Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Motorcycle Risk Grows as Daytona Bike Week Nears

February 11, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Daytona Beach Bike Week turned tragic last year when a Connecticut man died after riding his Harley Davidson into the side of a truck on U.S. 1 South near Interstate 95.

And common sense tells you that the likelihood of motorcycle accidents in Florida will rise once again as an estimated 500,000 enthusiasts flock to one of the nation’s most popular motorcycle rallies in early March.

Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneyshave spent four decades fighting for the rights of riders. Winter is already a dangerous time for motorcycles, but the weeks leading up to Bike Week make it especially so.
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Fla. Safety Plan Aims to Reduce Bicycle, Pedestrian Deaths

February 8, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

A new safety plan unveiled by the Florida Department of Transportation seeks to put an end to the state being ranked as having the worst fatality rates for both pedestrians and those who ride bicycles.

The Florida pedestrian fatality rate for 2011 was nearly double the national average, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The state’s bicycle fatality rate was even worse, triple the national average.

OurFort Myers personal injury attorneyshave been working with local bicycle and pedestrian accident victims for more than 40 years.
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Neck Pain Common After Traffic Collisions

February 5, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

There is a common misperception that there is a rush to the courthouse by those involved in motor vehicle accidents.

But a landmark study has concluded that just the opposite is true. University researchers have discovered that most victims of auto accidents don’t sue – even though they commonly suffer chronic neck pain long after the crash.

Our veteranFort Myers personal injury attorneys represent those injured in automobile accidents fight for the compensation they deserve.
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SWFL Drunk Driving and a Safe Super Bowl Sunday

February 2, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Super Bowl Sunday annually is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drunk driving deaths.

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, make sure you follow some simple rules so that your guests drive home sober. Not only may you be preventing the tragic loss of a friend or loved one, but playing it safe could keep you from being financially responsible for a guest’s drunk driving accident. FOOTBALL%20II.jpg

Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys have long supported efforts to combat drunk driving in South Florida, including sobriety checkpoints and the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
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Malpractice Risk Shadows Cosmetic Dentistry Boom

January 29, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

America’s quest for that beautiful smile will continue to keep people flocking to their dentist for tooth whitening and implants, according to a recent survey of cosmetic dentists.

But as with any medical procedure, there is a risk of injury.

Our dental malpractice attorneys have a keen grasp of the complex issues relating to dental negligence.
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General Aviation Safety in Focus as Economy Improves

January 28, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

An improving economy may mean a rise in fatalities from crashes involving non-commercial aircraft – even as the airline industry celebrates the best safety record in its history.

Our airplane accident attorneys fully understand the complex issues relating to aviation accidents. In fact, both Bruce L. Scheiner and Preston J. Scheiner, have earned their pilot’s license.

The Aviation Safety Network recently released its report on 2013 airliner accident statistics. The industry watchdog’s data showed a record low 265 airliner accident fatalities in 2013. While 2013 was by far the safest year in terms of the number of fatalities, industry data also showed that 2013 was the second safest year on record in terms of the number of accidents with a total of 29 fatal airliner accidents.
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Sepsis Threat to Nursing Home Patients Highlighted by Recent Government Study

January 27, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Hospitalizations for septicemia accounted for 21 percent of Medicare spending on nursing home resident hospitalizations – outpacing by a wide margin the costs associated with pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

That’s the conclusion reached by a newly released study by the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers have handled cases involving sepsis and other types of infections commonly seen in nursing homes when the quality of care is lacking.
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School Injury Verdicts Ruled Unfairly, Study Indicates

January 22, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

You send your child to school hoping they’ll make it through unharmed. Unfortunately, dangers for injury exist. In fact, instances of school liability have increased over the last several years.

School-aged children have to worry about bullying, sexual harassment, serious injury and even wrongful death.

Our school injury attorneys note studies have shown that recent verdicts in school-related negligence cases have overwhelmingly ruled in the favor of the schools in question. Unfortunately, government immunity typically protects schools in these cases. It’s important to be familiar with these factors, especially in pursuing a case against a school. More than 53 million children in the country spend about a fourth of their day at school or on campus.
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Weekend Drunk Driving Drops, Fatalities Remain Stagnant

January 21, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The number of weekend drinking and driving accidents is on the decline, but it’s not producing a drop in the number of drunk driving fatalities. Officials with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) compared results of national roadside breath tests administered on Friday and Saturday nights in 48 states in 1986, 1996 and 2007 with corresponding information on deadly accidents and driver alcohol use from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). In the roadside surveys, a representative sample of drivers across the country was asked to voluntarily take a breath-alcohol test.

Our Naples accident lawyers note the percentage of drivers who were under the influence of alcohol at night dropped in each of the roadside surveys, but the proportion of those killed by drivers who were legally drunk has remained about a third since 1994, after dropping from nearly half in 1982.

Canada is also seeing a similar trend.

To help to solve the puzzle, officials looked at differences in the sampling. They looked at driver characteristics, drugged driving factors and technological countermeasures. One believe drugs besides alcohol are playing a bigger role in fatal crashes, but so far the data is inconclusive.
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Distractions Prove Most Dangerous for Newly-Licensed Drivers

January 20, 2014 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We’re all guilty of distracted driving from time to time.

What you might not be aware of is that car insurance companies know the risks associated with each distracted driving habit and are pricing their policies accordingly. Bruce Hamilton, AAA’s research manager, says testing revealed that some in-vehicle distractions have little impact on a driver’s ability to focus on the road, while others present a bigger danger.

Our car accident lawyers in Fort Myers know some drivers can handle distractions better than others. Still, no one should take part. According to NPR, teen drivers are much more dangerous when multitasking behind the wheel. Older, more experienced drivers are better able to handle the risks associated, although not recommended. Recent studies illustrate that new drivers tend to keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road and engage in virtually no distractions. But after 6 months of driving experience, many of them start to feel a little too comfortable behind the wheel and engage in distractions more than drivers in any other age group.
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