Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA : According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 46 year old Georges Pameni was killed in a tractor trailer accident when the truck he was driving collided with another tractor trailer on I-75 yesterday.

Georges Pameni, of Marietta, Georgia was driving his tractor trailer north on I-75. Truck driver, Steven Miller, 49, of Estero was also northbound on I-75.

Apparently, a load of stone was dropped on the Bayshore Road overpass by a dump truck. While that lane was being cleaned up, it was closed and traffic was being diverted into another lane.

The Florida personal injury lawyers at Hannon & Boyers recently represented the family of a truck driver in a wrongful death case when their loved one was killed in a tractor trailer accident. Our injury attorneys have handled numerous cases involving truck accidents where a thorough knowledge of the Federal laws regulating truckers helped secure a significant award for the survivors. In this case, experienced injury lawyers would investigate the trucking company and driver of the dump truck that caused the road closure. It is likely that they created a dangerous condition that contributed to cause the crash.

Continue reading "Fort Meyers, Florida Tractor Trailer Accident Leaves One Dead " »

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Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Dangerous/Defective Construction Equipment , Death , Florida Truck Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Miami, Florida - When large commercial trucks crash, the accidents are rarely “minor fender benders” and the results are often catastrophic. With over 8 million trucks on the road, accidents involving these vehicles are a fact of life.

But the chances of a truck accident occurring, especially a fatal truck accident, are higher in Florida than almost any other state and higher in the Miami area than in all but two other locations in Florida. Florida ranks third in the nation in fatal truck accidents. Only Texas and California have more.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, a disproportionate number of truck accidents occur in just three areas of Florida:

1). Hillsborough County, which includes the city of Tampa on Florida’s west coast;

2). Polk County, which includes the cities of Lakeland and Bartow in Central Florida, and

3). Miami-Dade County, which includes the cities of Miami, Homestead and Hialeah in
     South Florida.

One reason for this is because a higher volume of large trucks, including semi tractor-trailers, travel through these communities than in most others.

There are some roads that are particularly dangerous within these communities. For example, Interstate 60 connects Florida’s East and West coasts and runs right through Polk County near Lakeland and Bartow in Central Florida. I-60 is basically a country road – much smaller than most interstates. Similarly, Krome Avenue, in the Miami area, hosts many tractor trailers and is also just a two lane, country road. Another smaller road that sees an unusually high number of truck accidents is Overseas Highway, which runs through Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and Key West in the Florida Keys.

Truck accidents are also a familiar sight on Florida’s larger highways (The Florida Turnpike, I-95, I-75, I-595) just because of the volume of large trucks traveling on them. But the interstates are not alone.

The Florida Injury Lawyers at our firm have extensive experience in representing the victims of truck accidents in each of these areas and throughout the State. Through our experience, we have learned not only who the best expert witnesses are in the trucking industry and how to use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to prove negligence on the part of truck drivers and the trucking companies that employ them, but also that there are usually multiple factors involved in determining the cause of an accident involving a large commercial truck.

In the year 2002, large trucks were involved in over 70,000 accidents across our state according to Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). That represents almost 1/3 of all Florida motor vehicle accidents for that time period.

Continue reading "Florida Truck Accidents Among Most Frequent in US" »

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Brain Damage , Catastrophic Injuries , Death , Florida Truck Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Miami Truck Accidents , Paralysis , Paraplegia , Polk County Truck Accidents , Quadriplegia , Spinal Cord Injuries , Transportation Accidents , Traumatic Brain Injury

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WILDWOOD FLORIDA - A semi tractor-trailer accident killed a father and son who were working on the Florida Turnpike this morning in Sumter County as they were making repairs to the guardrails just North of Highway 301.

The victims, Luis F. Jimenez, 49, and his son Edward Jimenez, 24 were killed just after 10:30am when a car and a tractor-trailer collided sending the car over the guardrail according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Florida injury lawyers would look to hold the negligent driver responsible for the tragic death of this father and son. In addition, they would investigate to determine whether or not adequate safety proceedures were in place for the road work being performed.

According to turnpike officials, the father and son were working on the guardrail with one other worker who was not identified.

The accident closed the northbound lanes of the turnpike for several hours between Highway 301 and I-75 which spans about 3 miles.

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Death , Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Truck Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Florida - Florida personal injury lawyers filed a lawsuit on behalf of John Graziano, who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident last August.

The defendants - wrestling superstar, Hulk Hogan and his family. Graziano's parents are suing Hogan under Florida's "Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine" which holds the owner of an automobile vicariously responsible for the negligent operation of that vehicle.

Experienced Florida personal injury lawyers know how to use Florida's laws to achieve substantial compensation for their seriously injured clients.

Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, was driving a car registered in his father's name at the time of the crash.

The August 2007 auto accident (see my post on March 13th about this crash) left Bollea's friend, Graziano with permanent brain damage and other serious injuries that will require daily nursing care for the rest of his life.

Bollea faces charges of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury. He will be tried on these charges next month.

The Graziano family filed a lawsuit against Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea), his wife Linda and son Nick, charging them with negligence.

Continue reading "Florida - Personal Injury Lawyer Sues Hulk Hogan For Brain Damage And Other Injuries Suffered in Son's Car Accident" »

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Posted In: Brain Damage , Catastrophic Injuries , Florida Auto Accidents , Transportation Accidents , Traumatic Brain Injury

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DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA — A serious automobile accident left three people dead and two others injured Sunday when a car traveling South in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 crashed head on into another vehicle in Palm Beach County, Florida. The fatal auto accident also contributed to two other injury wrecks. Several people injured in the crash were sent to Delray Medical Center for emergency medical treatment including one police officer.

The fatal accident between a white Mercedes and a black Pontiac occurred at approximately 5:10 a.m. just south of Atlantic Avenue.

According to police, Boris Rapoport of Quebec was driving the Mercedes when it struck the Pontiac which was being driven by North Lauderdale resident, Kenneth Richard Jenkins, 25.

Rapoport and two others who were in the backseat of the Mercedes, 79 year old Renee Rapoport, of Quebec, and 83 yeaqr old Robert S. Rutman, of Boca Raton, were killed in the crash. 69 year old Angelina Pauglica, of Quebec, who was also in the Mercedes, had surgery after being admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

According to Lt. Tim Frith of the Florida Highway Patrol, Jenkins was also taken to Delray Medical Center and is expected to survive.

Delray Beach police Sgt. Toby Rubin and 4 others sustained injuries when their cars collided while Rubin was chasing the wrong-way vehicle.

Investigators said that after the head-on collision, a white Honda was hit by a blue Hyundai trying to avoid the wrecked automobiles, police said. Edward Duggan (the driver of the Honda), and his wife, Christina of Short Hills, N.J. were heading north to Palm Beach International Airport when their car was hit. The Duggans were not seriously injured and were not hospitalized.

Investigators said the driver of the blue Hyundai, 35 year old Lake Worth resident, LaShawn Antoinette Brown, also avoided serious injury.

According to her mother, Rosetta Brown, Brown was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach later that day with strong neck and back pain.

Our Florida injury lawyers handle auto accident cases in Palm Beach County regularly and know full well the tragedy that can result from careless driving on our highways.

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Death , Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Clearwater, Florida - Law enforcement released crash scene photographs from their investigation into the automobile accident involving Nick Bollea (Hulk Hogan's son) and John Graziano. Graziano, who was seriously injured in the acccident and sustained severe brain damage, is depicted in some of the photographs while in the hospital.

The lawyer for the Graziano family has asked the media to refrain from releasing some of the photographs which he says are particularly gory and troubling.

The Florida personal injury attorneys at our law firm always seek to protect the privacy of our clients and their families while working tirelessly to achieve substantial compensation they deserve. When a loved one has suffered catastrophic injuries, the family shouldn't have to worry about anything except making sure he or she is receiving the medical attention they need.

Typically when the police investigate a severe traffic accident, officers take photos of the vehicles at the scene. It is not as common for them to take photos of the victims in the hospital, but it does happen when they believe it is necessary in order to complete their investigation.

A spokesperson for Tampa Bay's Channel 10 News said that "some of the photos of Graziano are so horrific we can't show them on TV...". His family is concerned that they will show up on the Internet.

Lawyers representing the Graziano family criticized the Bollea family for staging what they called a “Valentine's Day publicity stunt.“ The entire family except for Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) went to visit Graziano in the hospital and called a news conference.

Continue reading "Police Accident Investigation Photos Released in Bollea Car Crash " »

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Posted In: Brain Damage , Catastrophic Injuries , Florida Auto Accidents , Transportation Accidents , Traumatic Brain Injury

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Davie, Florida - Teenagers and automobiles are often a deadly combination. In fact teens are involved in a disproportionate share of automobile accidents. That is something that Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida is striving to change with a program that will lead to additional certified drivers ed instructors across the state.

Our experienced team of Florida injury attorneys often represent people who were seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents all over the state of Florida. Our trial lawyers work tirelessly to hold negligent drivers and their insurance companies accountable for the harm they cause. We hope that our hard work will someday help to prevent accidents and, in turn, injuries. It is encouraging to see an innovative program that will provide increased training for our youngest drivers. This program may eventually lead to a reduction in the number of injuries and fatalities on our roads. That is one impact on our highways we would all welcome.

The problem - a shortage of driver education courses in Florida schools. This shortage has grown as public school coaches are lost to retirement and fewer young coaches are becoming certified to teach driver education. The result is that drivers ed classes are no longer a mainstay in our schools.

Part of the problem has been that the only two places in the state teachers could go for certification were the University of Florida in Gainesville and the University of South Florida in Tampa. That made it difficult for teachers in other parts of the state to obtain the necessary training.

The NSU program will be available to teachers nationwide online. The program was developed by NSU in collaboration with Broward public schools and under the auspices of the Florida Department of Education. The program is expected to comply with the requirements of most other states.

Driver ed classes are becoming more popular throughout Florida, thanks in part to the Dori Slosberg Foundation, organized by former state Representative Irv Slosberg, whose 15-year-old daughter, Dori, was killed in an automobile accident in 1996.

Since Dori died, Slosberg has been an advocate for traffic safety and driver ed classes. He has also lobbyed for legislation that would add $5 to every traffic ticket issued in the state.

That money would go to support driver education classes in schools. Slosberg estimates the surcharge would generate $14 million annually for the classes in Broward and Miami-Dade.

The new program at Nove is expected to make it easier, or at least more convenient for teachers to get certified.

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Florida Auto Accidents , Transportation Accidents

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Broward County, Florida - One woman was killed Sunday in a bus accident on the road to the Langerado Music Festival just North of I-75 (Alligator Alley).

A spokesperson from the Broward County Medical Examiner's office said that 36 year old Constance Leach of Clewiston, Florida, died from injuries she sustained in the crash.

According to Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, Sgt. Mark Wysocky, the accident occurred on Snake Road, a few miles north of Interstate 75 in Broward County when the pick up truck driven by Leach collided with a tour bus. The crash was reported in the early morning hours on Sunday.

Our Florida injury lawyers have represented many families whose loved ones were seriously injured or killed in charter bus accidents across the state of Florida. Through our investigation of many of these crashes, we have discovered that bus drivers are often hired and placed behind the wheel of these huge vehicles without adequate training or experience. Too often, tour bus drivers are pushing the limits of safe operation in order to deliver passengers to their destination earlier. Lives are lost or forever changed when negligent charter operators put profits ahead of people by hiring unqualified drivers and failing to adequately train them.

Leach, a stay at home mom, leaves behind her four children and two grandsons, according to her sister, Tammy Leach.

Continue reading "Fatal Tour Bus Accident in Broward County, Florida Leaves One Woman Dead " »

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Charter Bus Accidents , Death , Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Tour Bus Accidents , Transportation Accidents

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Miami, Florida - An 18-wheeler and a car met in a head-on collision Wednesday, shutting down Krome Avenue near SW 88th Street (Kendall Drive). The March 5, 2008 tractor-trailer wreck sent one person to the hospital on air rescue. The rescue helicopter dispatched by the Miami- Dade Fire Department had to land on the street.

Hazmat teams were also sent to the accident scene to clean up the resulting fuel spill.

Truck accidents, especially those involving huge semi tractor-trailors, generally inflict more serious injuries on motorists than do traffic accidents involving only passenger cars. One reason for this is because these big rigs typically weigh as much as 80,000 lbs fully when loaded. That is several tons heavier than the average passenger car.

Careless truckers will continue to cause serious injuries and death among Florida motorists until federal lawmakers stop de-regulating the trucking industry and move toward tighter regulations to keep our roads safe. Our Florida truck accident lawyers have represented too many families throught the state, who have lost loved ones in traffic accidents involving large commercial trucks.In these times of de-regulation, trial lawyers are often the only ones who are willing to hold negligent truck drivers and the trucking companies they work for accountable.

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Truck Accidents , Miami Auto Accidents , Miami Truck Accidents , Transportation Accidents

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Florida - Automobile accidents are one of the most common causes of death and serious injury in the United States. Not surprisingly, many Florida motorists are seriously injured or killed each year in motor vehicle collisions.

Too often, these deadly traffic accidents are caused by hit and run drivers who flee the scene before law enforcement officers arrive. This sometimes occurs because they are intoxicated or uninsured.

A hit and run accident left Pam Pafford, a 33 year old Florida woman, dead and her son critically injured on US Highway 41. The accident occurred on February 18, 2008 in Columbia County, Florida.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Pamela A. Pafford, of Lake City, Florida was traveling northbound on US 41 just north of Lake City at approximately 3 p.m. Michael Tyrone Philpot, 24, also of Lake City was traveling southbound when he crossed the center line into the northbound lane.

The left front of Philpot's vehicle struck the left front of Pafford's Honda Civic, which then spun across the northbound shoulder and ended up in a ditch. Pafford and her seven-year-old son, Jordan Gibbons, were air lifted to Shands Medical Center at the University of Florida, where she ultimately died from her injuries.

Philpot left his vehicle and fled into the nearby woods, according to CCSO. FHP initially believed the accident was a random head-on collision, but they later learned that Philpot and Pafford knew each other. In May of 2007, Philpot was released from the Florida Department of Corrections where he served a prison sentence for false imprisonment and aggravated assault of Pafford, according to CCSO.

Police searched for Philpot with the assistance of dogs from the Baker Corrections Institute and the Fish and Wildlife Commission. According to CCSO, the dogs led law enforcement officers to an area where Philpot may have been picked up by a passing motorist. Police believe Philpot may have been injured and may seek medical care. Law enforcement officers warn that Philpot should be considered dangerous and extreme caution should be exercised in any contact with him.

According to a report from www.columbiaclerk.com, Philpot had been arrested in 2001 for attempted first-degree murder and carrying a concealed weapon and again in 2002 for armed kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was also sentenced in 2005 to two years and five months for false imprisonment and domestic violence.

Police are actively searching for Philpot and an arrest warrant has been issued. Anyone who has any information on his whereabouts should contact Det. JT Williams at 386-623-6746 or 386-752-3222.

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Posted In: Catastrophic Injuries , Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Columbia County, Florida - An accident involving the collision of two semi trucks ignited a fire that engulfed one semi on I-10 in Columbia County early Tuesday. Our Florida personal injury lawyers handle truck accident cases throught the state of Florida so I am very familiar with I-10 and the accidents that frequently occur there.

Florida Highway Patrol reported that 43 year old Terence L. Daniel of Ellenwood, Ga., was charged with careless driving following the truck accident which occurred just east of U.S. 441 on I-10 shortly before 1 a.m.

According to FHP, Daniel was traveling westbound approaching another westbound truck but did not slow down in time and hit the other vehicle in the rear. The other semi truck left the roadway and ended up in a ditch. Apparently, one of the sidesaddle fuel tanks on Daniel's truck became dislodged in the crash and ignited, engulfing the semi in flames.

Both Daniel and the other driver, 26 year old Jacksonville resident, William R. Taylor suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Continue reading "Columbia County, Florida Truck Accident: Tractor-Trailer Wreck and Dislodged Side Saddle Fuel Tank Cause Vehicle Fire on I-10 " »

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Posted In: Dangerous or Defective Products , Defective Fuel Tanks , Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Truck Accidents , Transportation Accidents

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Miami, Florida - An auto accident involving an SUV that hit a Miami Fire-Rescue truck occurred Thursday morning. The rescue truck was transporting an injured patient to Jackson Memorial Hospital when the SUV crashed into it. The accident happened just after midnight at the intersection of Flagler Street and Northwest 12th Avenue in Miami, Florida.

While engine 24 of the Miami Fire department was northbound on Northwest 12th Avenue with its lights and sirens on heading to Jackson Memorial Hospital, it was hit by a Jeep Liberty SUV that was westbound on Flagler Street. The impact caused the Jeep to flip onto its side and slide along the sidewalk.

Paramedics extricated the 60-year-old female driver from the Jeep.

The SUV driver was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson in stable condition for treatment of minor head injuries.

None of the paramedics involved in the crash were injured.
The driver of the SUV was cited by Miami police for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Continue reading "SUV Crashes Into Fire-Rescue Truck in Miami, Florida" »

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Posted In: Florida Auto Accidents , Miami Auto Accidents , Transportation Accidents

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OCALA - The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal tractor-trailer accident that took place on the northbound ramp of I-75 at State Road 40 on Sunday.

The accident occurred when a van struck a semi truck which was parked on the side of the road but was partially blocking the on-ramp. After the initial impact, the van collided with another tractor-trailer. The van driver was killed.

FHP may decide to file criminal charges against the truck driver but won't know until additional witnesses are interviewed and the vehicles have been inspected.

Neither Richard E. Johnson of Ocala, the driver of the parked truck, nor the driver of the other truck driver, William T. Luke, of Hawkinsville, Ga. were hurt.

Tony Rodriguez, a spokes person for F & R Trucking, the company that employs Johnson, said the truck was headed to Atlanta to pick up freight.

According to the accident report, the accident occurred at 4:40 p.m. when James J. Harding drove a 1996 Dodge van onto the northbound ramp, preparing to merge with traffic that was northbound on I-75. That's when he hit a 2001 Freightliner, whose driver's side wheels and a portion of the truck were blocking the lanes of travel on the ramp.

The van rear-ended the trailer and ended up in the path of a 2001 Peterbilt that was hauling cars.

The 42 year old Harding was thrown from the van onto the median of I-75 and was pronounced dead at the scene. The traffic report indicates that Harding was not wearing a seat belt.

Troopers said Johnson parked his semi truck along the roadway in order to fill out his logbook at the start of his shift.

Continue reading "FHP Investigating Fatal I-75 Semi Truck Accident in Ocala, Florida" »

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Truck Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Panama City, Florida - A car / motorcycle accident left one man dead in Wakulla County, Florida just before 8:00 am Monday morning. The accident happened on Highway 98 at Wakulla Beach Road.

A Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson said Crawfordville resident, Gary Wade Blake was killed when a car turned left and crossed into the path of his motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Blake was 58 years old.

Troopers said the other driver, Tallahassee resident, Junior Michael Johnson, was arrested and charged with D-U-I Manslaughter and driving with a revoked license.

The Florida accident lawyers at our lawfirm handle all type of motor vehicle accidents, including motorcycle accidents, throughout the state of Florida and we know how devastating they can be to the families of those injured or killed.

Continue reading "Panama City, Florida Traffic Accident Fatality" »

Posted by James Hannon, Esq. | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Florida Auto Accidents , Florida Drunk Driving Accidents , Florida Motorcycle Accidents , Florida Wrongful Death , Transportation Accidents

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Marion County, Florida - The number of people who have been killed in traffic-related crashes (including automobile accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents) in Marion County so far this month is startling.

Eight traffic related deaths have been reported already this month by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Ocala Police Department. There were only five fatalities during the entire month of February last year and only six in during that month in 2006.

The Florida Highway Patrol has recorded 18 deaths arising from motor vehicle accidents from Jan. 1 through Feb. 14. They only recorded seven fatalities between January 1st and February 15th in 2006 and 12 in 2007.

FHP Captain Jeff Succi said that there was no pattern to the fatal crashes and no specific location where they occurred.

Captain Succi was reminded of 2003 which was a particularly bad year for traffic homicides. In that year, 15 people were killed in vehicle crashes within the county during the month of February. Traffic related fatalities reached a record 119 that year.

Succi said, drivers and passengers should always wear seat belts because they can reduce the severity of injuries in the event of an accident. He also cautioned that drivers should avoid being in a hurry.

Continue reading "Numerous Traffic Accident Fatalities in Marion County, Florida Raise Concerns" »