Florida Personal Injury Lawyers

Blizzard Conditions Cause Multiple Car Pileup

In a situation reminiscent of the smoke and fog blackout on I-4 this month that caused the huge multiple car accident, drivers in Woodstock NY experienced blinding blizzard conditions on Highway 401 earlier this week. The blowing snow resulted in whiteout conditions, caused a 75 car pile up and shut down the whole highway for hours.

As with the drivers on I-4, the accident victims didn't know whether to stay in their vehicles and risk getting hit again, or make a run for it to the side of the road to try to get out of the way. The chain reaction involved several tractor trailer trucks, literally crushing some of the vehicles. Miraculously, there were only about 12 injuries requiring hospitalization, and only two of those were considered serious.

It doesn't matter what part of the country you live in, there are conditions that make driving dangerous and call for each driver to be alert and ready for the unexpected.

Labels: Auto Accident

Policeman Injured Helping Accident Victims

Florida Highway Patrol has reported that a Pembroke Pines police officer was hit when he stopped to help at an accident scene that was not even in his juridiction. The officer was travelling south on the Sawgrass Expressway when he came upon an accident involving two vehicles. As he walked toward one of the vehicles, another car lost control and stuck the officer. The officer was taken to Broward General Medical Center for treatment and the driver of the vehicle that struck him has charges pending against him.

Labels: Auto Accident

States Fail to Share Physicians Malpractice Records

It has long been problematic that a doctor can have his license revoked in one state or have multiple medical malpractice payouts, but continue to practice in another state.

An article in the American Chronicle reports that as a result of a DEA investigation, a Ft. Lauderdale federal court sentenced a former Palm Beach County neurosurgeon to prison for writing narcotic prescriptions over the Internet.

Prior to getting involved in illegal Internet activities, this surgeon was practicing medicine in Pueblo Colorado until his license was suspended in 2005 by the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners. He lost his license permanently in 2007 as a result of several medical malpractice suits and the DEA investigation. Prior to his sentencing, the doctor admitted to having used marijuana and cocaine throughout his career as a physician.

But this same neurosurgeon surrendered his license back in 2000 to the Florida medical board related to medical malpractice as the state of Florida was pursuing prosecution. How can the medical boards across this country allow physicians to continue to practice bad medicine?

Labels: Medical Negligence

Cough and Cold Medications Not for Children Under the Age of Two

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to the parents of children against treating any child under the age of two with any of the over-the-counter cough and cold medications. In children this age, this medications can have serious side effects, which can even be life threatening, and therefore should not be used at all. Many manufacturers of these products have voluntarily removed products for this age group from store shelves based on a public advisory committee meeting held last October.

The effects of these products on children ages 2 through 11 has not been completed but a report is expected in the near future. In the meantime, the FDA suggests that parents take the following precautions for this age group:

Check the "active ingredients" section of the DRUG FACTS label.
Being very careful if you are giving more than one OTC cough and cold
medicine to a child.
Carefully following the directions in the DRUG FACTS part of the
label.
Only using the measuring spoons or cups that come with the medicine or
those made specially for measuring drugs.
Choosing OTC cough and cold medicines with childproof safety caps, when
available, and store the medicines out of reach of children.
Understanding that OTC cough and cold medicines are intended only to treat
your child's symptoms.
Not using these products to sedate your child or make children
sleepy.
Calling a physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional if yo have
any questions about using cough or cold medicines in children 2 years of age and
older.

4 Hurt at Theme Parks In Last Quarter of '07

State regulators have released their quarterly report which shows 4 serious injuries at Orlando-area theme parks in the last 3 months of 2007. In addition to a heart attack death at Animal Kingdom's Everest ride:

A 34-year-old woman broke a vertebra in her lower back on Universal Studios' Revenge of the Mummy ride on Nov. 18; an 81-year-old woman complained of back pain after falling while boarding The Seas With Nemo and Friends ride at Epcot on Oct. 11; and a 77-year-old man complained of memory loss and irregular heartbeat after falling ill on the Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) on Oct. 19.

These theme parks are exempt from the state's ride-inspection regulations are only required to report injuries serious enough to result in overnight hospitalization or death. The injury on the "Mummy" ride was the sixth since it opened in 2004. The injuries were the 4th on the Everest ride since 2006, the 3rd since 2002 for Tower of Terror, and the first for the Nemo ride since it opened in 2007. Our firm has a great deal of experience representing tourists for injuries suffered at theme parks, including on the very rides included in this report. We will work with local, national, or international tourists who suffer injuries at theme parks to ensure their rights are protected. See our theme park safety page for more information.

Labels: Theme park injuries

New Bill Could Lead to Confiscated Motorcycles

A new bill by Florida State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami calls for bikers to be arrested and have their motorcycles taken from them once they are charged with either reckless driving or exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 miles per hour. If those accused are later convicted, the riders would lose their licenses for 10 years. The bill is designed to convey a message that bikers should not drive recklessly because such severe injuries could occur if they do. The committee reviewing the bill is still debating whether the punishments are excessive so the bill has not gone before a vote of the full legislature. Hopefully the final version of the bill will have a fair but firm punishment for reckless motorcyclists, much like their counterparts in 4 wheels.

Labels: Motorcycle accident

Warning Signs Before I-4 Pile-up

Warning signs existed for hours before the 70 car wreck on I-4. The Orlando Sentinel reported that the National Weather Service had issued a severe for warning and the Division of Forestry had warned the Department of Transportation that fire could surround the interstate in the area were the crashes eventually occurred. The same area was shut down for 10 days in 2001 for very similar reasons. However, when FHP went to patrol the area, they found nothing objectionable and decided to leave the area open. Predicting the weather and conditions for driving is often complicated, however hopefully in the future all parties will be more careful. Driver's should immediately slow down when encountering heavy fog, and authorities should be more cautions in highway administration when dangerous conditions exist.

Labels: Auto Accident, Traffic safety, Truck accident

Friday, January 25, 2008

Blizzard Conditions Cause Multiple Car Pileup

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Policeman Injured Helping Accident Victims

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

States Fail to Share Physicians Malpractice Records

Friday, January 18, 2008

Cough and Cold Medications Not for Children Under the Age of Two

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

4 Hurt at Theme Parks In Last Quarter of '07

Monday, January 14, 2008

New Bill Could Lead to Confiscated Motorcycles

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Warning Signs Before I-4 Pile-up

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