South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

Pool safety is a priority on all home owners, condo associations, hotels, resorts and the local parks in Sunrise and Plantation. It’s seen all the time on your television and in your local newspapers stories about drowning in pools due to poor supervision. These drowning incidents are sometimes ruled as accidents and no negligence found, but these stories like this one are have become all too common during the summer months in our County.

If you have a pool, it's important to use the following pool safety tips to avoid tragic accidents on your property:

1. Make sure an adult is supervising children at ALL times. Even walking away for a few minutes can lead to tragedy.
2. Contain the pool with some sort of barrier (such as a fence with gates that automatically close) around the pool on all sides.
3. Install alarms on pool gates so that you know if anyone enters the pool area while you're not watching.
4. Use safety covers to prevent drowning while the pool is not actively in use.
5. All adults and children who use the pool should know how to swim.
6. Get basic CPR training and first aid training to help victims in case of an accident.
7. Install an outdoor phone line or keep a cell phone handy to quickly reach emergency services should and accident occur.

With more than one million pools between these three cities: Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale and Plantation, pool safety should be top of mind this summer. If you have experienced the loss of a loved one on someone else's property, it is critical that you contact a Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer to represent your case.

As a practicing Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney we come across a variety of cases one in particular was a lawsuit filed against Dr. Thom a Fort Lauderdale Plastic Surgeon by his former neighbor Rhoda Marx. Marx claims that the Dr’s dog Max attacked her without provocation or warning, as stated in her personal injury complaint. Marx’s medical report states that she sustained abrasions, cuts, and deep puncture wounds from the bite.

Ms. Marx claimed that Dr. Thom knew that the dog could be unpredictable and had a history of biting persons and other pets. She filed a personal injury claim for compensation for her medical expenses, income loss, general damages, and pain and suffering.

Per Florida’s dog bite statute, a dog owner can be held liable for damages if the dog bites a person who is lawfully allowed to be on the property where the incident happened. The pet owner's prior knowledge of whether or not the dog is vicious is irrelevant. Also, there is a leash law requiring that a dog owner keep the pet on a leash unless it is confined to the home or within a fenced property. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident, if the attack occurred on property that is not owned by the dog owner, the premise owner may also be held liable.

Unfortunately, dog bite accidents happen. While owners must do what they can to prevent such incidents from happening, there are also steps you can take to protect yourself. If you or family members are a victim of a dog bite incident contact your Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury attorney to discuss your rights.

Police departments across Broward County announced in Fort Lauderdale its new Countywide Anti-Texting Campaign. The Program is designed to warn drivers about the dangers of texting and driving. The various police departments all pointed out that texting while driving has lead to many serious automobile and truck accidents in the South Florida. According to the Fort Lauderdale Police department, one of their recent studies found that texting while driving increased a driver's chances of being involved in a car wreck by more than 23 times.

Florida statistics show that cell phone usage contributed to more than 1,780 traffic car crashes in the State of Florida in the year 2009 alone. These motor vehicle accidents have caused serious injuries and death. As stated by the various Broward County Police departments, distracted drivers cause many of the traffic accidents in South Florida every year. Of these accidents, cell phone use is the number one distraction.

Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney’s knows, car accidents involving drivers who are texting, talking on the cell phone or otherwise distracted happen too often. We have had a number of cases where the defendant driver is suspected of being on the cell phone at that time he or she caused a car accident. In those cases, your accident attorney will frequently ask the defendant to identify his or her cell phone provider, so that he/she can subpoena the cell phone provider's records to try to determine whether the defendant was using a cell phone around the time of the car accident. In some cases, cell phone usage may merit that your personal injury attorney include a count for punitive damages in their lawsuit for personal injuries. In effect, Fort Lauderdale injury Attorney’s are asking the court or jury in Broward to award punitive damages to an injured person in order to, among other things, deter similar conduct in the future.

Always remember to contact an experienced South Florida Attorney should you find yourself a victim of a car accident.

Grocery or food shopping is a weekly errand for everyone. On any given day during the week supermarkets across Broward County are full of shoppers. Margaret McPherson running her usual errands last Saturday, was at in the checkout line of an Albertson's in Davie, FL when her bag slipped as the clerk was handing it to her, Margaret bent over to prevent the bag from falling and spilling the groceries across the floor. She rested her hand on the credit card machine stand for support when it gave away and she fell to the floor. As minor as this injury may have seemed EMT's were called to the grocery by the store manager.

Margaret's received injuries serious for her to be hospitalized caused her loss of wages, and medical costs as she suffered serious damage to her knee and required surgery. She sought legal counsel from a Personal Injury Attorney practicing in Sunrise, Florida to ensure she received proper compensation from her injuries sustained from the fall.

In Fort Lauderdale we come across numerous slip and fall cases or personal injuries where claims are filed against businesses due to their own negligence. Should you or a loved one be the victim of a slip and fall injury you should seek legal counsel from an experienced South Florida personal injury attorney to know your rights.

When you say South Florida you think sun, sand, South Beach and cruising. The Port of Everglades in Fort Lauderdale can now be called the home of Cruise ships with some of the largest ships making this port their home. Cruise ships may look sparkling clean and safe, but behind the surface lays an industry that lacks formal regulation and accountability for what occurs on-board. As an experienced Fort Lauderdale attorney practicing law for over 30 years, we have come across many incidents on board cruise ships that go unreported from sexual crimes, violent assaults covered up by ship personnel, to passengers that go missing — never to be seen again.

Most people are shocked when they learn just how poorly regulated the cruise industry is or how easily victims can find themselves with no recourse for the harm they may have suffered. Personal injury attorney’s have represented victims of these cruise ship mishaps and accidents or the families of these victims in any way we can to ensure that proper compensation is received. Attorneys have been working behind the scenes to ensure that the appropriate regulations and safeguards are enacted by Congress — so that dream vacations don’t turn into nightmares.

Should you be on your dream vacation cruising through the Caribbean and you find yourself a victim of personal injury on board the cruise ship, you should seek legal counsel from an experienced South Florida attorney to know your rights, and to ensure you are properly compensated.

Last Monday Dr. Yohan Jameson, a former surgeon, was driving his sports utility vehicle, at the intersection of State Road 7/ 441 and Pembroke Road where he ignored a red light and collided with a car causing serious injury to the driver and passenger, Mrs. Yates a school administrator and her 10-year-old daughter Melanie, from Pembroke Pines. Mrs. Yates and her daughter Melanie suffered injuries from the accident serious enough for them to be taken to the hospital for observation, Dr. Jameson suffered minor injuries and was released at the scene.

Reports taken from the scene of the accident stated that the physician was given a sobriety test as it was alleged that he was driving under the influence. After investigation by Mrs. Y’s attorney, it was revealed that the surgeon has three previous convictions for driving while under the influence of intoxicants. The police report also stated that he may have also ingested a combination of prescription drugs prior to the accident.

Mrs. Yates and her family sought legal counsel from Personal Injury Attorney in Davie, to assist in filing personal injury claims against the surgeon for loss of wages, damages to her vehicle and compensation for medical bills for herself and her daughter from the injuries sustained from the accident.

Contact an experienced South Florida Personal Injury attorney who will advise you of your legal rights and ensure you receive proper compensation for your loss and damages you may have incurred.

Yesterday whilst on my way back home, I was at the traffic light on the corner of Oakland Park Boulevard and Nob Hill Road in Sunrise, waiting to head south on Nob Hill Road. It was around 9.00pm and the traffic was flowing on Nob Hill Road in both directions. To my disbelief a cyclist heading north on Nob Hill Road was crossing Oakland Park Boulevard, the cyclist had on no reflective or protective clothing, nor did he have any identifying lights on his bike. There was a car heading south on Nob Hill Road, making the left turn onto Oakland Park Boulevard just barely missed the cyclist. Luckily no one was injured but this could have gone extremely wrong, the driver of the car would have not seen the cyclist crossing the intersection and would have definitely hit the cyclist ending in serious injury.

Police and City Officials across Broward and Miami-Dade County have been asking that bicyclist and motor cyclist practice safe riding habits. Always wear protective clothing a helmet and goggles, reflective clothing to ensure other users on the road can see you. When riding at night or between sunset and sunrise your bicycle must have a lamp/light on the front of the bike exhibiting a white light visible from 500 feet to the front, your bike must also be equipped with a red reflector and a lamp on the rear and must be visible from 600 feet to the rear, additional lighting is also permitted and recommended.

Continue reading " Cyclist BEWARE " »

For the upcoming blogs I will be going over some scenarios that as an attorney practicing in Fort Lauderdale, I deal with daily. If you have been the victim of personal injury always seek legal counsel to ensure that you receive proper compensation for your injuries.

Fort Lauderdale injury attorney’s knows that accidents involving motor cyclist almost always result in serious injuries to both rider and passenger. In some cases, these accidents can end in death for one of the two or sometimes both. Motor cyclist have to be on their “P’s and Q’s” daily on the roads always being conscious of their surroundings. I have worked on cases where motor cyclists and their passengers have been seriously injured as a result of these hit and run drivers. In some cases, police reports state that the driver stops only to drive off, or they do not stop at all, therefore not realizing the damages they have caused.

These types of accidents are becoming more and more common on the roads of Broward County from Miramar to Margate and Coral Springs including cities such as Sunrise, Davie, Cooper City, Pembroke Pines and Plantation, especially along the Interstates I-95 and the I-595. Florida law provides that if someone negligently injures or kills someone and there are aggravating circumstances involved, such as failing to render aid, and leaving the scene of the accident, the offending party may be liable for punitive damages.

Continue reading " Motorcycle Accidents caused by Hit-And-Run Drivers " »

We touched on practicing defensive motor cycle driving in one of my previous blogs, and in that blog we mentioned the importance of protective clothing, wearing a helmet, and protective eyewear. It’s not rocket science the importance of wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle or scooter especially on the roads of South Florida.

I have found some information that clarifies the requirements of wearing protective gear see below:

If you are 20 and younger - the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years of age and older may ride without helmets once they are covered by a medical insurance policy and can show the proof of insurance. See Florida Statute Title xxiii Motor Vehicles Chapter 316 for more information and clarification.
Scooters/Mopeds – If you are under the age of 16 you are required to wear protective headgear should you operate a low-powered cycle that can attain speeds greater than 30 mph; has an engine displacement greater than 50cc and brake horsepower greater than 2hp.

NOTES:
• Wearing a helmet does not guarantee that you or your passenger will survive an accident.
• Some statistics - in almost all motorcycle accidents that take place, the rider and/or passenger will suffer some sort of personal injury, and riding without a helmet you will be more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury than a motorcyclist who is wearing a helmet.
• Representing motor cycle riders who have been injured in accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines and Davie we have found that failure to wear a helmet can decrease your compensation if you are injured in an accident. We have seen some cases where the defense argued that your damages might have been lessened had you worn a helmet.
• Please note in some cases, you are not entitled to receive compensation from damages if you were not wearing a helmet.

Should you or any one of your family be involved in an accident whilst riding a motor cycle you should contact an experienced motor cycle accident attorney to seek counsel to ensure you receive proper compensation.

When riding a motorcycle on any road in South Florida, riders should always be cautious, pay close attention to surroundings, and practice defensive driving at all times. Statistics have shown that one-third of the motorcycle accidents that occur yearly are due to motorist entering into the path of a motorcyclist on the road and intersections. Bikers have to be more alert at intersections, as this is where most motorcycle accidents have occurred.

New bikers are advised to attend a Florida motorcycle training course to be educated in how to safely operate the motorcycle, there are courses available in all cities; Sunrise, Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, and Davie just to name a few, this information can also be gotten from the various Biker clubs across South Florida. Even though not required by law, it is extremely important and advisable that motorcycle riders and their passengers wear protective gear such as; clothing, a helmet, and some sort of eye protection as they will lessen the severity of injuries should the rider be involved in an accident.

Motorcyclists should practice defensive riding, because at times, the road surface can become slippery after a rain or wet from sprinklers or oil etc, there can also be obstacles or debris on the road that the rider may have to avoid in a moment’s notice. Proper use of indicators to show whether the rider is making a left or right turn and is considered defensive driving and should be practiced at all times. Motorist may not always see the motorcyclist beside them causing the biker to make defensive riding maneuvers to avoid an accident or being hit, therefore motorcycle riders should make themselves visible to all motorist on the roads at all times.

If you or a family member have been involved in a motorcycle accident you should immediately contact an experienced South Florida accident attorney to represent you to ensure you receive proper compensation.

As an experienced personal injury attorney practicing in Fort Lauderdale, accidents on board cruise ships happen all the time. It’s always good for you to know that you can find an attorney experienced in this type of personal injury matter, should you find yourself a victim.

Broward county’s Port Everglades and Miami’s Port of Miami are two of the busiest ports on the east coast for cruise ships. Numerous cruise lines use both these ports as their base, with ships cruising to the Bahamas and the Caribbean on any given day of the week, loaded with avid cruisers ready to start their vacation.

Last year just around this time of the year, dozens of passengers on a cruise ship, cruising in the Gulf of Mexico received injuries with the ship, avoiding an object in the water made an unexpected turn. A spokesperson for the cruise line stated that there were 2,052 passengers on board at the time and that none of the injuries were serious. The ship was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, the final leg of a five day cruise.

We receive calls from victims of personal injury inquiring as to whether they can file claim and if they can against whom and how to proceed. As an experienced personal injury attorney practicing in Fort Lauderdale and its environs, I always advise victims to seek legal counsel. One should contact your attorney as soon as possible with all the pertinent information for your claim. As much information as you can possibly give your attorney would assist in filing your claim and ensuring you receive proper compensation for your damages, loss wages and medical bills.

Should you or a loved one 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 see legal counsel.