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Driving while Texting

Texting and Driving Revisited in this Legislative Session

State Senator Maria Sachs of Delray Beach is attempting to get the Florida Senate to beef up the law regarding texting and driving. She believes (and correctly so) that the current law is ineffective to deter drivers from engaging in this activity.

Senator Sachs states the current Florida law is too difficult for officers to enforce because it is a secondary offense which means that drivers can only be stopped for another offense witnessed by the officer. For example, before an officer could stop and ticket a driver for texting he is required to observe the driver engage in a different moving violation such as speeding or running a stop sign.

Sachs’ proposal (S.B. 246) proposes to change this. Her proposal would allow police to pull people over drivers if they see them texting or surfing the web while driving. It would also double texting fines in school zones.

Most other states have much stronger laws prohibiting texting and driving. But just a handful treat it as a secondary offense like Florida.

The bottom line is that the telecommunications lobby, particularly in Tallahassee, has a lot of money and therefore usually gets its way. There are just too many legislators who are more concerned about pleasing lobbyists with the ultimate goal of making sure they are reelected. Although this is a significant safety issue for every Floridian, you can expert no significant legislation to strengthen what is obviously a very weak law.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Brain damage

Bike Helmets fail to prevent a lot of Head Injuries

A common misconception among parents is that wearing a bicycle helmet will protect their child from serious head injuries. We all see kids motoring along the sidewalk or street on bicycles, skateboards, scooters, etc., many of whom are dutifully wearing the helmets their mothers bought for them.

While these helmets can certainly protect against a penetrating impact to the skull which might result in a fracture (for example), they do not protect your kids from common head injuries that may cause long-term problems. According to a 2013 report on youth sports-related concussions by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, “there is limited evidence that current helmet designs reduce the risk of sports-related concussions” — minor traumatic head injuries that have been tied, at least in adults, to long-term neurological problems including depression, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (a neurodegenerative disease) and chronic cognitive impairment.

It really should not be surprising that children bicycle helmets don’t protect against concussions. Football helmets in the National Football league – the best engineered helmets available – fail to protect elite athletes from concussions and micro-concussions. A young child riding a bike or a motorized skateboard at 10 miles per hour is capable of striking his head on a sidewalk with as much or even more force as a professional football player tackling another.

The point is that parents need to re-evaluate their thinking, particularly when they allow their child to operate a motorized toy such as a scooter or a skateboard, capable of speeds upwards of 10 miles per hour. While requiring your child to wear a helmet may help in some instances, it does not adequately protect them against concussions which can be particularly damaging to children whose brains are still developing.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Boating Accidents

Boating Fatality

In yet another tragic boating accident, a Hialeah man and father of four young girls, died after his jet boat collided with a dock and seawall near Pelican Harbor in Miami, Florida.

It appears that the operator of the jet boat lost control near Pelican Harbor just off the 79th Street Causeway.

The decedent was ferrying friends from Pelican Harbor marina to a small island nearby when he hit a dock on the island, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. After impacting the dock, the jet boat slammed into the seawall near the marina near the 79th Street Causeway at a high rate of speed. The operator who was the only one on the vessel at the time, was thrown from the boat. He was later found by drivers on the bottom of Biscayne Bay.

In 2013, Miami-Dade had four fatalities according to the Fish and Wildlife Commission. There were 104 boating accidents and 50 injuries. The number of fatalities in 2014 is even higher.

Boating accidents in South Florida are a huge problem. Between the effects of alcohol and the inexperience of some boaters, the rate of the boating accidents seems to be increasing with the passing of each year. For some reason, many boaters seem to believe that it is acceptable to operate their boat in Biscayne Bay while consuming a six-pack. The marine patrol needs to consider stricter enforcement of Boating under the Influence (BUI) laws. In a similar vein, maybe the State of Florida should consider an advertising campaign to remind boaters to not engage in what should be an obviously dangerous activity — operating your boat while drunk. Also the Coast Guard Auxillary should be commended for their educational project concerning boating safety.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Automobile accidents, Featured, Motorcyle Accidents, Personal Injury

Car drivers cause most crashes with motorcycles, study finds

Cars and motorcycles are often involved in collisions. Drivers blame the bikers and bikers blame the drivers. According to a recent Florida Department of Transportation study, the drivers of cars are more often in the wrong. Drivers of cars and trucks often do not see motorcycles are and fail to yield the right of way.

Chanyoung Lee, a researcher at the University of South Florida, studied accident reports in Florida for ten years found that 60 percent of the time motorists in other vehicles are at fault when they collide with motorcycles. “There’s a bias by people driving,” Lee said. “They don’t expect to see motorcycles.”

But according to Lee, the drivers of automobiles are not solely to blame. Bikers are responsible as well. Motorcycles, according to Lee, are involved in a higher number of single-vehicle crashes than cars. That is, bikers crash on their own without other vehicles involved. Many of those single-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur when bikers are navigating curves too fast.

Serious crashes occur when other vehicles making a left turn, pull in front of motorcycles that are going straight. The problem is people in cars and trucks fail to see motorcycles. That’s partly because they have smaller profiles. Likewise, the bikers need to be as focused as possible when traveling through intersections. “If you’re aware of it, you see it,” Lee said.

The FDOT has been advocating for several years: Look Twice for Motorcycles. Likewise bikers should also be looking twice and be more visible to cars.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Hollywood, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Boating Accidents

FBI closes investigative file in cruise ship death

The FBI concluded its investigation into the death of a woman who fell from a cruise ship because there was not sufficient evidence to prove a crime was committed.

The FBI said the agency had been looking into what happened on Christmas night 2008 when a 36-year-old woman allegedly fell from a balcony of the Miami-based Norwegian
“Pearl.”

The woman and her husband, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary. The Cost Guard conducted a search but her body was never recovered.

Various incidents have occurred in the past where passengers have either fallen or even forced overboard from balconies on cruise ships. Obviously, under these circumstances, it is very difficult to investigate given these tragedies to determine the cause. Occasionally, in the past, cruise lines do not immediately initiate a criminal investigation which it makes it even more difficult to determine what happened. Many of the larger cruise ships have thousands of people and violent crimes can happen. If something does happen, you should report these right away to the ship’s security officer. If the crime is significant, and you are not satisfied with the way the ship handled the claim, you should contact the appropriate legal authority.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Hollywood, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Automobile accidents

Suspect in police chase kills innocent motorist

A Miami woman was killed on impact when a suspect driving a black SUV fleeing police collided with another vehicle. That suspect still remains at large.

The woman, a mother of five, was a passenger in the car. Another woman, the driver, remains in critical condition at the Kendall Regional Trauma Center.

According to the Miami-Dade police, the suspect was driving at an excessive rate of speed to avoid detectives who wanted to question him as part of a robbery detail. But witnesses told news stations that unmarked police cars were chasing the SUV without sirens. The suspect ran a red light striking the vehicle in which the victim was a passenger.

Miami-Dade police denied that any type of pursuit was going on prior to the accident and claimed that they were not chasing the suspect.

According to Miami-Dade Police, the robbery intervention detail detectives were patrolling a Southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood when they spotted a suspicious black GMC Denali. As they tried to approach the SUV, the driver took off. Detectives initially lost sight of the SUV and said they heard a loud crash and discovered the SUV had collided with another car. The suspect fled the scene and has not been captured. .

Because of the obvious dangers involving police changes, every police department, has enacted protocols to minimize the collateral consequences of these chases. These protocols often require that the police back off and keep a certain distance behind the suspect vehicle, that the police cars not exceed a reasonable speed, and that chases only be initiated for serious crimes with the potential for further violence.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

General

Is Runner Up For Medicaid Fraud

Does anybody ever check with their insurance company to check what charges were being filed for payment? Many of us don’t ever follow up with this which gives health care providers a bigger opportunity to submit fraudulent charges to your insurance company for payment. Florida is ranking high in the lead for the nation’s top states in recovering money from health care providers suspected of Medicaid fraud.

Insurance Claim
The federal government released data earlier this month that showed Florida’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit recovered more than $165 million during 2016. Florida took place as the runner-up with New York coming in first place of Medicaid fraud. South Florida has received its name of being one of the “hot spots for health care fraud” in the nation.

If you or someone you know needs help with your insurance claim case, call an experienced attorney at The Law Firm to discuss your options. Have the security and comfortability of having a lawyer by your side every step of the way!

Automobile accidents

UBER Accidents

Have you gotten into a car accident in or with an UBER? Every time you hop into an UBER, you are not simply getting onto the road, you are engaging in a commercial activity. This can raise significant legal issues if you are involved in a car accident. UBER has been in the news in South Florida a Broward County, as questions about insurance coverage have emerged. In situations such as this, experience matters. Insurance issues such as Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Commercial Insurance, and unlicensed commercial activity may be crucial for obtaining a monetary recovery.

If you have been in a car accident in Fort Lauderdale, or anywhere in South Florida, call The Law Firm. Our Law Firm has handled legal claims against UBER and UBER drivers. If you want the best results for your legal claim against UBER, it is important to contact a lawyer at The Law Firm immediately.

With all of the news about UBER recently, it is important to hire the experts!

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

More here @ http://uberaccidentlawyer.net/

Automobile accidents

Broward and Dade Counties have highest car insurance rates.

The Insurance Information Institute says South Florida’s high rates are most likely a direct result of accident and theft statistics, particularly for expensive automobiles. Florida also has the second highest rate of uninsured motorists in the United States and this helps to drive up the insurance rates.

Miami-Dade County (with a population of 2.5 million) had the highest accident rate in the Florida, with a three-year average of more than 46,000 vehicle crashes between 2010 and 2013, an increase of more than 20 percent over that three-year period.

By comparison, Broward County (the second most populous county in Florida with a population of 1.8 million) had 19,000 fewer crashes, on average, over the same time frame.

This news should come as no surprise to anyone who owns a car in South Florida. Of course the Insurance Institute never blames the insurance industry (its sponsor) for the ridiculous insurance prices we pay.

Finally, once again, this survey indicates the importance of uninsured motorist coverage (UM), particularly if you live in Fort Lauderdale or Miami. Without UM you are bare — the odds are high that the motorist who collides with you will not have any insurance available.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers atThe Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

Motorcyle Accidents, Personal Injury, Wrongful death

Motorcyclist killed in Pompano Beach accident

A motorcylist on a Suzuki was killed after his motorcycle collided with a van in Pompano Beach. According to BSO the motorcyclist was driving west on Sample Road when he collided with a van heading the opposite way which turned left into a parking lot. Deputies said the motorcyclist was thrown at least 100 feet.

Witnesses who saw the accident believed the motorcycle was travelling faster than the 45 mph speed limit. .

A nearby store’s security cameras captured the accident, and show the motorcycle going at high speed, then slamming into the van. The impact was so great that the van was lifted on one side and the motorcyclist flew into the air and the bike was destroyed. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver of the van.

Deadly motorcycle accidents frequently occur when traffic headed in the opposite direction of the motorcycle makes a left turn into the motorcycle’s lane of travel. Of course, factors like the speed of the motorcycle are an issue in determining the driver’s negligence. Nonetheless, if you are riding a motorcycle, it is a good idea to pay extra attention to oncoming traffic and to try to anticipate whether someone will be attempting to make a left turn.

With over 50 years of collective service to the South Florida community, the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, personal injury lawyers at The Law Firm have helped thousands of clients to obtain money compensation for their personal injury and wrongful death claims.

All of the firm’s partners have received the prestigious “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is a recognition by their peers in the legal community that their practice meets the highest professional and ethical standards.

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