Posted On: January 28, 2011

Fatal Bicycle Accidents Prompt Reminder to Bikers and Drivers to Share the Road

Two fatal bicycle accidents in two days have prompted bicycle safety advocates to remind everyone to be respectful on the road. As a Miramar bicycle accident attorney, I was pleased to see the reminder in the form of a Jan. 19 article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The fatal Broward County crashes took place on Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, both in the early morning hours. In response, bicycle advocates and local planners reminded drivers and bikers to treat one another with respect. Jeffrey Lynne, president of the board of directors for the South Florida Bike Coalition, said drivers should respect cyclists’ right to be on the road, and cyclists should return the favor by obeying traffic laws.

Little information was available on the fatal accidents earlier this month. A Plantation man was killed at about 5:45 a.m. on Jan. 4, in an area without a sidewalk or bicycle lane. The next day, a Wilton Manors man was killed crossing a road in Fort Lauderdale. Florida had the most bicycle accident deaths of any state in 2008, the article said, but Broward County has actually improved its rate of bicycle deaths since the 1990s. A spokesman for the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization said the most common bicycle accident configuration in Broward is when drivers turn right without checking for bicycles. He said drivers are legally required to give bicycles three feet at the right side of the road, although riders might choose to move over further if they think they’re slowing traffic. Lynne added that there are too many inexperienced bicyclists on the road, some of whom incorrectly believe that traffic signals don’t apply to them.

As a Cooper City bicycle accident lawyer, I hope both drivers and cyclists take this approach to heart. As a bicyclist quoted in the article said, most drivers move over when passing a bicycle. Those who don’t -- intentionally or because they failed to notice the bike -- are risking an accident for which they would be legally and financially responsible. Bicyclists are a lot like pedestrians in that an accident with a car is a very serious matter. Bicycle accident injuries include death and permanent brain damage, as well as less serious but still disabling injuries like broken bones. However, unlike pedestrians, bicyclists are supposed to share the roads with drivers, which means their risk of a crash is much greater. That’s why it’s so important for both bikers and drivers to be courteous and respect each other’s right to be on the road.

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Posted On: January 26, 2011

Miami Man in Critical Condition After His Car Was Rear-Ended by Tractor-Trailer

As a Hollywood car accident attorney, I was sorry to see that a man was seriously injured in a rear-end accident with a semi truck. As the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Jan. 21, 78-year-old Luis Barcelo was seriously injured in a chain-reaction crash near the Broward-Collier county line, in the area called Alligator Alley. Barcelo was driving east on Interstate 75 when trucker Rafael De La Fuente, 26, rear-ended Barcelo’s vehicle. The accident was attributed in part to thick fog on the road, and in fact Florida Highway Patrol officers were closing the highway just as the accident took place. Barcelo’s passenger Oderta Herrada Rosada, 74, suffered minor injuries.

The accident took place just after 7 a.m. on the Collier County side of the border. Traffic had slowed because of the thick fog, including Barcelo’s vehicle. De La Fuente reportedly told investigators that he hadn’t noticed the slowing in time. A witness told the newspaper that the truck was going 60 or 70 mph when it slammed into Barcelo’s car, causing it to spin out on the highway. That car hit a second vehicle, an SUV with five passengers. Neither those people nor De La Fuente were seriously injured, but the witness said the crash “just crushed” Barcelo’s car, sending both Barcelo and Rosada to the hospital. It wasn’t clear whether poor visibility contributed to the accident, but the FHP said charges were pending.

If I were the Weston auto accident lawyer involved in this case, I’d be extremely interested in the truck driver’s activities up until the moment of the crash. Unfortunately, distracted driving is an issue for everyone on the road, which is why the federal government is campaigning aggressively against it. However, it’s especially bad news with truck drivers, who are in charge of vehicles that can weigh as much as 20 times more than an ordinary passenger car. In a crash, all that extra weight is translated into force, causing a very bad accident. If fog is the explanation for De La Fuente’s statement that he didn’t see the slowing traffic, it would be interesting to know why he felt it was safe to drive at highway speeds when other drivers did not. Another explanation is distracted driving -- driving while eating, using a phone or otherwise taking eyes off the road, which is almost always an act of negligence.

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Posted On: January 25, 2011

Family of Motorcyclist Killed in Crash Awarded $5.3 Million in Injury Lawsuit

As a Pembroke Pines motorcycle accident lawyer, I was pleased to see a large jury award for the widow and children of a man killed in a crash with an at-fault driver. The Naples News reported Jan. 19 that a Collier County jury awarded $5.3 million in damages in the death of Andrew Corsini, 49, and injuries to his wife, Melissa Corsini. They were on separate motorcycles on May 17, 2009, when driver Carlos Riol, 77, swerved into oncoming traffic and hit Andrew Corsini’s motorcycle. The jury award included compensation for her injuries and his death; thousands in medical bills; and the loss of Andrew Corsini’s income as the deputy special agent in charge of ICE’s Miami office. Damages also went to the couple’s four children, ages 16 to 25, and one three-year-old grandson.

Right after the crash, Riol went to traffic court for a ticket for failure to maintain his lane. In that court, an FHP trooper testified be believed Riol had fallen asleep. A witness at the Corsinis’ trial testified at trial that Riol moved into oncoming traffic without braking, causing Corsini to swerve suddenly. Unfortunately, Corsini was not able to avoid hitting Riol’s Jeep, and he was thrown from his bike. The Jeep overturned on the shoulder of the road and Corsini’s motorcycle went into his wife’s motorcycle’s path. Andrew Corsini suffered severe internal injuries; Melissa Corsini suffered a concussion, broken bones and other injuries that limit her physical activity. The jury award includes compensation for those limits, pain and suffering and medical bills, as well as the loss of Andrew Corsini’s companionship, support, services and income.

As a Coral Springs motorcycle accident attorney, I’d like to note that the article briefly addresses the issue of whether Andrew Corsini was wearing a helmet. He was not, but Melissa Corsini was. However, that doesn’t mean a helmet would necessarily have saved his life. According to the article, the medical examiner for Collier County found that wearing a helmet wouldn’t have helped because Corsini’s internal organs were very badly damaged in the accident, including a rip to the aorta, a major blood vessel leading to the heart. In my experience, insurance companies for at-fault drivers like to argue that riders who aren’t at fault for the accident itself are to blame for their injuries because they chose to not wear a helmet. Sometimes, they make this argument even when the injuries weren’t head injuries. Nonetheless, choosing not to wear a helmet is legal in Florida, and juries can and often do see through these “blame the victim” arguments.

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Posted On: January 21, 2011

Police Identify Nine Year Old Boy Killed in Bicycle Accident With Van Driver

As a Miramar bicycle accident attorney, I was sorry to see a report about the death of a young boy on a bicycle trip with his father. Andrew Curtis, 9, was killed in an accident with a van on U.S. 1 in Jupiter. The Palm Beach Post reported Jan. 18 that Curtis was crossing the driveway to a condo building when Helen Bygel, 81, tried to pull out of the driveway. Curtis sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center, but died there. No injuries to Bygel or to the father were reported, and the article did not mention a criminal investigation. A neighbor who witnessed the crash, Patty Christman, said Curtis was wearing a helmet.

The crash took place at about 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 16. The boy and his father had apparently just visited the Publix up the highway from the Villas on the Green condominium building. Christman, who lives in the same condo building as Bygel, said they had a children’s movie and a bag of oranges. After she heard the crash, she said, she ran to the scene. She is now holding on to the father’s bicycle for safekeeping. A previous report from the Palm Beach Post said both bicycles were being ridden on the sidewalk. Christman told the newspaper that the entrance to the building is dangerous because residents typically don’t look right when they pull out of the driveway, only left.

Christman didn’t connect that behavior to Bygel or suggest that she was at fault for the crash. However, as a Margate bicycle accident lawyer, I think there’s a strong possibility that Bygel may not have been careful enough. Everyone who drives has seen drivers who cruise through right turns and stop signs without checking for bicyclists or pedestrians. In addition, Florida law actually requires drivers to leave three feet of roadway on the right for bicycles, and generally take steps to share the road. If Bygel failed to pay close enough attention before making her turn, she could be criminally charged in this little boy’s death. Even if she’s not, evidence of careless driving would give his family a strong case in a bicycle accident lawsuit.

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Posted On: January 19, 2011

Viral Outbreak on Cruise Ship Harbored in Florida Forces Delay of New Cruise

As a Pembroke Pines cruise ship accident lawyer, I was interested to see a report of a disruption on a cruise ship caused by a communicable virus. As WTSP in Tampa reported Jan. 9, the Radiance of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise liner, suffered an outbreak of norovirus during a five-day cruise to Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico. Norovirus is a gastrointestinal illness causing vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. The report didn’t say how many people on the ship fell ill, but one passenger estimated that it was “hundreds” out of a total capacity of 2,500 passengers. The ship was held in Tampa for an extra five hours for an extra thorough cleaning, the report said, and Royal Caribbean asked passengers to consider rescheduling if they hadn’t been feeling well.

Norovirus is actually a group of viruses that are the most common cause of gastroenteritis -- more commonly known as stomach flu. It is highly contagious and notorious for causing outbreaks in semi-closed institutions like college dorms or nursing homes. According to passengers interviewed by WTSP, the viral outbreak had passengers throwing up in bathrooms throughout the ship. One passenger said she was “out of it” for three of her five days on board. Royal Caribbean took precautions, some passengers said, such as offering free medical care, sanitizing surfaces and taking away potentially infectious objects like menus and salt shakers. But other passengers said the company was not responsive enough to passengers whose vacations were disrupted.

I hope Royal Caribbean did everything it could to control the outbreak, because as a Fort Lauderdale cruise ship accident attorney, I know how nasty norovirus can be. Because norovirus is highly infectious, it’s essential for potential outbreak centers -- such as cruise ships -- to take aggressive steps to stop the spread. That means staff members must (and passengers should be encouraged to) wash their hands thoroughly after the bathroom, before preparing food and any other time they have infectious potential. Areas of the ship, clothes and linens that were infected (for example, by a vomiting episode) should be cleaned and disinfected as soon as possible. Failure to do this falls short of the best medical practices for stopping an outbreak and could expose Royal Caribbean to a cruise ship lawsuit.

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Posted On: January 18, 2011

Hialeah Gardens Pileup Leaves Motorcyclist Dead and Two Others Seriously Injured

As a Hollywood motorcycle crash attorney, I was disappointed to see a report on the death of a motorcyclist and injuries to two people in cars after an early-morning chain-reaction crash. WSVN reported Jan. 14 on the crash that took place at about 1 a.m. that day. A Florida Highway Patrol statement said the crash started when a car ran into a work truck in the southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway, near Northwest 103rd Street in Hialeah Gardens. The driver of an SUV stopped to help, but he was rear-ended very soon afterward by a motorcyclist who was thrown from his bike. That motorcyclist, 25-year-old Adrian Cespedes Kelly, died, and drivers Edward Crouch, 29, and Juan Alvarez, 22, were hospitalized for burn injuries.

According to the FHP, the first car, a Honda Civic driven by Crouch, rear-ended a work truck in the southbound lanes of the expressway. Alvarez stopped to see if the driver was all right and left his car in a traffic lane. A female passenger said the motorcyclist appeared “not even a minute after,” in a group of three riders. Two of them passed safely by, but a third hit the back of the SUV driven by Alvarez at a high rate of speed. The report suggested that the rider may not have seen the SUV parked in the road. The crash knocked Kelly off his motorcycle and sent the motorcycle itself flying into the Civic, which caught fire. Witnesses pulled Crouch from the burning car, but Kelly died at the scene. Crouch and Alvarez suffered burn injuries.

This report quotes witnesses, including the female passenger, as saying the motorcycles approached at 150 mph. As a motorcyclist and a Davie motorcycle accident lawyer, I know that’s at or above the maximum speed for some bikes -- but if true, it would still hurt Kelly’s family in any motorcycle accident lawsuit they wish to pursue. Nonetheless, the story also suggests that Alvarez may share responsibility because he parked his SUV in traffic lanes. In fact, the FHP reminded drivers in this report to pull over to breakdown lanes if they need to stop on a highway. Alvarez did a brave and important thing when he pulled Crouch from the burning car, but if the FHP believes he caused the crash by parking in a traffic lane, he may also be liable for the accident and the injuries it caused, including Kelly’s death.

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Posted On: January 14, 2011

Re-Routing of Road Near Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Sparks Complaints

An article about a seemingly local dispute caught my attention because the underlying issue is important to West Palm Beach car crash attorneys like me. As the Palm Beach Post reported Jan. 10, some homeowners in the Equestrian Club Estates area of Wellington are upset that a private road there was moved. The road, Equestrian Club Drive, leads to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, which hosts horse shows and other events, including this week’s Winter Equestrian Festival. The homeowners’ association for the area, which owns the road, said the realignment was needed to keep the road out of the center’s showgrounds and discourage street parking. But some residents said their property rights were violated and they should have been given a chance to give their opinions.

According to the article, the old road split the showgrounds in two, which meant horses were sharing space with cars, pedestrians and golf carts. The new road goes around the grounds and also has dedicated places for horses to cross. In addition, a spokesman for the village said the curbs on the new road discourage street parking. The road is privately owned by a subsidiary of Wellington Equestrian Partners, so that company’s right to move it is not seriously in dispute. The Equestrian Club Estates neighborhood has a general easement, which means people who live in the neighborhood have the right to use the road to get to their property. The Equestrian Club Estates neighborhood association worked with Wellington Equestrian Partners on the road’s realignment. Nonetheless, two residents quoted said they felt they lost their easement in the realignment and that the new road may actually be more dangerous because it’s closer to show rings.

As a Hialeah auto accident lawyer, I’m glad everyone involved is thinking about safety, even if they have different ideas about how to achieve that safety. In fact, the owner of the road was probably smart to move it, because if the old road was truly unsafe, the owner would have been vulnerable to lawsuits. Roads can be defective by design if they are designed in a way that limits drivers’ lines of sight, place hazards in the way or fail to control traffic adequately. In this case, the company could have been liable in lawsuits claiming it didn’t control horse traffic’s interaction with car traffic well enough. Even a single accident between a car and a horse would be fairly serious, because the size of horses and the speed of cars could mean serious damage to both sides. If the new alignment is safer and legal problems can be worked out, it’s probably best for everyone involved.

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Posted On: January 12, 2011

Parents of Young Man Killed in Crash Ask for Polo Magnate’s Financial Records

An article in the Palm Beach Post caught my eye as a Deerfield Beach wrongful death lawyer. The article describes efforts by the parents of Scott Wilson, who was killed in an accident, to discover the financial records of the other driver. Wilson, 23, died last February in an accident allegedly caused the negligence of John Goodman, who was driving under the influence of alcohol and left the scene. Wilson’s parents have sued Goodman, who is not the actor of the same name, but part of a Texas family with an air-conditioning fortune, and a founder of the Palm Beach International Polo Club, where he also owns a team. The Wilsons say they want to find out how much Goodman is worth to ensure that they request enough punitive damages to truly penalize him.

Goodman is also facing criminal charges related to the 2010 crash, which could get him a total of 30 years in prison if convicted on all counts. According to the Post, he ran a stop sign in Wellington, not far from the polo club, and broadsided Wilson’s car at 63 mph in a 35-mph zone. The crash deformed Wilson’s car badly and pushed it into a canal, where it landed upside down. Wilson was trapped and drowned. Goodman left the scene. When police caught up to him several hours later, they measured his blood-alcohol content at 0.17, more than twice the legal limit. The Goodman family sold the family company, Goodman Global, for $1.4 billion in 2003. The Wilsons want to know how much of that money went to Goodman personally.

I’d like to address why the Wilsons’ request is an important part of the process of any wrongful death lawsuit. Some observers may think the Wilsons’ request is a tasteless attempt to profit from the death of their son, but in my experience as a Weston wrongful death attorney, no parent would trade their child’s life for money. As the article says, the Wilsons are asking for punitive damages, which are damages specifically intended to punish flagrantly illegal or unethical behavior. That means the net worth of the person or organization being sued really does matter -- because the punitive damages have to be high enough to constitute a penalty. For a wealthy person like Goodman, that would be much higher than it would be for ordinary folks -- and the Wilsons’ attorneys want to know how much higher, so they can make a reasonable request in court.

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Posted On: January 11, 2011

Florida Highway Patrol Looking for Car Believed to Have Caused Motorcycle Crash

As a Golden Glades motorcycle accident attorney, I was disappointed to see that a motorcyclist was seriously injured in a crash apparently caused by an erratic driver. Pavel Prikryl, 23, was hospitalized late on the morning of Jan. 10 after he was thrown from his motorcycle on Interstate 95. Prikryl was hit by another driver making evasive maneuvers after a white Toyota Corolla swerved into his path. No injuries to the driver were reported, but the Corolla sped away without incident. Authorities are looking for the Corolla and its driver now. It is described as an older car, white, with gold rims and driven by a man. Anyone with information is invited to call the Florida Highway Patrol at (954) 837-4012.

The crash took place in the southbound lanes of I-95, at about 10:45 on the morning of Jan. 10. Just south of Griffin Road, the Corolla reportedly changed lanes recklessly or erratically. This forced driver William Perez, 54, to swerve to avoid the Corolla. The evasive maneuvers sent the car driven by Perez into a spin, putting it in the path of Prikryl’s motorcycle. The motorcycle hit the right rear part of the car, and the impact threw Prikryl off his bike and over the interstate’s concrete divider. He landed in the emergency lanes of the northbound side of I-95. He was taken to Hollywood’s Memorial Regional Hospital in serious condition. No charges have yet been filed and an investigation by the FHP is still underway.

I wish the FHP luck with its investigation. As a motorcyclist and a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle crash lawyer, I also wish the victims luck pursuing any insurance claims. As a rule, it’s harder to collect a fair settlement in crashes that were caused by someone whose vehicle was not directly involved in the crash. Insurance companies don’t like paying out money -- which of course reduces their profits -- so some of them seize on any excuse they can find to avoid paying. In this case, the insurance company for Perez may agree that the Corolla driver is to blame. However, even if that driver is found and has insurance, his insurance company may not agree that its insured is responsible for Prikryl’s injuries -- after all, the Corolla never touched the motorcycle. He and his family may need an FHP report -- or even to file a motorcycle injury lawsuit -- to get fair compensation.

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Posted On: January 7, 2011

State Dedicates Stretch of Highway to Victim of Texting and Driving Semi Truck Crash

As a Davie tractor-trailer accident lawyer, I’ve written here several times before about the dangers of driving while talking on the phone. That’s why I was interested to see an article from Tampa Bay Online about the dedication of a part of U.S. 27 in Polk County to a phoning and driving victim. Heather Hurd, 26, died three years ago when a trucker distracted by his cell phone smashed into a line of cars stopped at a traffic light. The crash also killed Stephanie A. Phillips, 37, of Haines City. Hurd’s parents have become anti-distracted-driving activists since their daughter’s death and have successfully lobbied for a “Heather’s Law” banning talking on the phone while driving in their home state of Maryland. They and her 21-year-old brother were present Jan. 3 at a dedication ceremony for the Heather Hurd Memorial Highway near the site of the crash.

Hurd loved Disney World so much that she moved to Florida to work there. She was also planning her wedding at the park, and was on her way to meet a wedding planner on the day of the crash. As she waited at the stoplight, truck driver David Lunger of Jacksonville approached in his big rig. He told investigators he was using his phone, and they believe he also had exceeded limits on his hours behind the wheel. He failed to stop and smashed into nine stopped cars, killing Hurd and Phillips. Lunger was later cited and fined for careless driving, and died in 2009. Russell Hurd, Heather Hurd’s father, has made it a goal to pass a “Heather’s Law” in Florida and any other state that doesn’t already ban phoning and driving. Such a law was introduced in Florida last year and passed the state Senate, but was never introduced in the state House.

I hope that changes. As a Boca Raton trucking accident attorney, I’ve seen far too many cases of accidents caused by drivers distracted by cell phones. Many states already have bans on texting and driving, which may be an easier target because texting requires drivers to take their eyes off the road, or because texters tend to be inexperienced younger drivers. But research indicates that driving suffers if the driver is talking to someone not in the car, even if his or her eyes are on the road all the time, simply because of the cognitive demands of speaking to someone while also performing all the tasks needed to drive safely. Without a law against this behavior, it’s difficult to discourage this behavior or penalize the people who do it. However, even if there’s no criminal case against a distracted driver, victims and their families can always pursue legal claims against drivers whose distraction caused serious injuries or deaths.

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Posted On: January 5, 2011

Insurance Companies Sue Toyota to Recover Costs of Unintended Acceleration Crashes

As a Fort Lauderdale car crash attorney, I have followed reports on unintended acceleration in Toyota cars with great interest. Auto industry watchers may remember that Toyota had to recall millions of cars after a series of investigations showed certain Toyota vehicles were accelerating without a clear cause, causing serious and sometimes fatal crashes. The automaker blamed incorrect floor mats and later “sticky” gas pedals, but some believe the real problem is with the car’ electronic throttle systems, also known as “drive by wire,” and with the lack of an override. Toyota is fighting numerous lawsuits from individuals who claim they were hurt in unintended acceleration crashes. Now, the Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 3, insurance companies have piled on with lawsuits seeking to recover money they paid to insureds involved in sudden acceleration crashes.

Altogether, seven insurers filed lawsuits Dec. 30 in Los Angeles Superior Court. They say certain Toyota vehicles have defects causing unintended acceleration, causing at least 725 crashes among their customers. The companies claim Toyota should have included an override feature that stops acceleration when the brake and gas are pressed simultaneously. The claims follow a similar lawsuit filed three months ago by a lone insurer, Allstate. All of the insurer lawsuits seek reimbursement for the money they paid in insurance claims to drivers involved in such crashes. Toyota consistently denies that defects in electronic throttles have caused any crashes. Its recalls for unintended acceleration problems focused first on problems with floor mats blamed for trapping gas pedals, then on “sticking” gas pedals themselves. Federal investigators have blamed some, but not all, of the accidents on human error as well.

As a Miami Gardens auto accident lawyer, I think it’s a good thing for individuals that insurance companies are getting involved. Drivers and accident victims won’t benefit directly if the insurers’ claims succeed -- but just the fact that the lawsuits were filed shows insurers believe the claim can succeed. That vote of confidence bodes well for the claims made by the individuals, which are mostly based on the same facts and legal theories. As the Times reported, federal records show Toyota discussed the possibility of an override system as early as 2007, two years before the first reports of unintended acceleration arrived. However, the company didn’t start installing the systems until 2010 -- and the technology has existed since the early 1990s. That failure to act could be perceived by juries as placing financial concerns over safety.

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Posted On: January 4, 2011

Miramar Man Charged With Injury DUI and Hit-and-Run After New Year’s Eve Crash

A news item about a drunk driving accident caught my eye as a Hollywood auto accident attorney. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Jan. 3 on the arrest of 57-year-old Leroy Miller of Miramar for causing a crash while driving under the influence. Miller crashed his pickup truck into another vehicle and stopped to inspect the damage, but then kept on going. Victims were able to identify him after the police caught up with him in his driveway, where he refused to take a breath test. Two victims were hospitalized with injuries that weren’t specified, but which gave rise to a charge of drunk driving with serious bodily injury. Other charges against Miller include leaving the scene of an accident, causing property damage and refusing to submit to a breath test. He was released from jail Jan. 2 pending trial.

According to the article, accident victims called the police just after 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to report a hit-and-run. They said Miller’s pickup hit another vehicle, and that Miller had left the scene after getting out to look at the damage in the crash. Victims wrote down the truck’s license plate number, which helped police identify Miller and find his home. They found him still inside the truck parked in the driveway. When confronted, Miller was allegedly so intoxicated that he gave police a credit card instead of his driver’s license, then tried to give them a business card until officers pointed out that his license was right there in his other hand. He was reportedly unable to perform field sobriety tests and refused to take a breath test, which was his third such refusal in 25 years. He admitted that he had hit another vehicle.

As a Plantation car wreck lawyer, I’m pleased that Miller was taken off the street before he could do more serious damage -- after all, 9 p.m. isn’t that late on New Year’s Eve. In my practice, I see many victims of drunk driving, some who are seriously injured or lost a loved one forever. Almost without exception, these accidents could have been prevented if the drinking driver had behaved more responsibly. Unfortunately, the health care needed by seriously injured drunk driving victims can get expensive quickly. And even if the driver is found, arrested, tried and convicted, that doesn’t necessarily mean the victims will be able to recover money to pay for those health costs, other cost or compensation for their injuries, pain and suffering. In order to claim these and other cost back from an irresponsible drunk driver, victims usually must pursue a lawsuit as well.

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