Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Broward County, Florida - One woman is dead and a 9-year-old boy is in critical condition with life threatening injuries following a violent car accident on Alligator Alley Friday morning.

Two others were trapped inside of a Chevrolet Suburban that flipped over onto the shoulder on Interstate 75 near mile marker 31 according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue.

The identities of the victims were not released.

The boy was ejected from the truck on impact, while the other three occupants were trapped in the SUV. According to Sgt. Mark Wysocky, a spokesman for Florida Highway Patrol, the woman was pronounced dead at the accident scene.

It appeared none in the SUV wore seat belts.

The survivors were all airlifted to area hospitals. The boy is in ''very critical condition,'' Wysocky said.

Alligator Alley is know to be one of the most dangerous roads in Florida. It has more than its share of motor vehicle accidents. For more on dangerous roads and locations, read my earlier post Florida Truck Accidents Among Most Frequent In The US.

Continue reading " Alligator Alley Crash Leaves Woman Dead And Boy Critical " »

Ft Lauderdale, Florida - 26 year old Ashley Vaden, a cosmetologist, and 41 year old Duane Plouffe, a Navy Seal were killed on April 19 when the motorcycle they were riding was hit by two vehicles -- one of them a tractor-trailer -- on Interstate 95 near Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

The drivers who hit them fled the scene.

That crash was just one of four unsolved, fatal hit-and-run accidents to occurr in Broward County since February. Florida Highway Patrol investigators together with Some of the surviving relatives of the hit-and-run victims on Wednesday asked the public for help.

''You aren't suppose to bury your children. It's just not suppose to be that way,'' said Vaden's father, Michael Vaden, with tears in his eyes. ``In our case, there wasn't much to bury.''

The recent spike in hit-and-run accidents has law enforcement very concerned according to FHP Sgt. Mark Wysocky. ''It seems like every other day there is another hit-and-run,'' he said.

According to FHP, the four hit-and-run crashes under investigation can be summarized as follows:

• On April 19, Vaden and Plouffe -- who were northbound on I-95 on a motorcycle -- were hit by a small white car. Vaden and Plouffe were thrown off the bike and then hit by another vehicle. Vaden was fatally run over by a tractor-trailer whose driver failed to stop. Police are looking for the tractor-trailer and the small white vehicle.

• On Feb. 15, Larry Grampa hit a vehicle while driving his motorcycle southbound on I-95 in Dania Beach and was thrown to the roadway. As he tried to get up, he was hit by another car and killed. That vehicle fled the scene, but police found a piece of the car at the scene.

• On April 30, John Deeley and his passenger, Johnny Turner, were westbound on I-75 near mile marker 30. Deeley swerved to avoid a vehicle that was stopped in the left lane, overturned and went into a canal. Both were killed in the accident. Police are looking for the vehicle left in the road.

• On March 2, 19-year-old Stevie Nicole Painter was driving on I-95 after leaving the Best Buy store in Fort Lauderdale where she worked when she was cut off by another car. She lost control of her vehicle near the Interstate 595 exit ramp just north of Davie Boulevard. Her car flipped over, struck a large sign post and was killed.

Painter, a student, wanted to become a veterinarian. Her family has'nt been the same since the crash.

''The pain we are experiencing now is as fresh as the day of the accident,'' said Todd Dupell, Painter's uncle. ``The fact that someone saw something and hasn't said anything breaks my spirit.''

"Someone out there knows something.''

While law enforcement officers continue to investigate these fatal motor vehicle accidents, the victims' families are finding it difficult to move on.

Vaden's family created a memorial in their home with pictures, memorabilia and flowers.

They burned into ashes the few remains that were left. The only thing intact was a lock of her golden-blond hair.

''I raised my kids to have a good life,'' Michael Vaden said. ``It breaks my heart that my family is suffering so much.''

Continue reading " Fort Lauderdale - Truck Accident Prompted Police To Appeal To The Public For Assistance " »

Miami, Florida - A tragic car accident recently left 2 children seriously injured and without a mother. According to Aventura police, 38 year old Donna Dante was traveling over 80 mph on Biscayne Boulevard at Miami Gardens Drive. She had an open bottle of tequila in the car when she ran a red light, sideswiped a car in the intersection, jumped over the median and slammed head-on into another car.

Her two children, ages 8 and 5, were airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with broken bones and lost teeth.

According to investigators, Donna Dante did three things wrong: she was driving under the influence, she had her children in the car with her and she was not wearing a seat belt.

Fortunately, the injuries her two boys suffered, while serious, were not life threatening.

Continue reading " Miami, Florida - Auto Accident Leaves Mom Dead, 2 Children Severely Injured On Biscayne Blvd. " »

Pembroke Pines, Florida - A terrible automobile accident claimed the life of a motorcyclist on Wednesday. According to Pines police, Ricardo F. DeCastro, 53, of South Miami was riding a motorcycle when he was rear-ended by a car, thrown from his bike and then run over in Pembroke Pines yesterday.

DeCastro was killed in the accident.

Investigators say that at about 5:20 p.m., the motorcycle, a black 2007 Suzuki, was headed west on Pines Boulevard in the outside lane.

Larry Constante Beltran, 34, of Miami was behind him traveling in the same direction in a black 1998 Honda Civic. Beltran was following too closely and rear-ended the motorcycle, catapulting DeCastro from the bike onto the street.

After the crash, the motorcycle, slammed into the back of a Chevy pickup truck driven by Jose Miguel Sanchez, 33, of Tamarac.

Beltran continued going forward and ran over the DeCastro before stopping.

The DeCastro was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where he ultimately died.

No one else was injured in the motor vehicle accident.

The car accident remains under investigation. Anyone having any information about the crash is asked to call Pines police at 954-431-2200, e-mail Tips@ppines.com or call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Continue reading " Car Accident / Motorcycle Accident - Motorcyclist Was Hit Then Run Over In Pembroke Pines, Florida " »

DAVENPORT - The mother and father of a young woman who was killed in a truck accident on U.S. 27 earlier this year were among the more than 30 Polk County residents, law enforcement officials, state highway planners and county leaders who met to form a task force that will focus on making US 27 safer.

"I would gladly give everything I have not to be here," Russell Hurd told the group Tuesday night at Polk Outpost 27, a visitors' center just south of Interstate 4 on US 27, the road some locals refer to as "Bloody 27."

26 year old Heather Hurd lost her life when an inattentive (or sleeping) tractor-trailer driver rear ended several cars and another truck that were stopped at a red light at U.S. 27 and Sand Mine Road.

Two people were killed and several others were injured in the accident.

"I don't want any family to feel what my wife and I feel," Hurd said. "I want them to fix what's wrong with those 15 miles of the highway."

Hurd was referring to the heavily traveled section of US 27 between Haines City and the Polk/Lake county line to the north.

The meeting was hosted by the Polk Transportation Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation and was intended to be the organizational meeting for a task force of residents and officials created to identify immediate or short-term solutions to the highway's problems.

While long-range plans are already on the table, they are not expected to be in place for several years.

Continue reading " Polk County, Florida - Fatal Truck Accident Spurs Family to Seek Action " »

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A terrible automobile accident killed a 2-year-old boy in Orange County on Saturday.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, a pickup truck crashed into the rear of the car in which the little boy was a passenger at the intersection of State Road 50 and Lake Pickett Road.

2-year-old Eric Brauns was killed on impact.

Investigators said the driver of the truck may have fallen asleep at the wheel. SR-50 was closed for several hours after the crash.

Tragedies like this are, unfortunately, far too common and at the same time, almost always preventable. It is irresponsible and careless for a driver to remain behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while fatigued.

The Florida injury lawyers at Hannon & Boyers are experienced in the litigation and trial of catastrophic auto accidents and wrongful death cases and work tirelessly to hold irresponsible individuals accountable for the harm they cause. Hannon & Boyers handles cases throughout the state of Florida.

Miami, Florida - Two workers were seriously injured in a construction site accident Tuesday afternoon when they fell down an elevator shaft in Miami-Dade County.

According to Fire Rescue officials, the accident happened in a building under construction at Southwest 84th Avenue and Eighth Street.

The victims were working on a suspended cart inside the elevator shaft when the cables broke. Officials said the men fell four stories.

The men were transported to Ryder Trauma Center for emergency medical treatment.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation at this time although, the accident could have been the result of negligent maintenance of the cart and cables, or it could have been the result of a defective product.

Contractors have a duty to maintain their equipment in a reasonably safe condition and can, in some instances, be held liable when they fail to do so.

Additionally, product manufacturers have a duty to make sure that when their product is sold to the public it is safe and suitable for its intended use. When a manufacturer fails to design or manufacture its products safely and in conformity with applicable standards or fails to adequately warn of foreseeable harm, they can be held liable under product liability laws.

Continue reading " Miami, Florida - Construction Workers Injured After Fall down Elevator Shaft " »

Florida -- Accidental drownings pose the single biggest threat to young children in Florida. Parents are urged to keep their children in sight at all times around water this summer. Authorities say that losing sight of your children for even a moment around water could result in disaster.

These warnings come in the wake of two drownings in residential pools in Manatee County.
In one case, a mother found her 3-year-old boy at the bottom of their backyard pool. Another discovered her 11-month-old girl floating in a pool.

According to Florida's Department of Health, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 14 in the state and the leading cause of death in children ages 1 - 4.

While Florida leads the nation in child drowning deaths, in 2006, thirty-eight drowning deaths were reported in Miami-Dade County alone. Those statistics only reflect drowning deaths. Many more people, usually children, suffer catastrophic injuries such as cerebral anoxia or hypoxia (brain damage) each year as a result of near drowning incidents.

Many people have also suffered crippling spinal cord injuries from diving into pools, lakes or canals with inadequate warnings or which were not adequately maintained.

Accidental drownings may occur in lakes, canals, oceans, swimming pools, hot tubs / spas and even in bath tubs. Many drownings occur because of defective pool pumps or drains which can result in suction entrapment or because of poorly maintained fences or gates.

The phrase "suction entrapment" refers to the situation where a bather, usually a child, becomes stuck to a pool drain and held under water by the increased suction that is created when a drain is blocked by the bather’s body, hair or clothing. The force of that suction is often strong enough to hold an adult under water; however, it is usually children who fall victim to suction entrapment. Spa and hot tub drains pose the same risk. Suction entrapment incidents are generally caused by defective pool pumps, aging, broken, loose or missing drain covers and poorly designed pools.

There are several safety tips that, if followed can help prevent accidental drownings. They include:

1). Pool fences - Four-sided isolation fencing, at least five feet high with self-closing and self-latching gates, should be installed around home pools and spas. Fencing should completely surround swimming pools or spas and prevent direct access from a house or yard.

2). Never leave a child unsupervised in or around any body of water, even for a moment.

3). Enroll children in swimming lessons taught by a certified instructor, but don’t assume swimming lessons make your child “drown proof.”

4). Never dive into water less than nine feet deep.

5). Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device ("PFD") or life jacket when boating, near open bodies of water or when participating in any water sports. Air-filled swimming aids, such as “water wings,” are not considered safety devices and are not substitutes for PFDs.

6). Make use of pool alarms which sound an alert when someone enters the water.

Continue reading " Florida - Drownings / Near drownings Pose Huge Risk Of Death And Serious Injury To Children " »

West Palm Beach, Florida - Carlos Franco, 41, of Texas was shot seven times in an attempted robbery which originated inside a local Palm Beach strip club called Sugar Daddy's. A stripper and her friend were behind the plot to rob the Texas man.

Victims of violent crime such as Franco are often entitled to compensation. In this case, a civil claim for his injuries based on negligent security could likely be brought against the strip club.

Twenty -Two year old Sheila Martins of Boynton Beach and her friend, 31 year old Louis Johnson of West Palm Beach are charged with attempted murder. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Martins, a former employee of Sugar Daddy's, was reprimanded earlier that night for taking off her clothes at the bar, taking tips away from the working strippers. She left the club with Franco and walked with him to his car when Johnson and another man approached the couple in an attempt to Rob Franco.

The robbery was set up by Martins according to the arrest report which also indicates that she told another stripper that she was planning to rob Franco.

The two were charged Tuesday in the June 29 attempted robbery and shooting of the Sugar Daddy's customer who remains in critical condition with seven bullet wounds.

Police are searching for a third suspect.

Franco is an airplane mechanic with a wife and three children who was visiting the adult club in suburban West Palm Beach during a business trip.

Franco's brother-in-law who is in Palm Beach County with Franco's wife praying for him at the hospital said that Franco is "a little bit better" but has remained unconscious most of the time.

Continue reading " West Palm Beach Stripper Charged In Shooting Outside Strip Club " »

Polk County, Florida - The list of people who have been killed in truck accidents in Polk County continues to grow. This time, Peter C. Rogers, 47, of Davie was outside his Volvo tractor-trailer on the shoulder of I-4 in Polk County when he was struck and killed by a passing truck at about noon Tuesday according to an FHP spokesperson.

Law enforcement officials said that Rodgers had pulled his truck onto the shoulder of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 4 near Mile Marker 49 and was struck while near the driver's-side door by a Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by 46 year old Donald L. Bush, of Largo.

No further details about this traffic fatality have been released; however, There are over 400,000 accidents involving large commercial trucks each year in the U.S. and
truck accident statistics show that driver fatigue is the number one cause of truck accidents. This is often because irresponsible trucking companies regularly pressure their drivers to operate their tractor-trailers for dangerously long periods with little rest in order to make deadlines and improve profits.

Continue reading " Polk County Truck Accident - Passing Truck Kills Man Outside Vehicle On I-4 " »

Brevard County, Florida — According to the driver involved in an early morning, fatal truck accident yesterday in Cocoa, Florida, a white truck sideswiped his car.

Lt. Channing Taylor of the Florida Highway Patrol said that 42 year old Elbert McClary was southbound on Clearlake Road when his SUV ran into a canal and over-turned at Jackson Road in Cocoa yesterday.

His passenger, 30 year old Corah Wells, also of Cocoa was killed in the accident.

Authorities are still investigating the timeline of the automobile accident which is still a mystery.

Police were not called until “well after 6 a.m.,” Taylor said. But McClary told Highway Patrol troopers investigating the truck accident that the crash happened several hours before that time.

The investigation as to what time the fatal truck wreck actually occurred is ongoing and charges may yet be filed said FHP Sgt. Kim Miller.