Current Fact Sheet, National Weather Service

]]> In South Florida, the personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop & Ameen P.A. has helped many family members recover damages for the wrongful deaths of their loved ones. One of our Palm Beach wrongful death lawyers would be happy to assist you.

Two Naples Pedestrians Injured By Hit & Run Drivers in Florida

2008-02-07T20:10:01Z

In Collier County, Florida, two men sustained serious injuries when they were struck by two motor vehicles on February 2.

Naples residents Ernesto Perez, 34, and Juan Domingo, 32, were walking on Santa Barbara Boulevard at about 2am, when either one or both of them was hit by a 2002 GMC Sierra driven by Ryan Helms, 22. Both men were then struck by a white Ford pickup truck. The Florida Highway Patrol says that both vehicles left the accident scene after striking the two pedestrians.

Helms was later apprehended on Weber Boulevard close to 1st Avenue. Police have charged him with leaving the accident and DUI.

Anyone who leaves the scene of a motor vehicle accident or is apprehended for drunk driving in Florida is subject to criminal charges upon arrest. If a hit and run motorist or a drunk driver injures or kills another person during the accident, he or she may be named as the defendant of a personal injury or a wrongful death lawsuit.

Although Florida’s mandatory No-Fault (PIP) insurance coverage provides some coverage to drivers and others injured in motor vehicle accidents, there are many instances when personal injury claims must still be filed to compensate the injured person for their injuries, lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other costs.

Our Florida auto accident law firm has handled many Naples personal injury cases for motorists, pedestrians, and other injury victims in South Florida.

Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrians injured in motor vehicle accidents tend to sustain serious—if not fatal—injuries. Unlike car drivers, bus drivers, and truckers, pedestrians have no protection from the impact and speed of a collision involving a motor vehicle. Massive head injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, broken bones, severed limbs, other serious injuries, and even death can result.

Causes of Pedestrian Accidents Include:

• Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Driver inattention
• Driver negligence
• Defective auto or motor vehicle parts
• Falling cargo from a motor vehicle
• Uneven pavements that can cause a pedestrian to slip and fall onto a busy street

Two injured during hit and run, driver charged with DUI, WBBH-HD.com, February 2, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Florida Highway Patrol

FAQs on Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

]]> Contact the South Florida personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop & Ameen, P.A. today to schedule your free case evaluation with one of our pedestrian accident lawyers.

Woman Sues City of Palm Beach, Florida For Golf Ball Injury

2008-02-01T22:55:47Z

A woman who is now blind because a golf ball hit her eye is suing the city of Palm Beach, Florida for personal injury. Katherine Georgas, 39, was walking on a bike path next to South Ocean Boulevard with her husband last May when the golf ball came flying at her from the Par-3 Golf Course. Carole Maddox, the Florida golfer who hit the errant ball, is also named in the personal injury lawsuit.

Georgas, a Palm Beach and Connecticut resident, compared the impact of the ball to being “hit by a lighting bolt” and calls the incident the “worst pain she has ever experienced. She underwent major surgery and painful rehabilitation to repair the damage. Georgas said that she had to sleep face down on a massage table for a while because she was unable to raise her head. Her medical expenses for the injury have reached the six figures. Georgas is now legally blind because of the “severe and permanent” injury.

Georgas says that the city of Palm Beach should have installed landscaping, nets, fences and warning signs to protect pedestrians and motorists from flying golf balls. The Par-3 Golf Course is located next to the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Palm Beach Police Department has documented nine reported incidents of golf balls coming from the course and striking people or motor vehicles. Auto windshields were damaged in several instances.

Georgas says that Maddox, who considers herself an erratic golfer, should have issued a warning regarding the errant ball.

Premises Liability Cases
The owners and managers of premises are supposed to make sure that there are no unsafe or dangerous conditions on a premise that can cause injury or harm to others. When failure to repair or remedy an unsafe (or failure to warn of the hazardous condition) results in injury or death, the injury victim may have grounds to sue for damages by filing a premises liability case.

Common Kinds of Premises Liability Cases Include:

• Slip and fall accidents
• Inadequate security-related crimes
• Dog attacks
• Falling merchandise cases
• Injuries caused by hidden hazards or dangerous conditions on a premise

Our Florida premises liability law firm would be happy to discuss your injury case with you. You may be able to obtain personal injury compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and other costs.

Woman sues Palm Beach over eye injury, PalmBeachPost.com, January 5, 2008

Woman hit by golf ball near Par 3 sues Palm Beach, Palm Beach Daily News, January 5, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Golfers be fore-warned: If a ball smacks your head, see your doctor, CNN.com, May 21, 1999

The Par-3 Golf Course, Palm Beach G.C.

]]> Contact the personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop, & Ameen, P.A. today and ask to speak with one of our Florida premises liability lawyers.

Personal Injury Lawsuits Expected in 70-Motor Vehicle Crash on Florida’s I-4

2008-01-23T16:57:15Z

The 70-car collision on Florida’s I-4 on January 9 injured 38 people and killed at least 5 people. The multi-vehicle collision in Polk County is considered one of the worst highway disasters in the state’s history. Many personal injury lawsuits are expected to be filed as a result of this catastrophic accident.

At the time of the pileup, visibility was zero on a freeway made even more challenging to drive on by thick fog and the smoke from a 400-acre controlled fire. Florida’s Department of Agriculture and the Florida Highway Patrol are among those investigating the cause of the accident. The first collision occurred at 4:30am, just a little over one hour after a Florida officer had given the all clear.

Car drivers, truck drivers, truck companies, motor vehicle manufacturers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, the Department of Transportation, the Florida Highway Patrol, and other government agencies will be investigated for possible liability in causing the multi-vehicle collision. While the Florida Highway Patrol says 10 collisions occurred within the 70-car pileup, the state of Florida might say that there was just one accident involving 70 motor vehicles.

One family that has already filed a personal injury lawsuit is the Gomez family. Five family members were in one of the cars involved in the crash. Three of them were hospitalized in critical condition. One of the family members, Adrian Gomez, died from his injuries last week.

The Gomez family claims that there were no sign to warn them that there was a controlled burn taking place near the vicinity of the freeway. The drivers that struck their car and the Division of Forestry are named in the Gomez family's injury lawsuit.

Florida’s waived sovereign immunity only lets an injured driver recover up to $100,000 or $200,000 for dependents. Any other recovery must be filed through a law called the Claims Bill.

While Florida’s PIP (personal injury protection) insurance coverage covers up to $10,000 in medical costs for drivers—regardless of who caused the accident—some injuries require medical treatment that go well beyond this financial limit.

A good Florida motor vehicle accident lawyer can help you file a claim or lawsuit against any and all negligent parties so that you have the financial recovery you need to pay for your medical care and other associated costs.

Smoke Closes Same Stretch Of Highway Tuesday Morning, News4Jax.com, January 15, 2008

Slew of I-4 pileup lawsuits will cover wide range of blame, Orlando Sentinel, January 13, 2008

4 Killed, 38 Injured In 70-Car Pileup, Local6.com, January 10, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Florida Highway Patrol

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Florida Department of Transportation

]]> In South Florida, the personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop, & Ameen, P.A. has handled many motor vehicle crash cases for clients injured by the negligence of other drivers, a commercial trucking company, a motor vehicle manufacturer, or a government agency. Contact Paige, Trop, & Ameen, P.A. today and request your free consultation.

NASCAR and Florida Family Reach Wrongful Death Settlement

2008-01-17T00:43:14Z

NASCAR and insurer United States Aviation Underwriters have reached a settlement agreement with the family of Janise Woodward, the Sanford. Florida woman who, along with her 6-month old son Josiah, died when a plane operated by the racing agency crashed onto the Woodward residence last July.

The wrongful death claims were filed separately on behalf of Janice’s husband, Joseph Woodard, and their daughter, Jurnee, 4.

The deadly plane accident occurred on July 10, when the plane when down in an Orlando neighborhood. Two NASCAR employees were flying the plane.

The plane’s pilot noticed smoke coming from the cockpit soon after leaving Daytona Beach. Controllers were guiding the plane so it could land at Orlando-Sanford International Airport when the collision occurred.

The plane also crashed onto another Sanford residence, this one owned by Peter and Milagros Dechat. Peter sustained serious burn injuries in the accident. The Dechat’s daughter Gabriel, 4, also died in the aviation accident. Their son Daniel Happy, 10, is still being treated for his burn injuries at Cincinnati’s Shriners Burns Hospital. The couple says that they plan to file injury and wrongful death claims also.

Personal injury and wrongful death claims and lawsuits related to plane accidents can be challenging cases to handle without the help of an experienced Florida plane accident lawyer.

Plane accidents often leave no survivors and can also seriously injury or kill innocent bystanders and residents on the ground who are just going about their daily life—whether they are walking up the street, riding a car, or sitting in their kitchen having breakfast.

A good plane accident attorney can determine whether the pilot, the air traffic control team, the plane company, or anyone else can be held liable.

Your personal injury attorney should have a solid understanding of aviation law and the different rules that govern private planes, commercial airliners, and military jets.

Family reaches settlement after fatal Sanford plane crash, OrlandoSentinel.com, January 16, 2008

Family Who Lost Mother, Son In Sanford Accident Settle With NASCAR, Aero-News Network, January 16, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Federal Aviation Administration

United States Aviation Underwriters

NASCAR

]]> In South Florida, the personal injury law firm of Paige, Trop & Ameen P.A. handles wrongful death cases for people who have lost family members in tragic accidents. Please contact Paige, Trop & Ameen P.A. today to request your free consultation with one of our Florida wrongful death lawyers.