South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

South Florida is a very predominant vacation spot, and bicycling is one of the favorite modes of transportation and a form of exercise especially by the beach. On the majority of roadways of Broward and Miami-Dade counties there are bike lanes specifically designed for bicyclist.

Below are some bike lane tips for cyclists to follow:

1. A bicycle lane is a lane marked with a stripe and symbols for the preferential use of bicycles on a roadway (motorists may enter or cross a bicycle lane to turn into or off a roadway at intersections and driveways).

2. Bicycle lanes are typically designed for through travel. To make a right turn where a right turn lane is provided for motor vehicles, a cyclist should stop in the bicycle lane, before continuing to make a right turn, so not to surprise a motorist in the right turn lane and avoid injury.

3. Where a bicycle lane is continued along the right side of a through street across and intersection or a road, a cyclist who intends to go straight may need to stop or proceed to adjust their position to the left onto the road, to reduce the hazard of being hit or cut off by a turning motorist.

4. A cyclist who rides on a paved shoulder should travel on the right of traffic for these safety reasons (1) it reduces crash risk at intersections and driveways (drivers don’t expect traffic on shoulders to approach from the “wrong” direction) and (2) whenever the cyclist enters the roadway (to pass a pedestrian or other cyclist, cross an intersection, or to keep clear of a vehicle approaching, to enter the roadway at a driveway, avoid debris or obstructions, etc.), right-side operation becomes mandatory and offers visibility of cyclists to motor vehicles.

Whether you are in Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Margate, Pembroke Pines or Miami Dade County, should you be the victim of a bicycle injury, contact us online or call at 954 431-8100 or 305- 624-9186 to set up a FREE consultation to seek legal counsel.

Whether you are driving in your car or a passenger on a bus, you can be the victim of a vehicular accident at any time. In Broward County, drivers of all ages are on the road daily and everyone must practice safe driving at all times.

I recently read an article that was posted on a website where a Broward County Transit bus was involved in an accident with another vehicle. The bus was travelling on Oakland Park Boulevard when it was hit from behind, as it stopped to allow passengers on and off the bus. Reports state that the accident occurred in Fort Lauderdale. The bus was carrying 27 passengers at the time of the accident and because of the impact of the car made when it hit the bus, there were multiple injuries. Paramedics were called to the scene; eleven were rushed to a nearby hospital, three were admitted to the hospital for "serious" injuries. The remaining passengers were all released with minor injuries. Police Investigators state that it does not appear that woman who was driving the car that slammed into the back of the bus, applied her brakes to avoid hitting the bus.

Many of our clients have found themselves in this type of situation, where they received serious or minor injuries due to someone else’s negligence. As an experienced accident attorney practicing in Fort Lauderdale, I advise victims about their rights. Contacting an experienced accident attorney is an important part of your recovery.

An experienced attorney will be able to guide you and ensure you receive the proper compensation that you deserve for damages, loss of wages, and medical bills. Contact our office if you need legal advice due to an accident.

In Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Plantation, Weston and many other cities across Broward County kids and teens can be seen maneuvering their skateboards in all the plazas in these cities. We have found that in many cases, a skateboarding accident normally results from someone else's negligence.

Skateboarders are often unseen or distracted, and inattentive drivers of motor vehicles forget that they can share the road as well as bicyclists. Even if these kids follow the rules and practice their own safety tips while skateboarding, they can still be hit by negligent drivers.

Hospital emergency rooms state that approximately 26,000 skateboarders are injured yearly. Most of these skateboard injuries can stem from sprains, fractures, contusions and abrasions; these are some of the most common types of injuries.

Some of the factors that can be taken into consideration and that can add to the reasons for some of these accidents besides driver negligence, are the rider may not be wearing the proper protective equipment, poor board maintenance, and irregular riding surfaces.
Skateboard riding requires good balance and body control, yet many young skateboarders have not developed the necessary balance and do not react quickly enough to prevent injury.

Our office has also seen that these injuries happen mainly to the following:

Almost every 6 out of 10 kids under the age of 15 are more susceptible to injuries due to lack of experience on their board;
Skaters with a year or more of experience have the next highest number of injuries as they are the ‘risk ‘ takers - willing to try more tricks on their boards;
Riding surfaces that are uneven such as surfaces that have holes bumps rocks and other debris account for over half of the skating injuries leading to falls. Before riding, skaters should screen the area where they will be riding by checking for holes, bumps, rocks and any debris.
Skating in the street can result in collisions with cars causing serious injury and even death.
Experienced skaters mainly suffer injuries when they fall after they strike rocks and other irregularities in the riding surface or when they attempt difficult stunts.

South Florida known as the “Sunshine State” is home to many skateboarders, hence the reason why there has been a rise in injuries, mainly from driver negligence. Should you or a loved one be the victim of personal injury due to driver negligence while riding a skateboard you should seek legal counsel for your minor to ensure that you are compensated for damages and medical bills should you decide to file claim.

Recently, I read an article in one of the Sunrise local newspapers and found it to be a good idea for a blog entry. The article covered spectator injuries that can occur while watching sport games at local parks.

Mr. Sanchez, an enthusiastic dad, was waiting for his son to complete a batting practice session at a park in Sunrise, when he was hit in the eye with a stray ball while he stood at an open gate near a fence surrounding the baseball field. Paramedics were called to the park and he was taken to the hospital for the eye injury and was admitted for observation. He was eventually released, and was planning on filing a claim against the City for the damages, medical bills and loss of wages that he incurred from this injury.

In the State of Florida, if you are injured at any recreational park in any of the various cities, in order to be able to file a claim against local authorities or a city entity, paramedics have to be called out and the injured person has to be taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

There is always risk to be taken into consideration when attending sporting activities and one should always seek legal counsel from an experienced personal injury attorney to ensure that you know your rights and the responsibility of the public parks or recreation centers.

Attorney Alan Cohn has been representing victims of this and other types of injuries both in and out of the courtroom for years. His experience will help you recover for your injuries and get you back on your feet. Cohn, Smith & Cohen have offices conveniently located in Broward, Miami-Dade and West Palm Beach and has successfully represented seriously injured individuals throughout the cities of Broward County such as Sunrise, Plantation, Davie, Cooper City, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Coral Springs, Weston, Tamarac and Margate. Contact our office for a free consultation.

A family man was doing work on a construction site in downtown Fort Lauderdale, when an accident occurred. Apparently, the man was working on the roof of a building when he fell about 16 feet from the ledge of the building. Paramedics were called to the scene and our repairman’s injuries required him to be hospitalized. He sustained injury to his wrist and he tore the left rotator cuff of his shoulder.

His family contacted an attorney’s office to seek legal counsel as to whether he would be able to file claim against the owner of the building or receive worker's compensation. His family prepared with documentation of his injuries retained an attorney in Pembroke Pines. They knew enough to get pictures of the area where the accident occurred and they provided medical bills for his visit to the hospital and for his rehab.

In cases like these where the worker was injured on the job and sustained serious or permanent personal injury, the case will be carefully reviewed to see if there is the availability of a potential third party claim. If it is found that there was third party negligence, then that third party will be liable for the damages inflicted to the victim if premises liabilty can be proved. Victims of negligence deserve to be properly compensated for their damages.

It is very important that you find an attorney that has represented victims of accident cases similar to yours as he will understand exactly what is necessary to win your case. Should you or a loved one be injured on the job or at the workplace, you should seek immediate counsel to ensure that you receive proper compensation for the damages you may have incurred.

Fort Lauderdale and South Beach can be considered party central almost every weekend, in South Florida and on any given Monday we receive calls from victims of personal injury, whether it’s a slip and fall injury, a victim of a fight at a night club, or a pedestrian accident seeking legal counsel.

At the usual spring break festivities this year there were some incidents that occurred, some serious to warrant police presence and a trip to the emergency room, and others minor where paramedics dealt with the injuries on the spot. Recently, a man in his early 20’s, was seeking legal counsel for an injury he obtained in a night club. He stated that he was out partying with some friends that were visiting from out of town on the spring break week from college. Apparently, he and the friends were at a night club on Fort Lauderdale beach, when he was involved in an altercation with another patron at the club, there was a fight amongst a few persons and he was stabbed during the scuffle. Police and paramedics were called to the scene; he suffered a flesh wound and a punctured liver and had to be hospitalized.

Investigations were conducted by the authorities and some investigative work was done on behalf of the victim. Reports from the police showed that the nightclub did not have the required amount of security on the said night, which may make them liable for the mere fact that the club could not control the crowd they set to entertain. A claim against the night club can be filed for “negligent security” and premises liability.

If ever you find yourself a victim of this type of injury or should you know someone that was in the same situation, immediately seek legal counsel to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve for the damages and medical bills incurred.

Spring break is over, now on to summer, and teens are out and about on Florida’s roadways and highways. I stumbled across an article about law enforcement agencies clamping down on street racing, and hopefully an eventual end to this sometimes deadly pastime.

U.S. 27 is the most popular drag strip in Broward County, as it’s an extremely long stretch of road that is dark and most times desolate. It is also the highway that tractor trailer drivers use regularly to travel through the State as it runs from Miami to Tampa. Effective October 1, 2010 the State Legislature revised the “Unlawful race” law to toughen penalties for repeat offenders. Street racing was already a first-degree misdemeanor, but now racers are fined at least $1,000 for a second violation and $2,000 to $5,000 for three or more. The Broward County’s Sheriff’s have also stepped up patrols on U.S. 27, which is the highway that is frequently used to race between Pembroke Pines and Southwest Ranches. It seems that this revision may have worked somewhat. Arresting Officers will tell you that these racers seem shocked when they are pulled over, handcuffed, they are also even more surprised to know that they are actually going to jail and their car is being impounded. Residents in the neighborhoods off U.S. 27 are the ones that inform the cops, as the noise from these “souped up” or customized cars and motorcycles can be intolerable.

Last year 3 teens were killed and four others injured, when a tractor trailer rear ended two vehicles. Florida Highway Patrol states that witnesses claimed the two cars were standing still alongside each other just after midnight; the tractor trailer driver did not see the cars until it was too late. The drivers of the two vehicles stated that they were not racing, but that they were having car problems. This accident is still under investigation. This type of illegal street racing attracts both driving enthusiasts and spectators but can prove to be a dangerous sport for all. For instance, you can be a spectator at one of these races and a driver may lose control of his vehicle and crash near or into the on looking spectators, or even an oncoming vehicle, causing injury to you or others in the crowd. What do you do in a situation like that? Would you be able to file claim? You should always contact an experienced attorney to seek legal counsel.

Should you be a victim of an accident contact us online or call at 954 431-8100 or 305 624-9186 to set up a FREE consultation.

Local law enforcement agencies in Coral Springs, Weston, Margate, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Davie and Plantation have clamped down on drunk drivers, imposing harsher penalties for the crime, but while the incidences of drunk driving have decreased a bit, they are still too high.

One bad decision by getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol may result in an accident that can maim, end an innocent person’s life, and even ruin a family. Sometimes the court will take into consideration a prior “clean” record when evaluating charges as well as the character of the driver before he/she is sentenced, the results of this evaluation may result in more lenient charges and sentence for the defendant.

Families who have suffered a loss or have had a member of their family injured at the hands of a drunk driver may find that they may have not received justice from the judicial system due the imposed low penalties based on a case with a lesser charge or sentence resolution. An injured person can claim compensation for a variety of damages: ie. medical expenses; physical pain and mental suffering; loss and or destruction of property and loss of wages. With all this considered punitive damages in a civil suit may be awarded as well against a drunk driver regardless of his record.

A wrongful death claim may be filed against a negligent motorist by the family members of a person who was killed by a drunk driver. I have also seen cases where an employer or a bar that served alcohol to a person who was already notably intoxicated, may be held legally responsible or liable for continuing to serve the inebriated person. Persons who engage in this type of driving should be held legally responsible for their actions.

You should contact an experienced attorney should you or a family member receive personal injury due to a drunk driver to ensure your know your rights and you receive proper compensation.

Earlier this month a bicyclist on his way home was killed in a hit and run accident in Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale. The accident occurred in the early hours of the morning; the bicyclist had just stopped at his friend’s house for a visit and was on his way home, when he was hit.

The accident was reported at the 800 block of Northeast 33rd Street in Oakland Park, the 22yr old victim was travelling westbound when he was struck. Witnesses stated that the vehicle that hit the young man stopped, there were four passengers in the vehicle, two of the passengers came out to see if the rider was ok, then they took off. When police and paramedics arrived on the scene the bicyclist was found to be seriously injured on the road, he was taken to Broward General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police are investigating, as the accident took place close to an Elementary School in Oakland Park and they are using school surveillance videos to assist in identifying the driver and/or vehicle responsible for this accident. They have also identified witnesses who saw the accident.

As I have discussed in previous blogs, riders of bicycles, motor bikes, and mopeds have to be extremely careful when using the roadways. Always wear protective gear, and reflective clothing especially when riding at night. As an Attorney practicing in Fort Lauderdale and its environs of Sunrise, Plantation, Weston, Davie, Cooper City, Miramar, Pembroke Pines and Hollywood, we receive calls daily from victims of accident injury who are unsure whether they able to file claim and against whom.

In this situation, where it was a hit and run ending in the victims’ death, the family of the victim should contact an experienced accident attorney to assist in filing a claim.
Should you or a loved one be the victim of a bicycle injury, contact us online or call to set up a FREE consultation to seek legal counsel.

Accidents occur daily on the roads no matter where you live, Pompano, Pembroke or Hollywood, and when you have been involved in a truck accident, it is important to seek legal counsel right away. Retaining an attorney that specializes in truck accidents is extremely crucial hours after the crash to assist in filing claims against the Trucking Company to ensure proper compensation is received.

People suffer personal injury when an accident occurs, it could be a minor injuries such as neck and shoulder strains which may take a couple days to surface as well as it could also be a severe crash requiring hospitalization, rehab and loss of wages. Seek legal counsel from an experienced attorney, who specializes in the area of truck accidents , as he/she will provide proper guidance to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

Your attorney will devise an organized and strategize as there are certain procedures that need to be followed immediately following the accident, to ensure that all of the essential paperwork is taken care of right away. Gather information as soon as possible; police accident reports; statements from witnesses and pictures: of the vehicles involved in the accident, of injuries sustained and from the scene of the accident. All these should be done as soon as possible while it’s still fresh in everyone’s minds.

We have found in some cases that these trucking companies will change their records especially if they know that there is a potentially strong case against them. Experienced truck accident attorney’s will subpoena the Trucking Company for the records of the truck that was involved in the accident looking for any discrepancies in driver logs; maintenance records or even how recent the tires have been changed, as all these factors can have impacted the reason for the crash and support your claim against the company.

Always seek legal counsel from an experienced South Florida truck accident attorney to ensure you receive proper compensation for your injuries and loss of wages.

Recently, in a news article there was a story about a scooter rider who was killed after being hit by a van. Reports indicated that the rider of the scooter somehow fell off his scooter landing in the path of the van that was following him extremely close. The driver of the van fled the scene but other drivers stopped to render assistance to the scooter rider. The driver of the van was eventually caught as he pulled into a parking lot and attempted to switch seats with his wife. An off duty Fort Lauderdale Police Officer soon after the event caught up with the van driver and made the arrest for, fleeing the scene of an accident, reckless driving with serious bodily injury, and driving under the influence.

How the rider fell off his scooter is still unknown, he may have hit an uneven patch of road or maybe hitting a pothole caused him to fall. All drivers should practice due diligence at all times while on the road, always be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye out for distracted drivers; drivers who may be texting while driving or talking on their cell phones and not paying attention. Drivers in vehicles may not always give bike, scooter, or motor bike riders, the respect they should as a fellow user of the road. All bike, scooter, and motorcycle riders must be on the lookout for car drivers who may not be paying attention to the traffic flow on the road and may follow you too closely. Some drivers may even switch lanes unexpectedly in front of you cutting you off. That in itself may put you in danger as you may have to swerve to avoid the vehicle and end up in the path of an oncoming vehicle, or you may have to brake suddenly to avoid the distracted driver, inadvertently causing the driver behind you to use caution they may not react to so suddenly.

All the above can end up causing riders of recreational vehicles, such as bikes, scooters and motorcycles serious personal injury from the drivers of other vehicles not practicing awareness on the road. Always practice safe riding and due diligence to avoid any unnecessary injury to yourself, your passenger, and other drivers.

Should you or a loved one find yourself a victim of personal injury caused by the carelessness of other drivers on the road, you should seek legal counsel from an experienced personal injury attorney in Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Margate or the city in which the accident took place, who will ensure that you are properly compensated for all damages.

On the local news a few days ago, I saw a story about a couple that was travelling on the I-95 when a huge chunk of heavy metal came up from the road and flew through the windshield of the car, as the driver attempted to avoid the debris it was her friend who was struck in the face causing severe injury.

According to the report on WSVN 7 News, the driver was travelling southbound on the Interstate 95 when the accident occurred. The female who was driving recalls that by the time she realized that the car was going to be hit by the object, it was too late to swerve to avoid the flying debris and her friend was struck in the face. She stated that she never thought it would have been such a huge piece of metal. The male passenger was struck in the face, mouth and the throat causing him to bleed and drift in and out of consciousness.

The first reaction in a situation like this is to panic as you are unsure about the extent of injury that your passenger has received. The young man eventually calmed down the driver as she was extremely shaken up by the incident. The diver exited the highway on to Hollywood Blvd and flagged down an ambulance which she then followed to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. The young man was treated at the hospital and later released; he received stitches to the mouth and will also require dental work as the impact of the metal object caused several of his front teeth to get knocked out. The couple is now trying to determine who was responsible for the incident.

Being an attorney and practicing personal injury law in Fort Lauderdale, I would recommend to the young couple that they to record all the damages done to their vehicle, and to keep record of all his medical bills including the dental costs that he will incur due to his injury to support his claim.
Should you or a loved one find yourself in a similar situation always seek legal counsel to ensure you are properly compensated for the damages to yourself and the vehicle involved.