Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Burn Injury Among Toughest to Endure Following Auto Accidents

September 19, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

In a fiery overnight Cape Coral car crash recently, one man lost his life while a female passenger suffered severe burns in a wreck off Rose Garden Road.

Our Cape Coral car accident lawyers understand the driver died after becoming trapped in the vehicle, while the passenger, from Lehigh Acres, suffered potentially life-threatening burns to more than 65 percent of her body.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze within several minutes of arrival. But authorities said it may still be several weeks before they are able to definitively identify the deceased driver. Investigators believe the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to negotiate a curve, causing the car to spin into the median and strike a tree, before bursting into flames. We don’t know at this point whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
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South Florida Bicycle Crash Reduction Goal of $10.5M Grant

September 18, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

One moment, a 45-year-old Fort Myers bicyclist was enjoying a warm afternoon ride in Charlotte County. The next, his bicycle was clipped by a vehicle, throwing him into the air and causing him to suffer critical injuries.

He was flown by helicopter to Lee Memorial Hospital, where his injuries are said to be life-threatening. As investigators continue to analyze the crash, our Fort Myers bicycle accident lawyers understand that the goal of curbing such incidents in the future has taken center stage in Lee County.

Local media reports that more than $10 million of federal grant money has been earmarked for the creation of 70 miles of bike paths, which should allow bicyclists a safer alternative to roadside traveling.
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Florida Bus Accidents Risks Highlighted by Surprise Inspections

September 12, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Officials with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently kicked off their two-week strike force on passenger buses. During this enforcement campaign, officials will be conducting safety inspections on busing companies throughout the country as part of the FMCSA’s Motorcoach Safety Initiative. They’re working to get high-risk drivers and buses off of our roads. But there is more than just surprise inspections. Officials will also be dropping by new bus companies to take a look at their safety initiatives.

Specially-trained investigators and law enforcement officials will be looking at buses for maintenance issues involving tires, brakes and exhaust systems. But they’re also looking at the drivers — looking for their compliance with hours-of-service requirements and to make sure they’ve got the proper driver qualifications.

Our Cape Coral bus accident lawyers understand that many residents and visitors rely on these busing companies to get them to and from their destinations. Many times, a bus trip is far easier than driving, especially when your destination is across state or even out of state. Unfortunately, many consumers will choose the cheapest bus fare without concern for safety. It’s not these cheap fares that are going to help to keep you safe during your travels. And that’s where officials with the FMCSA are stepping in — to make sure that all companies are safe and reliable (even the cheaper ones).
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SWFL Traffic Safety – Drowsy Driving in Focus this September

September 11, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We’ve all got a lot to do during the day. Students are spending all day in class and all night studying, and adults are spending more hours in the office just to pay the bills. Unfortunately, it’s our daily tasks that are putting us at some serious risks — for car accidents. Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle while fatigued and drowsy can have dangerous, and sometimes deadly, consequences.

Autumn’s early darkness increases those risks substantially.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), drowsy driving traffic accidents lead to close to 2,000 traffic fatalities and more than 70,000 injuries each and every year.

In fact, fatigued driving is similar to drunk driving. It slows down our reaction time and makes us less attentive behind the wheel. When we’re suffering from these symptoms, it’s difficult for us to make safe and responsible decisions.

Our Naples car accident lawyers understand that the first week of September is designated as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week to help to reduce the risks of these accidents. During this week-long campaign, officials work to help to educate the public about the risks involved with such driving behavior.
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Keeping Our SWFL Bus Stops and School Zones Safe

September 10, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

A middle school student was struck by a passing vehicle while waiting for the bus one recent morning in Fort Myers. According to The News-Press, the 12-year-old was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital following the accident. Reports indicate that he was waiting for his bus to arrive at Fifth Street and Davis Boulevard just before 7:00 a.m. when a vehicle made an improper turn at the intersection, left the roadway and struck the sitting child. The driver was cited for careless driving.

Our Fort Myers child injury lawyers have already addressed children getting to and from their bus stop/school safely on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog. But typically, it’s motorists who can do the most to reduce the risks.

According to the Florida DMV, fines are doubled for speeding in a construction or school zone. If you’re busted speeding more than 30 mph over the speed limit in a school or construction zone, the fine is $555.50.

In most of the school zones around the state, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour. In these areas, there are special speed limit signs posted to remind drivers. These zones typically utilize blinking caution lights to tell you when the reduced speed limit is in effect.

Motorists also need to be aware of safety laws when traveling around a school bus, too.
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Choosing a Southwest Florida Nursing Home

September 3, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

With age comes wisdom, but also a loss of independence. Sometimes a nursing home is the best choice for our elderly loved ones. But it’s our responsibility as loving family members to make sure that we help them find a safe and responsible nursing home that meets their specific needs.

Helping another person choose a nursing home or assisting with other long-term care choices can be difficult. Your support is important and can help your loved one adjust to getting new services or living in a new place, whether a senior community, assisted-living facility or nursing home. Be sure to include the person you’re helping in decisions whenever possible. Always make decisions with his or her needs and preferences in mind.

Our Fort Myers nursing home abuse lawyers understand that the first step in this process is to put together a list of potential candidates. When doing this, you want to consider geography by searching your first choice of location to generate a list of homes and review at a glance their ratings.

You want to consider the kind and amount of nurse staffing that a home provides. You also want to make sure that the home is meeting state safety and health standards. The home’s performance in key medical and behavioral measures, such as the percentage of residents receiving annual flu shots and whether residents get sufficient help with daily activities, are also important factors to consider.
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Underage Drinking a Back-to-School Risk in Southwest Florida

September 2, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Our teens are back in class, and after an entire summer away from the books, they’re already looking forward to their weekends. Unfortunately, alcohol and underage drinking is a prevalent risk for high school and college students. Although they’re not old enough to legally purchase alcohol, far too many traffic collisions and accidental deaths result from underage drinking each autumn.

Oftentimes teens are granted more lenient curfews, as they’re growing into young adults. Unfortunately, too many teens run off with this freedom and experiment with alcohol, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). As a matter of fact, a recent survey conduct among individuals 18 to 40 concluded that more than 60 percent see the summer season as a time to engage in underage drinking. Back-to-school and fall football season do nothing to mitigate those risks. It’s more important than every to speak with your young family members about the risks of underage drinking.

Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys understand that teens want to fit in, they want to be cool and they want everyone to like them — but underage alcohol consumption is no way to succeed. That’s why we’re asking parents to step in and to talk with their teens today. Parents are actually the most important (and influential) people in a teen’s life.
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Labor Day Weekend Increases Auto Accident Risks in Southwest Florida

September 1, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

South Florida is going to be one of the most popular destinations in the entire country during the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to USA TODAY. We’re expecting a significant increase in the number of travelers this year, too.

According to recent calculations, there are supposed to be more than 34 million people across the country who will be traveling 50 miles or more away from home during this last long weekend of summer.

Our Lehigh Acres car accident lawyers understand that crowded roadways are not only frustrating, they’re dangerous. According to the St. Pete Patch, officials with the Florida Highway Patrol will be out in full force for the three-day Labor Day weekend, targeting aggressive drivers and motorists not wearing their seat belts.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), troopers are on the lookout for aggressive drivers, including those who: following too closely, make unsafe lane changes, speed, or who are driving recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Skipping Driving Lessons a Bad Idea for Southwest Florida Teens

August 28, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We’ve recently discussed the risks that teen drivers are facing on our roadways, particularly drowsy driving. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. These newly-licensed, inexperienced drivers face a whole heap of dangers each and every time they get behind the wheel. And that’s where the state’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) program steps in — to help to ease these drivers into the responsibilities of driving, one limitation at a time.

But, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, many teens are skipping the nation’s GDL programs and are waiting until they’re 18 to get their driver’s license — with no limitations. CBS Philly reports that only 44 percent of teens obtained a driver’s license within 12 months of the minimum age for licensing. Slightly more than half of surveyed drivers got their driver’s license before their 18th birthday. This is a decrease from the near 70 percent (20 years ago) who got their driver’s license by the time they turned 18.

Our Naples car accident lawyers understand that traffic accidents continue to be the leading cause of death for teens across the nation. For this reason, it’s imperative that our newly-licensed drivers get a thorough education. It’s an education that could save their lives. It’s critical that they participate in the state’s GDL program to help formulate safer driving habits.
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Small Cars Come Up Short in Front Crash Tests

August 27, 2013 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

If you’re in the market for a passenger car, we encourage you to review crash-test results carefully.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only half of the dozen small-car models tested received good or acceptable ratings and earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award.

Honda Civic (both the sedan and coupe) were the only small cars to get the top rating (good) in the test. Landing an acceptable rating were the 2014 model Scion tC, the Hondai Elantra, Ford Focus and the Dodge Dart.

Our Cape Coral car accident lawyers understand that choosing a new car isn’t just about choosing the latest model, it should also be choosing the safest car possible for your budget. Not only does a safe car mean that you will be safer in the event of an accident, but having a car with the latest safety features can mean discounts on your insurance rate. The two major safety features involve prevention, meaning how well a vehicle is designed to prevent an accident, and crash worthiness, meaning how well a vehicle performs in a crash test.
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