Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy was injured after a rollover accident with a vehicle in Loxahatchee last month. The accident, which involved a car and the pickup truck which the deputy was driving, left one other person injured with non life-threatening injuries.

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 21.4 percent of fatal crashes in 2009 in the U.S involved at least one vehicle rolling over. Utility vehicles had the highest rollover rates in deadly crashes (32.3%) and in accidents involving injuries (9.3%). Pickup trucks had the highest rollover rate in accidents involving property damage only (2.3%).

Continue reading "Palm Beach County Car Accident Injures Sheriff's Office Deputy " »

Broward County - A Plantation accident involving three vehicles has injured a police officer and his dog. The accident happened on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, when an SUV struck Plantation police officer Curtis Hampton's car head-on. Hampton's car was then hit by a Toyota that was behind him. Hampton, a 25-year police veteran, suffered multiple fractures. His K-9, Rudi, is recovering. Police are investigating the cause of this multiple-vehicle accident.

Our Coral Springs personal injury lawyers are here to help people and families injured in auto accidents in South Florida. According statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 6,391 fatal head-on accidents and approximately 603,000 head-on injury accidents involving multiple vehicles in 2009 in the U.S. These statistics involve the front of the vehicle as the initial point of impact.

Continue reading "Car Accident Lawyer: Plantation Accident Injures Police Officer" »

Palm Beach County - A 6-year-old boy was injured last month after being struck by a car as he was being dropped off at school. After being struck, the boy became stuck under the car. The boy was rescued by three police officers from Boca Raton, who lifted the car. The driver, Liliana Gonzalez, will not be charged, according to police. Dominic DeRoberts's injuries include a severed ear and slightly punctured lung. He is expected to return to his elementary school in the near future.

According to statistics, approximately 7,000 children were injured during a one-year period while being dropped off at school. To learn about safety rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation, please visit this site.

The Law Office of Cytryn & Velazquez helps injured people involved in car accidents throughout South Florida, including the cities of Coral Springs, Margate, Pompano Beach, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Pembroke Pines, Lauderhill, Davie, Plantation, Weston, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.

We are experienced trial lawyers with a 'quality vs. quantity' philosophy, meaning we are very selective about the cases that we handle. This allows us to devote the time and effort necessary to pursue each case to its fullest.

Continue reading "Car Accident Lawyer: Boca Raton Accident Injures Boy, Police Lift Car to Rescue Child " »

Miami-Dade - On July 16, 2011, 24-year-old Peter Munoz, an off-duty Coral Springs police officer, was driving drunk when he was involved in a car accident in Coral Gables that injured 23-year-old Miami resident Jennifer Gutierrez. Four days later, Gutierrez died as a result of her injuries. At .229, Munoz's blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit when the accident occurred, according to reports.

On Thursday, September 29th, Munoz turned himself in to the Coral Gables Police Department and is now charged with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Munoz was fired from his position.

As Coral Springs injury lawyers, we fight for justice on behalf of our clients who have been injured or killed due to negligent drivers. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a person dies every 50 minutes in the U.S. from crashes involving drunk drivers. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), drivers ages 20-24 who had been drinking had the highest rate in deadly accidents in 2009.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer on DUI Manslaughter Case Involving Coral Springs Police Officer " »

Broward County - A pedestrian was hit and injured by a pickup truck in Tamarac on September 27, 2011. The pedestrian accident happened around 8:40 pm and led to the pedestrian being "badly injured," according to reports. Further information on this accident has not been released.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles accident statistics show that 482 pedestrians were killed, and 7,676 were injured in 2009. 18.8 percent of all traffic deaths in 2009 involved pedestrians. According to the report, 232 pedestrians were killed while crossing the street, but not at an intersection, while 65 pedestrians were killed while crossing at an intersection.

Continue reading "Car Accident Attorney: Tamarac Accident Injures Pedestrian " »

Palm Beach County- An SUV rollover accident has resulted in the death of a teenage boy. The accident, which happened shortly before 9pm on Sunday, September 25, 2011, involved a Ford SUV, which veered off I-95 and rolled over, ejecting 16-year-old David Benitez and 14-year-old Donia Otano. Two cars hit Benitez, and killed him, after he was ejected from the SUV. The SUV was driven by 39-year-old Hialeah resident Midialia Otano Rodriguez, who along with two other passengers, were in critical condition. A sixth passenger had minor injuries. The cause of this accident is currently being investigated.

The latest accident statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that in 2009, a total of 8,267 people were killed in rollover accidents in cars and light trucks including utility trucks, pickup trucks, and vans in the U.S. According to the report, out of the 4,091 people killed in utility trucks in 2009, 56% (2,294) were killed in rollover accidents.

The Coral Springs personal injury lawyers at Law Offices Cytryn & Velazquez understand that you may have many legal questions after an accident. Frequently asked questions include:

Do I need a lawyer after an accident?
Should I try dealing with the insurance company on my own?
Can you help me with property damage?
Am I entitled to a rental if my car is damaged?
How much is my case worth?

Continue reading "Car Accident Lawyer: Palm Beach County Rollover Accident Kills Teen" »

Broward County - Fort Lauderdale was recently named the most dangerous city in the United States for drivers, according to a CNBC report. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) were gathered to assemble a list of the 15 most dangerous cities in the U.S. for driving, which showed that Fort Lauderdale had the highest fatality rate per 100,000 people. Three other Florida cities - Orlando (which came in second), Jacksonville, and St. Petersburg, also made the list.

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers who handle Fort Lauderdale car accidents, we are familiar with the many causes for car accidents in South Florida. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, careless driving topped the list of contributing causes of Florida car accidents in 2009, resulting in 49,568 injuries and 386 fatalities. Other contributing factors include improper lane change, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, following too closely, improper passing, and disobeying traffic signals.

Continue reading "Car Accident Lawyer: Fort Lauderdale Number One Most Dangerous U.S. City for Motorists" »

A Coral Springs truck accident early Saturday, September 24, 2011, has resulted in the death of a 17-year-old and injuries to three other people. The accident happened shortly after 12 a.m. at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs. According to reports, Hollywood resident Wayne McIntosh, who was driving a Nissan truck with a passenger, struck the Honda Civic that Alejandro Romeo and his mother were riding in. The truck then crashed into Riverside Elementary School. Romeo died at the scene, and the three other people involved were injured. The accident is currently being investigated.

According to a witness who heard the crash and called for help, two accidents have happened at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Coral Ridge Drive in the past month. According to the witness, the lights change at midnight to blinking yellow and blinking red lights.

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers, we are constantly researching statistics on motor vehicle accidents. According to statistics from the Florida Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles,73 teen passengers were killed in traffic accidents, and 8,653 were injured in Florida in 2009. According to the report, there were 1,311 accidents Saturday during the midnight hour in 2009, 23 of which were fatal.. The largest number of deadly accidents took place Sunday during the midnight hour, with 33 fatal accidents and a total of 1,361 crashes.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, call the car accident lawyers at Law Offices Cytryn & Velazquez today to schedule a free consultation toll-free at 1-877-853-7466.

Ryan Hutson, Esq. is a Coral Springs injury lawyer at Law Offices Cytryn and Velazquez, P.A. Our South Florida attorneys handle cases in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties, including the cities of West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Coconut Creek, Parkland, Pembroke Pines, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and more.

Our firm's founder, Dan Irving Cytryn, is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer who has been handling accident cases in South Florida for 30 years. He has received a 10.0 rating on Avvo, a lawyer rating service, which is the highest rating given for a lawyer. He is also rated the highest ability and ethics rating, "AV", by Martindale Hubbell, a company rating lawyers for more than 100 years.

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers, we encourage parents to have their children's car seats checked on a regular basis. This week (September 18-24) is National Child Passenger Safety Week, which is made possible every year through the collaboration of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, child safety groups and police departments nationwide. This week serves as a reminder for parents and caregivers to make sure they are using the proper safety restraints for their children.

Locally in South Florida, parents can have their children's car seats inspected at various sites throughout Broward County, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties. For more information on locations and how to make an appointment to have your car seats inspected, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. According to the site, you can have your car seat inspected by certified technicians for free (in most cases).

Car accidents are the main cause of death for kids ages 3 to 14. On average, four children age 14 and younger were killed and 490 were injured in car accidents in the United States every day in 2009. According to statistics from the NHTSA, an estimated 8,959 children's lives have been saved between 1975 and 2008 as a result of using proper child safety seats.

Safe Kids is an organization that promotes child safety with tips for parents on keeping their kids safe at home and one the roads. Visit their website for safety tips and for more information.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer Urges Parents to Inspect their Children's Car Seats During Child Passenger Safety Week " »

Miami-Dade County: A man was killed last month in Miami after attempting to cross a busy road in Miami. 53-year-old Jose Aviles-Vasquez was struck by several cars in this pedestrian accident. According to reports, the first driver who struck the pedestrian stopped for help, but the other drivers did not stop.

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach area was recently ranked as one of the highest-risk areas for pedestrians in the U.S., according to the New York Times.

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers with experience handling pedestrian accidents in South Florida, we are familiar with the complexities involved in these types of accidents. In pedestrian accidents involving hit and run, having uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is very important. UM coverage helps protect you in the event of an accident caused by a driver with no insurance. We recommend checking your auto insurance policy to make sure you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. For more information on uninsured motorist coverage and why it's important, visit our website.

In pedestrian accident cases involving the death of a pedestrian caused by the negligence of a motorist, the pedestrian's family has the right to pursue a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver. An experienced wrongful death lawyer will help you understand your rights and fight for justice.

Continue reading "Miami Pedestrian Accident: Man Struck by Multiple Cars, Killed" »

A group of witnesses rescued a motorcycle rider who was trapped underneath a burning car following a car accident last month in Utah. The crash happened when a car pulled in front of 21-year-old Brandon Wright, who was riding his motorcycle. In an effort to avoid an accident, Wright lay down his bike, but his bike collided with the car and both vehicles ended up catching on fire. For more information and to see video of the rescue, visit this NY Daily News article.

According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,462 motorcyclists were killed and an estimated 90,000 were injured in 2009 in the U.S. As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers, we work with motorcycle accident victims and their families throughout South Florida and are therefore familiar with the dangers of the road. We often post traffic statisitics on our blog to better inform the public about pedestrian, motorcycle and car accidents and ways to avoid them.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Accident Attorney Comments on Rescue of Motorcyclist After Utah Car Accident " »

According to a recent Sun Sentinel article on red light cameras, Pembroke Pines has one of the least amounts of red light camera citations per day in South Florida. In Broward County, the intersection with the highest number of tickets per day is eastbound West Sunrise Blvd and NW 15th Ave in Fort Lauderdale, with 20 red light citations each day. Compare that with the Pembroke Pines intersection of SW 136th Ave and Pine Boulevard which has, on average, less than one ticket per day.

On average, 856 people are issued red light camera citations every day in South Florida. Around 339,000 tickets have been issued in South Florida as a result of red light cameras.

Most red light camera tickets, according to the Sun Sentinel article, take place on Friday in Broward County, and on Saturday in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties. Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, and Coral Gables issue the most citations per intersection every day.

As Coral Springs accident lawyers, we hope red light cameras are effective in helping to reduce the number of car accidents in Florida's roads. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, disregarding a traffic signal led to 56 traffic fatalities and 5,190 injuries in Florida in 2009. Driving over the stated speed limit led to 106 deaths and 650 injuries that same year.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Car Accident Lawyer Discusses Red Light Camera Citations in South Florida" »

Broward County -- After losing control of the Chevy Camaro he was driving, Dustin Wayne See hit a guardrail and flipped the vehicle into a condominium building in Fort Lauderdale, in late August 2011. See was injured in this Fort Lauderdale car accident. Thankfully no pedestrians or building residents were injured.

According to the NHTSA, U.S. car crashes result in around $43 billion dollars worth of property damage each year. Property damages includes damage to vehicles, objects inside the vehicles, roadway signs, lightpoles, guardrails, homes and other structures.

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers, we help people who have been injured in auto accidents and have also suffered property damage caused by the negligence of other drivers. Other types of damages that we help injury victims to recover include medical costs, loss of income, disability, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Injures Driver of Car that Flipped Into Condo Building" »

Broward County - A man from Coral Springs suffered critical injuries after falling from a concrete wall on I-95 and landing on the street below. Jonathan K. Holley was sitting on the concrete wall on I-95 after being involved in a Fort Lauderdale car accident. According to police, Holley had been helped to the highway's shoulder following his accident, which took place on August 14, 2011 shortly before 6:30 a.m.

As Coral Springs car accident lawyers, we often read news stories like this one regarding auto accidents in Broward County, and provide legal analysis on our blogs.

In the incident noted above, if the other driver was at fault, the at-fault driver may be responsible for the victim's injury from the fall. Even though the at-fault driver's conduct operates in combination with some other cause (e.g., dizziness, vertigo, etc.) that led to the victim's fall, such other cause was itself reasonably foreseeable and the driver's conduct contributed substantially to producing the fall or the fall was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the at-fault driver's conduct and the driver's conduct contributed substantially to producing the victim's fall.

In more general terms, Florida law provides that, if the Coral Springs victim was not at fault in the crash, and the crash was the other party's fault, the other party would likely be responsible for any further harm that the victim suffered if the harm was "reasonably foreseeable" and the crash substantially contributed to the further harm. In this particular case, if the fall was caused because the victim was delirious, or dizzy, etc. as a result of the crash, a jury may be able to find that at-fault driver liable for the injuries suffered from the subsequent fall from the wall.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Injures Coral Springs Resident " »

Broward County, Florida: A Pompano Beach car accident led to the death of a 30-year-old man on Friday, August 26, 2011. Daniel Kocik, from Fort Lauderdale, lost control of his vehicle on I-95 after an SUV towing a trailer struck his car. Police are currently investigating the accident.

According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was the number one cause of accidents in the U.S. in 2009, accounting for 21.3 percent of the accidents that year. The second largest cause of car accidents, (17 percent) was attributed to drivers deviating from their lanes or running off the road.

As Coral Springs accident attorneys, we understand the hardships that families face after losing a loved one. We're here to help victim's families understand their rights regarding the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit. An attorney will investigate your case and help protect your rights.

Continue reading "Pompano Beach Car Accident on I-95 Kills Fort Lauderdale Resident" »