Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

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 " »

Broward County, Florida - A Coral Springs police officer was injured on Monday, August 22, 2011 after his Harley-Davidson was involed in a school bus crash on Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs. The bus driver and her three passengers were not injured in this motorcycle accident. Police are currently investigating the crash.

U.S. Department of Transportation statistics state that there were 857 school bus accidents from 1999 through 2005. According to reports, approximately 17,000 children suffer injuries linked to school bus accidents each year in the U.S.

Coral Springs motorcycle accident lawyers can help victims and families of victims who have been injured due to the negligence of another motorist. If your accident case involves a school bus, an attorney can help you understand your rights, liability, and the complexities associated with these types of cases.

If a school bus driver's negligence causes an accident, many times that driver will be terminated from his or her position. In some cases involving a child who has been injured or killed in a school bus accident due to a bus driver's negligence, financial recovery has been obtained against school bus drivers, bus owners, and school boards.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Motorcycle Accident Injures Local Police Officer" »

A Pembroke Pines accident involving a motorcycle and a pickup truck on Sunday, August 14, 2011, has killed a motorcyclist from Hialeah. The crash occurred when 52-year-old Nelson Quinones struck the back of a pickup truck and was thrown from the motorcycle. Police are investigating the accident.

Motorcycle accident statistics are something that Coral Springs personal injury lawyers keep up with on a consistent basis. Statistics from the Florida Department of Transportation show that in 2009 in Florida, motorcycle riders between the ages of 45 and 54 had more injuries than riders in any other age group. During that same year, 47% of riders were not wearing a helmet prior to a deadly motorcycle accident. Also, 32% of deaths from motorcycle accidents were linked to traumatic brain injuries from 2006 to 2008.

Continue reading "Pembroke Pines Motorcycle Crash Kills Miami-Dade Resident" »

A man from Fort Lauderdale was killed in a motorcycle accident in Broward County on Friday, July 29, 2011. 28-year-old Mathew Osowski, who was not wearing a helmet, hit the guardrail on the Oakland Park Boulevard exit ramp on I-95 heading south. He died at the scene of the crash. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

As Coral Springs motorcycle accident attorneys, we are familiar with the various causes of motorcycle accidents, including speeding, driver distraction, failure of the other driver to yield, failure of drivers to check their blind spots, drug or alcohol use, and improper road maintenance.

From 1998 through 2008, there was a steady increase in the amount of motorcyclists killed or injured in the U.S., according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Riders and their passengers are subject to serious injuries as a result of a motorcycle accident due to the lack of protection a motorcycle provides. A motorcycle crash can lead to catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and in some cases, death.

Continue reading "Fort Lauderdale Motorcycle Crash Death on Oakland Park Boulevard" »

Two South Florida residents were killed in a Broward County motorcycle accident on Friday, July 29, 2011. 24-year-old Luis Gustavo, the driver, and 20-year-old Stephanie A. Fredericks, his passenger, were found on railroad tracks beneath the I-95/595 connector. Police are currently investigating the cause of this fatal motorcycle crash but believe the motorcycle may have gone over the railing of the highway and fallen to the track below.

Similar motorcycle accidents have happened at the elevated 95/595 connector over the past several years. Most of these accidents were linked to speeding, according to police. For example, in 2007, a Fort Lauderdale man was killed when his motorcycle hit a barrier wall on I-95, causing him to fall 30 feet onto another highway below. That same year, a Fort Lauderdale motorcycle accident occurred when a man from Lauderhill lost control of his motorcycle and fell from an entrance ramp at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport, causing him to land near Federal Highway.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney on Fatal Broward County Crash" »

As Coral Springs personal injury lawyers, we understand the pain and suffering that families of DUI accident victims endure after losing a loved one due to a Florida drunk driving accident. Unfortunately, car accidents caused by drunk drivers happen all too often in the U.S. We are especially touched when these tragedies happen close to home.

On Thursday, July 28, 2011, a man from Miramar, Florida was sentenced to 10 years in prison for causing a motorcycle accident in 2009 which led to the death of a 43-year-old man. Robert Louis Jones's blood alcohol level was 0.236, almost three times the legal limit, when he crashed into Eric Maron's motorcycle.

Jones ran away from the scene of the accident, leaving his fiance's 9-year-old daughter in the car, for which he was sentenced to an additional 5 years for child neglect. According to the Sun Sentinel's report, Jones was also in violation of his probation in Maryland on a different drunk driving case in which he fled the scene of an accident involving bodily injury.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), one person dies every 50 minutes in a drunk driving accident in the U.S. One person is injured every minute in a drunk driving accident. A large percentage of convicted drunk drivers (50 to 75 percent) keep driving despite having a suspended license.

Continue reading "Broward County Drunk Driving Accident Results in the Death of a Motorcyclist" »

Three Palm Beach car accidents took place over the weekend, leaving a total of three injured and one dead.

On Friday, July 22, 2011, a Lake Worth woman hit two people sitting in a bus stop after losing control of the vehicle she was driving. One of the victims had minor injuries, while the other suffered a head injury and broken bones.

A man was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Saturday near West Palm. The motorcycle and a car collided at Summit Road and Military Trail. The man was taken to Delray Medical Center.

On Saturday night, a 20-year-old woman from Lake Worth lost control of her car and died near Lake Osborne. According to investigators, alcohol or drugs may have played a factor in the accident.

Continue reading "Lake Worth Car Accident, Motorcycle Crash, and Death Make for Deadly Palm Beach Weekend" »

A Coconut Creek crash has resulted in the death of an 18-year-old man from Boca Raton and a 27-year-old man from Deerfield Beach. The accident, which occurred in the early hours of July 12, 2011, involved a motorcycle and a pickup truck. Police are currently investigating this motorcycle accident.

Motorcycle accidents are caused by a variety of factors, including rider inexperience, speeding, drug or alcohol use, not checking blind spots and failure to obey traffic laws. According to the Ocean State Chapter Harley Owners Group (oshog.org), two-thirds of motorcycle accidents involving another vehicle were caused by the other vehicle driver's failure to yield the right-of-way to the motorcycle.

Continue reading "Coconut Creek Motorcycle Accident Kills Two Men in Broward County" »

An auto accident on I-75 that occurred early Thursday, June 23, 2011, has resulted in the death of two men. A 37-year-old man from Broward County, who was allegedly driving the wrong way on the road, and a 44-year-old Peruvian man were involved in the accident. Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor in the crash.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,382 drivers and motorcycle riders were involved in deadly motor vehicle accidents linked to driving the wrong way in 2009.

There are many different reasons a person can end up going the wrong way on a road, including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, inexperience, cell phone use, distraction, or confusion. Drivers should be completely focused on the road and read road signs carefully in order to avoid driving the wrong way. If you encounter a wrong-way driver, you should try to safely pull over to the side of the road and attempt to get the driver's attention by beeping your horn and flashing your lights.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Personal Injury Lawyer Comments on Fatal Wrong-Way Broward County Accident" »

Fort Lauderdale and Miramar motorcycle crashes resulted in two deaths here in South Florida this past weekend. These deaths demonstrate just how dangerous this activity is, and how dangerous the roads in Broward can be for motorcycle riders. To view more information on these stories, click here and here.

According to Florida Department of Transportation statistics, motorcycle drivers ages 45-54 had the highest number of deaths from motorcycle accidents in 2009. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties had some of the highest numbers of motorcycle deaths in Florida for that same year.

May is officially Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. However, motorcycle safety should be followed year-round. Motorcycle riding is a dangerous and sometimes deadly activity that should be done with precaution. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a useful motorcycle safety section on its website. Information on the site ranges from selecting the right helmet to motorcycle safety programs.

A motor vehicle accident can have a serious financial, emotional, and physical impact on a victim and their family. After an accident, it is important to know your rights and learn about any financial compensation you may be entitled to. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle crash, contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Accident and Injury Lawyer Comments on Two Motorcycle Crashes Resulting in Death" »

Last week, a man from Coconut Creek died from injuries suffered after a motorcycle accident on I-595. The man, who was not wearing a helmet, lost control of his motorcycle and was ejected after his bike hit the concrete wall. Police are investigating the cause for this motorcycle crash.

In Florida, adults are not required by law to wear helmets when riding a motorcycle - either as a driver or a passenger. However, statistics on helmet use during motorcycle crashes may influence some people to wear helmets. A recent study from the Yale School of Medicine, as discussed in one of our recent blogs, show that the fatality rate in motorcycle crashes was 65.6% for those who did not use helmets, versus 34.4% for those who used helmets.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Accident Takes the Life of a Coconut Creek Man" »

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Florida is ranked third in the United States regarding costs from deadly car accidents. The total of costs of car accidents nationally in 2005 (the latest figures available) was $41 billion, with Florida total costs coming in around $3.6 billion.

The CDC has made four recommendations that states could implement to cut back on these costs. One of the suggestions is having a seat belt law. Florida implemented a safety belt law effective June 30, 2009 which allows police to pull over drivers for not wearing seatbelts as a primary offense (before this law, a driver without a seatbelt would have had to commit another violation, such as speeding, before being pulled over). This is the only one of the four recommendations by the CDC that Florida has put into action.

Another recommendation by the CDC is the use of motorcycle helmets for all ages. Since 2000, it has not been mandatory for adults to wear helmets in Florida when driving or riding on a motorcycle. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 402 motorcycle accident deaths in 2009. Motorcyclists who don't wear helmets are at higher risk of sustaining more serious personal injuries than those who wear helmets. A new study by the Yale School of Medicine shows that the death rate in motorcycle accidents was almost twice as high for people who did not wear helmets (65.6 percent) than people who wore helmets (34.4 percent) during an accident.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Helmets and Seat Belts Again Recommended to Reduce Deaths in Florida from Car and Motorcycle Accidents or Crashes" »

In our 30 years in practice as Coral Springs motorcycle accident lawyers, we have helped many victims and the families of victims who have been involved in motorcycle crashes. These types of accidents result in injuries that are oftentimes more catastrophic than injuries suffered from car crashes because motorcycles don't provide as much protection as a car or a truck. Injuries that result from motorcycle accidents range from traumatic brain injury, paralysis, and in some cases death.

Given that our firm represents clients from multiple cities including Parkland, Coral Springs, Tamarac, Margate, and Pompano Beach, we make our best effort to keep up with the latest news in those cities. Unfortunately, we oftentimes see stories involving car accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents. One of these stories involves a Coral Springs man who passed away after he lost control of his motorcycle and hit a curb last weekend.

Motorcycle crashes are caused by a number of factors including speeding, drunk driving, or negligence of another driver. According to the latest Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles report, motorcycle accidents led to 402 deaths in 2009, compared to 532 in 2008. Thankfully, the number of deaths resulting from motorcycle accidents decreased by 24% in 2009. The report also points out that there was a 14% reduction in the amount of deadly car accidents in 2009.

Continue reading "Coral Springs Motorcycle Accident Lawyer on Crash that Killed Coral Springs Man" »

A Miramar, Florida, driver has been charged with killing a Davie, Florida, resident while driving drunk.  According to reports, the intoxicated driver was taking his 9-year-old daughter to school when he struck the Davie motorcyclist and dragged him 180 feet before coming to a stop.  When the drunk driver was apprehended after fleeing the scene of the accident, breathalyzer results showed his blood alcohol content to be .236 -- nearly three times the legal limit.   This was not the first time the driver has been charged with drunk driving according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  According to their report, the intoxicated driver was wanted in Maryland for failing to appear for a court proceeding after violating his probation for driving under the influence with another charge of DUI.

Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents have been on the rise for the past nine years according to Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.  In 2008 alone, there were 9618 motorcycle crashes in Florida which caused the death of 502 motorcyclists and 30 passengers and contributed to over 9000 injured riders.  These numbers include 37 motorcycle accident deaths in Broward County, 44 in Miami-Dade County, and 34 in Palm Beach County.  Drug and alcohol related fatalities in Florida sadly exceeded 1,400 people in 2008.

Continue reading "Repeat Drunk Driver Charged with Killing Florida Motorcyclist" »