This nightmare came true for one family whose son nearly drowned in a high school swimming pool recently. Although the 21-year-old’s teacher and superintendent have been to the hospital to visit him and check on his condition, his parents are frustrated that they are not getting answers as to why their son was in the water in the first place.
]]> The 21-year-old is a special needs student from Africa who has a history of epilepsy. The family’s lawyer has said that the man does not know how to swim and that his father never signed a form that would permit his son to swim at the school. His parents did not know that he would be at the pool and are wondering why he was there at all.The man was found at the bottom of the pool when the aquatics manager performed a head count and came up one person short. He is currently in a coma at the hospital fighting for his life.
These parents did the right thing by retaining a lawyer. Their attorney is trying to get answers for them from the school district and may be likely to file a premises liability lawsuit to get them the compensation they deserve for their son’s accident, medical bills and pain and suffering.
Source: KOMO News, “Man remains in coma after nearly drowning in high school pool,” Elisa Jaffe, June 4, 2013
]]>A 28-year-old Florida man is learning this the hard way. He was recently sentenced to 10 years behind bars for killing a 64-year-old woman while he was operating a vehicle under the influence. He pled guilty to leaving the scene of the accident and DUI manslaughter. His driver’s license was permanently revoked, and after he serves his sentence, he will be on probation for an additional 10 years.
]]> During the hearing, the woman’s two children talked about how their mother’s death has affected them. Her daughter said that because of her grief she had a hard time bonding with her new baby who was born shortly after the accident. She reported crying for weeks. Her son talked about how his mother, who was a survivor of breast cancer and raised both of her children by herself, saved money to help pay for her child’s college expenses.The fatal accident occurred in December 2011 when the intoxicated man failed to stop at a red light and slammed into several cars. Authorities found him at a hotel and casino after he fled the scene. They did a blood test that showed the driver had a 0.25 percent blood alcohol level, over three times the legal limit.
Although nothing can make up for the pain and sadness from losing their mother, the children may wish to speak with an attorney about filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the man in order to recoup expenses related to her funeral costs and pain and suffering.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Judge sentences drunk driver who fled fatal Tampa crash,” Jessica Vander Velde, May 24, 2013
]]>These numbers have urged lawmakers in Florida to enact laws aimed at reducing the number of people who text and drive. Florida Governor Rick Scott recently signed into law a texting-while-driving ban. The law applies to the entire state of Florida and covers both reading and sending a text while driving.
]]> If a driver causes a crash and texting is suspected to be a contributing factor, his phone records can be used against him in court. However, under the current law which will go into effect in October, drivers cannot be pulled over just for texting while driving. Because it is a secondary offense, the driver must break another law such as speeding in order to be pulled over.If you have been injured in a car accident at the hands of someone who was texting while driving, you may want to talk to a lawyer about your case. Doing so may help you receive compensation for your medicals bills as well as for any damage done to your car.
Source: Source: NWF Daily News, “Scott signs into law ban on texting while driving,” May 28, 2013
]]>Perhaps a proper warning might have prevented a pedestrian accident that occurred recently in Florida. The couple, ages 63 and 50, had just moved to a new town where they were attempting to cross a street. They were hit by a minivan and died before they could be transported to a medical facility. The 52-year-old driver of the minivan stayed at the accident site until authorities arrived.
]]> Because the accident occurred in the early morning hours, visibility may or may not have been a factor. This will no doubt be determined as police continue their investigation into the crash.The family of the two pedestrians killed in this tragic accident may want to consider speaking with an attorney about their right to compensation for the death of their loved ones.
Source: The Miami Herald, “2 Killed while crossing State Road 7 in Margate,” May 16, 2013
]]>The SUV’s driver was eventually found after authorities received an anonymous tip. He has been charged with numerous charges including failure to stop and remain at the scene of an accident involving death.
The bicyclist’s family is no doubt relieved that the man responsible for their loved one’s death has been caught. They may wish to consult with an attorney about filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the man. This can help them get compensation for the man’s death.
Source: CBS Miami, “Sunrise Man Charged In Deadly Super Bowl Sunday Hit & Run,” May 13, 2013
]]>The family members of the children injured in a crash involving a daycare van may wish to do just this. Six Florida children between the ages of 3 and 8 were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries. Witnesses report that the bus driver acted quickly in unbuckling the children's seatbelts and getting them off the bus after the collision occurred.
]]> Although the cause of the crash is still being investigated, it appears that a 24-year-old woman was the cause of it. Witnesses say the woman’s car was going at a high rate of speed when she ran into the back of the van. The woman died at the scene.If the families of the children injured in this accident wish to sue for damages, it important that they do so quickly. There are laws set forth by the state of Florida that determine how much time a person has to file a claim against the estate of a deceased person.
A lawyer can help the families determine if they have a case and file the proper paperwork in the given time frame. This can help them get compensation for the children’s medical bills and pain and suffering.
Source: CBS Miami, “Driver Identified in Deadly Daycare Van Crash,” May 4, 2013
]]>This is the case for one woman who injured herself just outside her own home. She was recently awarded a $160,000 settlement from the two defendants she sued in a premises liability lawsuit.
]]> The 60-year-old injured her foot and ankle as well as her back as she was walking along the sidewalk in front of her home and stepped into a hole that had been created by a utility and telephone company. Crews were working in the area, but had not put up any warning signs or attempted to cordon off the area to the general public. As a result of her injuries, the woman was homebound for an entire month.The defendants attempted to initially settle the case with $15,000, but her lawyer was evidently not happy with that number. They pursued their case to the state Supreme Court. Just before the trial was set to begin, the defendants offered a $160,000 settlement. The two defendants split the settlement. The phone company paid $110,000 and the utility company paid $50,000.
This woman did the right thing to hire a lawyer and pursue compensation for her injuries. Had she not had the proper representation, she may have been tempted to accept the first offer that was nearly one tenth of what she ended up being awarded.
Source: SI Live, “Staten Island woman accepts $160K in injury suit,” Frank Donnelly, April 29, 2013
]]>A pedestrian accident that by all accounts was most likely not intentional occurred recently in Miami. Maybe the driver thought she was in reverse or maybe her foot hit the wrong petal; the details of the case are not known. What is known is that the 73-year-old driver of an SUV lost control of her vehicle outside of a church and ended up wedging the SUV between the side of the church and a palm tree. The accident occurred after school was dismissed at the church.
]]> A 27-year-old pedestrian was caught between the SUV and wall. In an effort to free the woman, emergency responders cut down the tree that was wedging in the vehicle, but the woman had already died from her injuries.It is not clear if the driver will be charged with any wrong-doing in this case, but the family of the pedestrian killed in this accident may wish to seek out an attorney who can advise them on their case. They may be entitled to compensation for funeral expenses and pain and suffering, among other things. A lawyer can help them navigate through the entire legal process and work toward getting the compensation that they deserve.
Source: WSVN, “Woman killed after SUV loses control outside church,” April 24, 2013
]]>One truck driver that evidently did not pay attention to the height of an overpass in relation to the size of his cargo caused quite a scene in Miami recently. The truck was approaching a red light on the other side of an underpass that he was traveling through. His cargo, two boat engines, were too tall to clear the underpass and were knocked off the back of the trailer as it passed through. The engines landed on a car that was stopped at the red light.
]]> The woman who was inside the car was extremely lucky and was able to walk away unscathed from the accident. The same cannot be said for her car. The impact crushed the hood and windshield and damaged the door on the driver's side. She avoided what could have been very serious, if not fatal, injuries by mere inches.This accident could have been avoided entirely had the truck driver been paying attention to his surroundings. Although the clearance height was not posted on the underpass, the driver should have been aware of the heights of the underpasses he was required to pass through on his route and made sure that his load would fit through.
The woman whose car was crushed in this accident may wish to speak with an attorney to help her receive proper compensation for the damage done to her car.
Source: Miami Herald, "Semi hits overpass on Biscayne Boulevard, cargo falls on car; driver unhurt," Margaux Herrera, April 10, 2013
]]>The family of one Florida bicyclist knows this all too well. Their family member was killed in a horrific hit-and-run bicycle accident last year. The 32-year-old was riding his bike in the early morning hours when he was hit by a drunk driver. Although the bike was caught under the car, the driver still kept going for two blocks before he finally stopped and dislodged it.
]]> The 29-year-old driver had just been released from prison six months prior to the accident after serving a four year sentence. He now faces 24 more years behind bars as a result of his actions that led to his recent conviction of DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality.The bicyclist was hospitalized for a week before he succumbed to his injuries. His family is no doubt devastated by this terrible accident. They may wish to seek the advice of a lawyer who can help them get compensation for the pain and suffering the man endured as well as for medical costs and funeral expenses incurred as a result of the accident.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, "Convicted drunken driver gets 24 years for killing bicyclist," Eric Heisig, April 9, 2013
]]>Michael Jackson's untimely death was investigated and later blamed on his personal physician. After being identified as the defendant in a high-profile criminal trial, the doctor was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Now, Jackson's mother is moving forward with a wrongful death lawsuit to prove others' involvement in her son's death.
]]> Jackson's mother claims in the suit that the defendant (a large concert and promotion company) did not do enough to vet the physician assigned to oversee Jackson's care. Responding to the allegations, the defendant contends that it had nothing to do with the hiring of the doctor. If the defendant is found guilty and forced to pay the damages the Jackson family is requesting, the company could owe almost $50 billion.The trial is still at the jury selection stage, and almost 200 potential candidates have already been reviewed. Prospective jurors must disclose what they already know about the Jackson case and family. They must also be willing to commit to serving on a trial that is estimated to take around three months.
Even though the personal physician was convicted of being directly responsible for Jackson's death, the defendant in this lawsuit may be found to have contributed to the circumstances leading to the pop star's demise.
Source: local15tv.com, "Los Angeles jury selection in Jackson case resumes," April 4, 2013
]]>When authorities arrived on the scene, they found the family's SUV in a lake. They managed to pull three of the four passengers out of the car and take them to the hospital. A 37-year-old and her 16-year-old nephew died at the hospital; a 20-year-old woman was hospitalized, but died days later.
]]> Another victim, a 15-year-old girl, was also in the car at the time of the accident, but authorities did not know it when they responded to the scene. When family notified them, officers returned to the lake the next morning and recovered her body from the lake.The SUV was sent into the lake after the 37-year-old driver of a sedan sideswiped another vehicle which in turn crashed into the SUV. After a long investigation, authorities determined that the sedan's driver was responsible for the accident. He was cited for careless driving and is required to appear in court where the judge could require him to complete community service, revoke his driver's license for up to a year or give him up to a $1,000 fine.
For the remaining family members that lost their loved ones in this horrible accident, these consequences may not seem like enough. They may wish to speak with an attorney to help them pursue a civil lawsuit against the man responsible for the death of their loved ones.
Source: The Miami Herald, "Lauderdale Lakes man cited in 1-95 accident that killed 4 family members," Carli Teproff, Mar. 26, 2013
]]>A woman recently filed a premises liability lawsuit against a Florida city for alleged unsafe conditions and injuries she sustained as a result. She was hospitalized and treated, but her suit claims that her condition is permanent and may get worse over time.
]]> The 54-year-old woman was walking on city property in a public right-of-way area next to the street. A large sized limb from a tree that she said was rotted and unsafe fell on top of her.The woman felt the city had not done its job in making sure the public right-of-way was safe and free from hazardous conditions such as the one the tree presented. She claims the city is responsible for the accident because they did not trim, inspect or take other measures to ensure the proper care and condition of the tree.
The city settled with the woman who will receive $75,000 as compensation for her injuries.
Because of the negligence of the city in keeping up its property, this woman will have to live the rest of her life with the effects this accident caused. If you have been hurt in a similar situation, it may help to speak with an attorney who can advise you on how to go about being compensated for your injuries.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, "Tree limb that fell on woman will cost Tampa taxpayers $75,000," Richard Danielson, Mar. 21, 2013
]]>One woman who was the victim of a negligent driver was involved in a fatal accident recently in Florida. A pickup truck that was traveling the opposite direction of the woman suddenly veered into her lane, causing a head-on collision. The 38-year-old driver of the pickup suffered serious injuries that required him to be taken to the hospital in a helicopter. Although his truck erupted in flames after the collision, it is not known if he suffered burns to his body.
]]> The 65-year-old woman died at the site of the collision, before she could be transported to a medical facility.Although authorities are still investigating the accident and have yet to charge the pickup truck driver with any wrong doing, the family of the woman killed in this accident may want to seek out the help of a lawyer. An attorney can help them decide if a wrongful death case is an option for them. Of course nothing can bring their loved one back, but knowing that the man who contributed to her death is held responsible may help them to begin healing.
Source: Bradenton Patch, "Head-On Crash Kills Driver," Linda Hersey, Mar. 10, 2013
]]>One family is no doubt dealing with this type of agony after their loved one was hit and killed in a bicycle accident caused by a drunk driver near Miami recently. Authorities caught up to the 28-year-old driver after he caused a head-on collision with a car further down the street. The crash occurred after the man grazed the side of three other cars as he was traveling head on into oncoming traffic in the wrong lane. One of the people involved in the accident received medical attention for a minor injury.
]]> These incidents appear to have occurred as a result of the man attempting to flee from the scene of a fatal accident that he had caused. A 63-year-old bicyclist was hit and killed by the man earlier.The people affected by the negligent and reckless driving of the man may wish to seek the advice of a lawyer. The family of the bicyclist who was killed may especially benefit from speaking to an attorney who may be able to get them compensation for the death of their loved one.
Source: CBS Miami, "Davie Man Charged In Bicyclist's Death," Feb. 17, 2013
]]>