South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

Florida's football team lost a player at least temporarily in early November, when third-string quarterback Cameron Newton was involved in a car accident. The Miami Herald reported that Newton's vehicle was rear-ended by a truck on Election Day, putting him in a neck brace and taking him out of the following day's practice. The News-Press of Fort Myers added that Newton suffered from headaches the next day. Fortunately, his coaches believe his injuries aren't serious.

Both papers reported that Newton's injuries ended up being more serious than his coach originally had thought. As an experienced Florida auto accident lawyer, I am not surprised. Because he plays for a top football team, Newton is probably very cautious about his health, but many people who are rear-ended don't realize right away that they're injured. That's especially true if they have minor head injuries, or minor neck injuries like Newton's. It's only in the next week or so, after they start noticing pain and other symptoms, that they finally see a doctor.

This delay can hurt not only their recovery, but also their insurance claim. Because some insurance companies will take any excuse not to pay expensive claims, delaying your claim may be taken as evidence that you are lying or exaggerating your injuries. It doesn't matter that you were honestly feeling fine, or that even doctors say symptoms of concussions and whiplash-like neck injuries don't always manifest right away. This is why I, as a Florida car accident attorney, tell my clients to start their insurance claims as soon as they reasonably can. It is much better to be perceived as fussy or a hypochondriac than it is to be stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills that you have already paid an insurance company to cover.

Rear-end accidents are notorious for causing painful and expensive neck injuries, even at parking speeds. Insurance companies are notorious for downplaying or even outright refusing to cover those injuries. If you're a victim of this type of accident, it pays to be as careful as possible about your medical treatment and how you interact with your insurance company. But if you feel your insurance company isn't treating you fairly after you've made a claim in good faith, you still have rights. To speak with an experienced Florida attorney about those rights and your case, please contact my firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, for a free consultation.

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Posted In: spinal injuries

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This week (Nov. 10-16) is Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel noted the date with an inspiring article on former auto racer Darrell Gwynn. Gwynn, a National Hot Rod Association champion and son NHRA champion Jerry Gwynn, was paralyzed in 1990 in a racing accident. He also lost his left arm in the crash.

However, Gwynn declined to let his injuries stop him from living his life. After spending more than six months in hospitals and eventually recovering from his accident, he took on the responsibility of managing his racing team. In 2002, he started the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, a nonprofit organization for people with spinal injuries. In addition to providing wheelchairs and other medical equipment to those who can't afford them, the foundation helps to fund research to cure spinal injuries and teaches young people how to avoid a serious spinal injury. In fact, it was the foundation that successfully lobbied our state legislature to recognize Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week.

Gwynn told the Sun-Sentinel that he has two great passions in his life: racing and fishing. He combines those passions by helping to run the Hot Rods & Reels charity fishing tournaments, two Florida events that bring together recreational anglers with NASCAR drivers. One, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, will take place this Saturday, Nov. 15. The funds it raises benefit the Darrell Gwynn Foundation as well as Speediatrics, an organization that aims to ease children's stays at two Florida hospitals by adding racing themes to their children's wards.

Spinal cord injuries are extremely serious, life-changing injuries. The spinal cord is an essential part of the human nervous system, and when it's damaged, the victim can be partially or completely paralyzed. That means becoming wheelchair-bound, relearning some of the most basic tasks of life, and sometimes having to change or abandon a career. It also means lifelong medical care and a higher risk of certain medical problems. If the injury was caused by someone else's carelessness, victims can and should hold that person legally responsible for the results with a Florida spinal cord injury lawsuit. If you'd like to speak with an experienced Florida attorney about making this type of claim, please contact my firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, as soon as possible for a free consultation.

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Posted In: automobile accidents , spinal injuries

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