Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Miami - A shooting in the parking lot of a Miami apartment complex left three people wounded and a teenage girl dead Sunday evening. Police originally referred to this tragic incident as a "drive-by shooting," however, sources close to the investigation revealed that the assailants exited their car and began shooting. The fifteen year old girl is believed to have been an innocent by-stander.

Miami-Dade Police Department's homicide investigators were initially told that four men riding in a gray Nissan Maxima or Altima fired the fatal shots.

Police said The shooting occurred just after 6:45 p.m. when Nissan arrived at the Annie Coleman apartment complex located at 2135 NW 52nd Street. According to detectives, the car pulled into the courtyard and several shots were fired from what is believed to be an AK -47 assault rifle, leaving a young girl dead and three others wounded.

The identity of the girl who died at the scene is not yet known. The others who were wounded in the shooting were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Witnesses said the girl was shot in the head while playing outside with friends.

The shootings come about a year after an incident a short distance away on Jan. 24, 2009, in which a gunman armed with an AK-47 assault rifle shot into a crowd killing two and wounding seven others.

``It's a process. It's a cycle -- a vicious cycle,'' said neighborhood activist Renita Holmes. ``There's no respect for life.''

Neighbors, who spoke on condition on anonymity for fear of their lives, said the shooting was gang-related. A police spokesperson said that it was too early to tell whether that was the case.

Det. Rebeca Perez urged anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Speaking of the teenage victim, Perez lamented, ``What could she have possibly done to deserve this?''

Continue reading "Miami - 15 Year Old Girl Shot and Killed in Apartment Complex Parking Lot" »

The Miami based law firm of Hannon & Boyers has been retained by two Danish businessmen who were guests at the Epic Hotel, located at 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami, Florida 33131. Shortly after staying at the Epic Hotel they began to exhibit signs and symptoms consistent with Legionnaires' Disease. Our clients are currently undergoing medical treatment and evaluation to obtain a definitive diagnosis.

The Miami-Dade County Health Department has reported at least three other cases involving guests at the Epic Hotel who developed Legionnaire’s Disease including. One involved a fatality. According to published reports, it appears that the Epic Hotel installed a water filtration system that allowed waterborne bacteria, including the legionella bacteria to grow. Legionnaires' Disease is usually contracted through exposure to contaminated water vapor from hot showers, Jacuzzis and hot tubs.

It appears that the CDC and other governmental entities have not confirmed the source of the Legionnaire’s Disease, which resulted in at least one death. However, they have reported that this fatal strain of the disease may be linked to a source other than the Epic Hotel.

One family tragically lost a loved one, Tore Myhra, who not only stayed at the Epic Hotel but had also been on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship during the relevant period. It is believed that more than one person on that cruise ship contracted Legionnaires' Disease. Accordingly, any investigation regarding the source of illness during the pertinent period of time must explore both the culpability of the Epic Hotel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Continue reading "Legionnaires' Disease Linked to Epic Hotel and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Vessel " »

Pompano Beach, Florida - One man is dead and was injured in a shooting outside of a Pompano Beach apartment complex.

The fatal shooting occurred Saturday evening when two men who were outside an apartment complex on Avondale Drive were approached by one or more persons. Shots were fired and the victims were transported to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach where injuries to one of them proved to be fatal.

The shooting is being investigated by BSO homicide detectives. They asked anyone with information to call BSO Homicide Det. Frank Ilarraza at 954-321-4210 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477, or online to www.browardcrimestoppers.org.

Many violent crimes are "crimes of opportunity", meaning they are committed in the place which affords the perpetrator the best opportunity to avoid being seen or caught. Very often that place turns out to be a commercial property like an apartment complex, night club, bank or automated teller machine (ATM) where safety and security have been neglected.

Continue reading "Pompano Beach Shooting Leaves One Dead, One Injured" »

A Fort Lauderdale train accident claimed the lives of two women and left one man critically injured on November 19th when a 325-ton Tri Rail train slammed into a gold Toyota Camry which had stopped on the tracks on Commercial Boulevard.

Forty-four year old Connie Hamblin and her passenger 22 year old Felicia Hatmaker of Tennessee were both ejected from the car and killed according to Fort Lauderdale Police. Another occupant of the Toyota, Eddie Hamblin, also of Tennessee, was transported to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach in critical condition.

This railroad crossing lies between two very busy intersections -- Powerline Road to the west and the southbound I-95 ramps to the east.

Traffic often backs up onto the crossing in both directions when the traffic lights at those intersections turn red.

At least two attempts to address this hazard either were unsuccessful or were never fully implemented.

The Florida Department of Transportation in 2000 tested a concept called a ``European X'' -- a box about the size of a car with an X painted on the roadway just beyond the crossing in each traffic lane. The idea was that if drivers could see the X as they approached the crossing, they would be able to safely cross.

The X markings are no longer on the pavement there and the Miami Herald reported that no one at the FDOT could recall the results of that experiment.

The DOT had also announced plans to install cameras at that crossing and at crossings at McNab Road, Cypress Creek Road, Powerline Road and Prospect Road.

The cameras were designed to send an instant signal to the train operator to slow down if a motorist is stalled. But train operators balked presumably at the idea of cameras preserving evidence of their own negligence.

There have been seven railroad accidents involving automobiles at the Commercial Boulevard Tri-Rail crossing since Tri-Rail began service in 1989. Those accidents resulted in three fatalities and two serious injuries.

All of those accidents involved Tri-Rail trains but one involved an Amtrak train.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Train Accident Kills Two And Critically Injures Another" »

Broward County, Florida - A three-vehicle accident on I-595 left one man dead and another in critical condition, according to a spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol.

The fatal motorcycle accident occurred shortly after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. According to FHP, two motorcycles were eastbound in the left lane near Hiatus Road and a four-door Kia, driven by twenty-two year old Erica Vieira Borges of Sunrise was eastbound in the center lane ahead of the motorcycles.

Reports indicate that when the Kia merged into the left lane, one motorcycle, operated by twenty-five year old Josue Rene Robles Duprey of Miramar, struck the rear end of the Kia.

Duprey was thrown from his Yamaha motorcycle, which slid across the highway and came to rest in an exit lane.

Borges' Kia left the roadway and struck a guardrail. When it attempted to move back onto the interstate, it was hit by the second motorcycle which was operated by twenty-two year old Shaun L. Pasley of Miramar.

Pasley was thrown from his Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle. Both Pasley's motorcycle and Borges' Kia then caught on fire.

Pasley and Duprey were transported to Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Duprey did not survive and Pasley was in critical condition even though both motorcyclists were wearing helmets.

Erica Borges appeared to have suffered only minor injuries.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of this fatal accident.

Continue reading "Broward County Motorcycle Accident Leaves One Dead And One In Critical Condition " »

Miami, Florida - Drowning is the number one cause of death among children in Miami-Dade County. With Summer approaching, more children will be in or near swimming pools, at beaches, water parks and lakes. This increased exposure to water coincides with an increase in the number of drownings. For this reason, it is extremely important that children are taught about water safety.

The Miami-Dade Fire Department has responded to 199 drownings since January 2007. Most of those involved children under 16 years old and 32% involved children under 5 years old. In Miami, most drowning incidents occur between 11:00am and 6:00pm peaking between 3:00pm and 4:00pm. The majority of Miami drownings and near drownings occur in the Summer months from May through August. MDFR has already responded to 11 drowning incidents just since January of 2009.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has prepared the following list of Summer Safety Tips to help keep our children safe:

• Always think of the ocean, lakes and your pool as dangerous places.
• Always directly supervise children when they are in a pool or around any body of water. Young children can drown in just a few inches of standing water. Bathtubs and large buckets also pose a threat. Most childhood drownings occur without an adult immediately present.
• Keep a phone at poolside so you don’t have to leave the kids to answer the phone and so you can call 9-1-1 immediately in case of an emergency.
• Never assume that swimming lessons or flotation devices can completely protect a child from drowning. Don’t have a false sense of security!
• Install alarms on all doors that lead into a pool area so you will know if a door to the pool has been opened.
• Secure long hair to the head, braid it, or cover it with a cap. Long hair can get suctioned into defective pool drains and vacuum lines.
• Make sure that all family members learn how to swim and what to do if they see someone in trouble in the water.
• Have your family members learn CPR. Drowning victims have a better chance of surviving if they get assistance right away.
• Know and comply with the Florida and Miami-Dade County statutes for pool fencing and pool safety. Pool fencing has been proven to save the lives of many children.

Continue reading "Miami - Drowning Is #1 Cause of Death Among Children" »

Miami, Florida - Officials from Miami-Dade County's Health Department have launched an investigation to determine the cause of death of two infants who died on consecutive days at Miami Children's Hospital. The infants died in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

Fermin Leguen, the medical executive director of the Health Department acknowledged that it is very unusual for two infants to die on consecutive days in the same hospital because of an infection.

Vincent Conte, a senior physician from the epidemiology and disease control unit said he was contacted by the hospital on Monday morning and notified that "two babies had died from what they assumed was some sort of infection and that another infant was ill." Conte said the third baby who was infected with the bacteria is improving but is still facing a number of other medical problems.

The hospital released the following statement on Wednesday:
``The hospital extends deepest sympathy to the families of the babies. We have taken all appropriate precautions to protect the health and safety of our patients and families. We continue to examine this matter in detail. At this time, the results of our examination are inconclusive. Due to privacy laws we are unable to give specific patient information.''

We trust our hospitals to care for the most vulnerable in our population and there is no more vulnerable segment of our population than premature infants in a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. When hospitals fail to take reasonable precautions to protect these fragile patients, they are negligent and the harm which results can be devastating to families.

Continue reading "Miami, Florida - Two Infants Dead at Miami Children's Hospital" »

Miami Beach, Florida - Mario Reyes, 59, was killed Saturday while crossing the street when he was hit by a Bentley driven by NFL wide receiver, Donte Stallworth.

Initial reports indicate that Stallworth may have been driving while under the influence of alcohol at the time although blood alcohol test results have not yet been released.

Reyes was described by his brother-in-law, Francisco Fajardo as a family man who spent all of his free time with his wife of almost twenty years, Catalina and their fifteen year old daughter, Daniela.

Renier Calana, who worked with Reyes unloading cargo containers at the Port of Miami for Bernuth Agencies, a shipping company, told reporters that Reyes was going to the bus stop.

Stallworth signed a $35 million contract with the Cleveland Browns before last season and was scheduled to receive a $4,750,000 signing bonus on Friday.

While no amount of money can ever replace a husband or father, Florida's wrongful death statute provides an avenue for Mr. Reyes' family to recover monetary compensation which can help family members pay for the funereal and cope with the lost household income.

Continue reading "Miami Beach - Mario Reyes Killed When Struck By Bentley" »

Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak - An investigation of peanut butter and its link to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella has expanded with the Kellogg Co. (K) voluntarily recalling sixteen of its products and federal officials confirming salmonella contamination at a facility in Georgia that ships peanut products to 85 different food companies.

Earlier this week Kellogg asked retailers to remove some of its Keebler crackers from store shelves as a precaution. However, in a statement released late Friday, the company announced that it was voluntarily recalling the crackers and other products in light of the problems in Georgia.

The salmonella outbreak has made hundreds of people in 43 states sick and killed at least six.

Kellogg's president and CEO, David Mackay said "the actions we are taking today are in keeping with our more than 100-year commitment to providing consumers with safe, high-quality products. We apologize for this unfortunate situation.''

Included in the recall are Austin and Keebler branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, as well as some snack-size packs of Famous Amos Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies.

Consumers are advised not to eat any of the products in question and to contact a doctor if they have any symptoms. The tainted products should be carefully disposed of to avoid the risk of homeless people finding and eating them.

According to the FDA, new cases are still being reported.

Although some brands have been linked to the outbreak, the FDA says the investigation is ongoing and more products may yet be recalled.

The investigation includes baked goods and other products that contain peanuts and are sold directly to consumers in addition to peanut butter. According to health officials, approximately one-third of the people who got sick had no recollection of eating peanut butter.

''The focus is on peanut butter and a wide array of products that might have peanut butter in them,'' said Dr. Robert Tauxe, director of the foodborne illness division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials said they are focusing not only on peanut butter, but also on peanut paste produced at a Peanut Corp. of America facility in Blakely, Ga. The inclusion of peanut paste is significant as it can be used in numerous products.

Six deaths have been linked to the outbreak by health officials in Minnesota, Virginia, Idaho and North Carolina. The exact cause of death in each case had not been determined, however, each person had salmonella when they died.

According to the CDC, typhimurium , the bacteria involved in the outbreak, is fairly common and not an unusually dangerous strain. The elderly and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk though.

Common symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.

Continue reading "Nationwide salmonella Outbreak - Peanut Butter Recall Includes Keebler And Famous Amos Cookies" »

Miami, Florida - A Miami Beach aviation accident involving a Chalk's seaplane three years ago has spawned New York and Miami, Florida product liability lawsuits. Two such lawsuits were recently filed against the manufacturer of the seaplane alleging that the Grumman Turbo Mallard seaplane was defective.

Chalk's Ocean Airways, the former seaplane airline, and its insurance company, AIG have both sued the manufacturer of the aircraft, alleging that it's design was dangerous and defective, causing the airplane crash that killed 20 people including the crew.

The federal court lawsuits in Miami and New York, claim that the 58-year-old seaplane manufactured by Grumman -- now Northrop Grumman -- was ``not adequately designed for its intended purpose.''

Chalk's attorneys claim that the airline was forced to go out of business by the defective nature of this airplane.

A spokesperson for Northrop Grumman, the Los Angeles based manufacturer, refused to comment on the lawsuits.

The Chalk's seaplane caught fire and crashed into the water off Miami Beach on Dec. 19, 2005. The flight was bound for Bimini, a small island in the Bahamas.

In May 2007, the National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined that the plane crash was caused by the separation of the plane's right wing. It also found that Chalk's deficient maintenance program was also a contributing cause of the crash.

Chalk's owner claims that the the cracks were caused by the plane's defective design and had nothing to do with it's maintenance program. The suit papers allege a manufacturing defect with the rivets where the wing separated from the fuselage and that they were in an area that is enclosed and cannot be inspected.

AIG paid $50 million in damages to the survivors of the crash victims. It filed a separate lawsuit against Northrop Grumman for subrogation essentially seeking reimbursement of the money it had to pay out.

In December 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Grumman G-73 aircraft still registered in the United States until a determination could be made that the airframes were structurally sound.

No other commercial operators were still using these seaplanes. The last Mallard seaplanes were manufactured in 1951.

Chalk's never had a fatal accident before the crash in 2005.

Continue reading "Miami, Florida - Product Liability Lawsuits Filed Against Seaplane Manufacturer " »

Broward County, Florida - A Broward County truck accident claimed the life of a Palm Beach County Fire Rescue lieutenant Saturday evening.

Forty-three year old Tony Falzarano of Plantation was killed when his 2008 Mini Cooper collided with a tractor-trailer on the Sawgrass Expressway according to FHP.

Falzarano was a rescue lieutenant with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

The fatal truck accident occurred just after 7 p.m. Saturday in the northbound lanes of the Sawgrass Expressway just south of Atlantic Boulevard.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the truck, had pulled over onto the shoulder because of a blown tire. The truck driver, 38 year old Ricardo A. Duran Parra, of Loxahatchee called his supervisor and was told to drive the truck to the Atlantic Boulevard exit and wait there.

Duran Parra told investigators that he checked for traffic and pulled back into the right lane. He said he didn't see the Mini Cooper, and ''all he felt was the impact upon traveling in the right lane,'' FHP said.

The front of the Mini Cooper collided with the left rear of the tractor-trailer. Falzarano's injuries proved to be fatal.

Falzarano had worked for fire-rescue for approximately 9 years, most recently as a rescue truck supervisor, according to Palm Beach County fire-rescue Captain Don DeLucia.

There were no witnesses to the crash.

Continue reading "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Lieutenant Killed In Truck Accident On Sawgrass Expwy." »

Broward County, Florida - A mid-air collision of two flight school planes Saturday above the Florida Everglades left four people dead.

Investigators resumed their search for the bodies of the four people who were killed when the two aircraft collided over the Everglades in West Broward.

The aircraft, a single-engine Cessna and a twin-engine Piper, slammed into each other Saturday afternoon in an area where South Florida flight instructors regularly take students to practice.

Among those killed in the aviation accident were Stuart Brown, a flight instructor, Bryan Sax, of Colorado, and Edson Jefferson, a pilot from Miramar.

The fourth victim has not yet been identified.

The Cessna took off from North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines and the Piper took off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

''From what I understand, radar shows the two air-crafts merging,'' Eric Alleyne, an aviation safety inspector with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of the midair collision. ``Right now we need to get the aircraft out and see what we are actually dealing with.''

The radar data will be important in figuring out what caused the plane crash.

Police used air-boats to reach the crash site.

Police had not released the identity of the victims, but three were identified by friends and relatives.

25 year old Brown, a flight instructor from Pembroke Pines and his student, 30 year old Jefferson from Miramar were on board the Cessna.

37 year old Sax of Aspen Colorado, the student and one unidentified person believed to be a flight instructor with Airline Transport Professionals Corp. of Wilmington, Del. were on board the Piper.

One relative was understandably upset.

''We just want rescuers to get the bodies out of that swamp as soon as possible; that's our main concern now,'' said Brown's aunt Sharon Burton-Lofton of New York.

Meg Fensome, vice president of the Pelican Flight Training Center at North Perry Airport, confirmed that Brown was the instructor killed along with a student aboard the school's Cessna.

She declined to release any more information for now.

Continue reading "Florida Everglades Plane Crash Kills 4" »

Miami, Florida - Traffic homicide detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department are investigating a hit-and-run accident that occurred early Saturday morning and left a passenger dead and the driver in serious condition.

The Miami car accident happened around 2:00 a.m. The two victims were east bound on Southwest 42nd Street near 132nd Avenue when their car was hit by another vehicle and then slammed into a tree.

The passenger was killed instantly. The driver was air-lifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Police are searching for the driver of the other vehicle which was described as a silver Suzuki sedan or sport utility vehicle. Anyone who has information regarding this crash is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Continue reading "Miami-Dade Hit-And-Run Leaves One Dead And One Seriously Injured" »

Miramar, Florida - A Broward County car accident left a thirty-six-year old woman dead and her baby seriously injured when the two vehicles involved in the crash collided in the intersection of Pembroke Road and University Drive and then rolled over early Friday morning, officials said.

According to Capt. Jeff Levine, a Miramar police spokesman, the woman, Nayfy Gutierrez, was a Pembroke Pines resident and her husband resides in Peru.

The crash, which involved Gutierrez's Mazda and a Ford truck, occurred after one of the vehicles ran a red light, Levine said. Police are still investigating and have not determined which driver was at fault.

''We have conflicting stories about which person ran the red light,'' Levine said.

Gutierrez was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the Ford truck whose identity has not been released and the child, a 1-year-old, were both transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, according to Pembroke Pines Fire Rescue officials.

Police said the Mazda was north bound on University Drive and the four-door Ford truck was east bound on Pembroke Road when they collided in the intersection.

Investigators are currently speaking to witnesses.

Continue reading "Miramar, Florida - Car Crash Leaves Woman Dead And Her Baby Injured" »

Gainesville, Florida - Three people were killed in a Florida airplane crash early Friday morning at the edge of the Gainesville Regional Airport. The victims were identified as Key West residents, one of whom was on his way to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida for a transplant.

According to Gainesville police, the pilot, Andrew Ricciuti, 43 was a former Navy pilot who has been flying planes for twenty years.

The two passengers were also identified. Gordon Bennett Taylor, 51, and his wife, Barbara Taylor, 52 were killed in the crash. Their daughter is a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

The airplane was a Parntenavia P.68 which was registered to Robert Valle of St. Croix. Valle said Gordon Taylor was a kidney-transplant patient en route to Gainesville. He was scheduled to have surgery on Friday at Shands Hospital.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials, the aircraft was cleared for approach to the Gainesville airport by air traffic controllers in Jacksonville at around 2:45 am.

Gainesville police received a phone call from officials in Jacksonville at approximately 5:16am on Friday advising them that they had lost contact with a six-passenger airplane in the Gainesville area.

It was not immediately known why there was a 2-1/2 hour delay after the time the plane was cleared for approach before local law enforcement was contacted. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators were in Gainesville investigating the cause of this Florida aviation accident.

This is the first airplane crash at the airport in three years.

The NTSB investigation continues.

Continue reading "Airplane Crash Kills Three In Gainesville, Florida" »

Broward County, Florida - A single-car accident in Deerfield Beach, Florida Thursday morning left the driver dead and a passenger seriously injured.

The Broward County car accident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on the Southwest 10th Street exit ramp from Interstate 95.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, neither Jason Osteen, 32, of Pompano Beach, who had been driving the car nor his passenger, Nicole Muto, 26, of Deerfield Beach, were wearing seat belts at the time.

Apparently, Osteen misjudged the curve of the ramp. The car left the roadway, slid sideways, flipped over and slammed into a pole.

Osteen was pronounced dead at the scene. Fire Rescue rushed Muto to the emergency room at North Broward Medical Center. She remains in serious condition.

The wreck is still under investigation.

Continue reading "Deerfield Beach Car Accident Leaves 1 Dead, 1 Injured" »

KEY LARGO -- Joanne Page, 51 from North Carolina died Thursday after diving at French Reef, about 4 ½ miles off Key Largo in the Atlantic Ocean.

She was pronounced dead on the scene.

She had been diving with her boyfriend, Eugene Jackson, also from North Carolina on the commercial dive boat, Sea Star.

According to Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officers, the couple completed the first of two dives without incident. The problems began when they tried to swim back to the boat against a strong current after they surfaced from their second dive approximately 100 yards from the dive boat.

After battling the current and waves for about 30 minutes, Jackson looked back and saw that his girl friend had fallen behind and her head was underwater.

Crew members aboard the dive boat told investigators they could not see the two divers struggling in the water. In fact, they didn't even realize that Page and Jackson were missing until all the other divers were safely on board the boat.

The Coast Guard and FWC were called to help search for the missing divers who were eventually found by FWC officers. Jackson was alive but struggling to perform mouth to mouth. Page was taken to shore and pronounced dead.

Continue reading "Florida Keys Diving Accident Claims Life Of North Carolina Tourist" »

Interstate 595 was the scene of a Fort Lauderdale truck accident involving two other vehicles. The driver of one of the two passenger cars involved in the wreck died according to a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Investigators will not release the driver's identity until his relatives have been notified.

The driver was behind the wheel of a 2006 Ford Fusion when it crashed into a 2008 Dodge Dakota in the eastbound lanes of I-595 at about 4:50 a.m. The multi-vehicle crash was caused when one of the vehicles hit the rear wheel of a 2003 Sterling tractor.

Police are still investigating the Ft. Lauderdale car accident to determine whether one of the vehicles was traveling the wrong direction in traffic and which vehicle it may have been.

The Fusion's driver was transported by Fire Rescue to Broward General Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Two others involved in the crash were taken to that hospital -- Jose Pages-Segrera, 46, and Jose A. Pages, 20. Both are still hospitalized and are in serious condition. They are from Myakka City, a small town just east of Sarasota in Manatee County.

The tractor-trailer was a fuel tanker which, fortunately, was empty when the accident occurred.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Leaves One Dead" »

Broward County, Florida - a Fort Lauderdale car accident sent one vehicle plowing into a group of pedestrians standing at a bus stop this morning. Four of them were injured and had to be transported by Fire Rescue to Broward General Medical Center for emergency medical treatment.

It all started when a car ran a red light on U.S. 1 at the intersection with N.E. Fourth Street around 10:30 am. Fort Lauderdale police said after running the red light, the car was hit by a County bus which pushed it into another car and then into a bus stop.

The names of the drivers and victims were not yet released.

An experienced Florida personal injury lawyer would first look to hold the driver who caused the crash responsible. However, when investigating a Florida automobile accident case, several issues must be addressed. The vehicle or vehicles involved would need to be inspected to make sure the accident wasn't caused in part by defective or poorly maintained brakes or some other defective automotive component part.

Some auto accidents are caused by a defective seat back which can cause a driver to lose control if it breaks. The harm caused by some car accidents is compounded when a defective fuel tank results in a fire and causes burn injuries or a design defect causes a vehicle to roll over. If a defective product or component part played a role in causing the accident, a Florida product liability case could be brought in addition to the automobile negligence claim.

Additionally, if it is determined that the offending driver was intoxicated, it is possible, in some circumstances, to bring a claim against the person or establishment that served alcohol to the drunk driver.

Where an accident victim dies as a result of the accident, the Florida wrongful death statute would apply to the case.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Leaves Four Pedestrians Injured When Car Plows Into Bus Stop" »

Moore Haven, Florida -Six men were killed in a Glades County, Florida truck accident when a tractor-trailer crashed into the van they were riding in.

The tractor-trailer apparently ran through a stop sign on SR 78 around 6:30am and hit the passenger side of the van.

At least two of the six occupants were ejected from the van. All six were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

The negligent tractor-trailer driver was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital for emergency medical treatment. Authorities have not yet released his name.

The investigation continues.

Continue reading "Glades County Truck Crash Kills Six Men" »