Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Phones Just Part of Distracted Driving Epidemic

January 11, 2021 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

As we enter our 50th year of representing injury victims in Southwest Florida, we recently blogged about the dangers of in-car technology and cell phones when it comes to the risks of being involved in a serious or fatal traffic collision.

But distracted driving is about much more than the electronic gadgetry that has become central to our daily lives. Nationwide, safety advocates report at least 3,000 people are killed and 400,000 injured each year in collisions involving distracted driving. However, the increasingly ubiquitous nature of this technology in our lives means the true risks are actually much higher – by some estimates involved in one-third of the nation’s traffic collisions, resulting in more than 10,000 road deaths each year.

Many of these victims were not in another vehicle at the time of the collision. About 1 in 5 of the people who died in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2018 were not in vehicles―they were walking, riding their bikes, or otherwise outside a vehicle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Happy New Year – Staying Safe in Southwest Florida

January 10, 2021 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Happy New Year!

All of us at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, wish you a safe and peaceful start to 2021. Most of us were not sorry to see the end of 2020, and have hopes that 2021 will bring a new beginning as much of the world seeks vaccination from the coronavirus and a return to normalcy.

Speaking of normal, perhaps you have noticed a significant increase in traffic on the roads of Southwest Florida. While the holiday shopping season seemed unusually tame, heavy traffic has signaled the start of the new year and the height of tourism season in Southwest Florida. Schools are back in session, winter residents have arrived and an increasing number of tourists continue to arrive at destination locations throughout Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

Distracted Driving Risks Date to the AM Radio

January 8, 2021 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

When it comes to road risks, distracted driving is number one with a bullet.

Car radios (AM) date to the Model A, although they were a prohibitively expensive option. When installation of AM/FM radios became standard in cars in the 1950s, there was heated debate on whether they would prove to be a deadly distraction to drivers!

They did.

Please Don’t Drink and Drive

December 29, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Please Don’t Drink and Drive.

Probably the 10,000th time we’ve written that message on our blog but it bears repeating: Please don’t drink and drive.

Not during the busy holiday season full of opportunities to imbibe. Not after the new year. Not ever.

Bicycle Injuries a New Year Risk

December 28, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

So you got a bicycle. Now what?

Our bicycle injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral encourage you to put safety at the forefront of everything you do. And proper safety precautions begin long before you hit the road.

Florida is the most dangerous place in the nation to ride a bicycle. In 2018, there were 6,568 bicycle crashes in Florida, resulting in 148 deaths and 6,175 injuries, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And area bike stores have reported record sales throughout the coronavirus pandemic as hundred of new riders take to the streets and trails of Southwest Florida.

Dangerous Products a Holiday Risk

December 27, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

What did you get for Christmas?

Traditionally, the year-end holidays have been a time for family, gathering with friends, and exchanging gifts with those in your life with whom you are closest. COVID-19 has limited gatherings this year, but there is every indication Americans are making every effort to exchange gifts, albeit more often by mail.

The extra volume has inundated the postal system at a time when online purchases were already at record highs. The acceleration to a predominately online economy will continue to play out in the years ahead. But one risk that should not be forgotten is the risk of dangerous and defective products.

Our product injury attorneys in Fort Myers know more dangerous and defective products are brought into homes during the holidays than at any other time of the year. While some injuries may be no fault of a product, others are caused by defect or by products that are inherently dangerous, such as trampolines and all-terrain vehicles.

Work Injury Claims for Seasonal Employees

December 14, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is warning temporary workers and employers about the need to keep seasonal-worker safety a priority this holiday season.

While COVID has made this a holiday shopping season like no other, the end-of-year shopping period is typically the most dangerous time of the year for retail workers. Seasonal and temporary workers can be at especially high risk.

The coronavirus pandemic is having an outsized impact in every area of our lives. While it won’t be until after the holidays that we have clear data on how it impacted seasonal employment, Southwest Florida is also entering what is typically the busy tourist season, when many employers begin hiring in anticipation of winter guests.

Recent years have seen an undeniable switch to online shopping that has been drastically accelerated by the pandemic. Consequently, OSHA’s focus is on warehouse and delivery workers, as well as retail safety measures aimed at reducing the risks posed by COVID-19.

COVID Christmas and “Man’s Best Friend”

December 6, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

So it’s COVID and it’s Christmas and you’ve decided to get a dog. While man’s best friend can bring years of love and enjoyment for single older adults and families alike, dogs are highly individualistic, and have certain breed characteristics that make them more or less suitable to a particular home.

Kids and dogs are as Americana as Norman Rockwell. But, unfortunately, they are also victimized by dog bites at an alarming rate. Some 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year, and 800,000 of those bites result in medical care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 70 people are bitten by a dog seriously enough each year to require medical attention.

Our personal injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral know dog bite injuries involving children can be particularly serious. Toddlers are most often victimized. Scarring and emotional issues often impact self-confidence and child development. Frequently, a family dog or close friend or family member’s pet is responsible. While these are always emotional cases, it’s important to understand that a homeowner’s insurance policy is typically liable for damages, usually with a limit of $100,000 to $300,000.

Nursing Home Safety Amid the COVID Holiday

December 4, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The holidays are typically the busiest time of the year for nursing homes.

Traditionally, even poorly run facilities attempted to make their best effort at the holidays, if for no other reason than that they knew a maximum number visitors would be arriving to visit with elderly friends and loved ones.

Unfortunately, COVID has impacted nursing home and assisted-living residents more than any other demographic. By most estimates, a staggering 40 percent of fatal coronavirus cases have victimized either nursing home residents or staff members.

COVID Complicates Holiday Gatherings Risks this Season

November 16, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Our injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving and a joyous start to the year-end holidays.

We recently wrote about parking lot injury risks as holiday shoppers return to local malls and box stores. But the reality is the holiday travel season is full of year-end risks that can often be mitigated with planning, some forethought, and a focus on safety.