Jacksonville Injury Attorney Blog

In the North Florida counties of Clay, Duval and St. Johns, the number 16 to 21 year-olds killed in car accidents decreased 47% from 2007 to 2010, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

Seat belt usage was cited as the reason for the decrease in auto accident deaths. Drivers in the 16 to 21 age goup are the most likely to be involved in car accidents. Statistics also show that they are also the least likely to wear seatbelts. The effectiveness of seatbelts is highlighted by the fact that 27 of the 35 young drivers killed in 2010 were not wearing seatbelts.

Distracted driving, such as texting or talking on the phone, plays a large role in car accidents among the 16 to 21 year-old age group. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal vehicle crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving. Drivers using hand-held devices are four times more likely to have accidents.

Written by Elizabeth Allen

Continue reading " Car Crash Fatalities Decrease Among 16 to 21 Year-Olds in the Greater Jacksonville Area " »

Shands hospitals in Jacksonville and Gainesville may be granted sovereign immunity protection from medical malpratice claims. Prior to the this bill, doctors working at Shands were protected while the hospitals were not in the event that hospital staff other than doctors made errors.

If the bill is signed by Governor Scott, damages will be limited to $100,000 per individual claimant and $200,000 if the claim involves wrongful death with multiple survivors. Opponents of the bill have expressed concern that hospital staff may not perform as carefully as they should if immunity is extended.

Victims of medical negligence at hospitals with sovereign immunity will have little or no recourse for covering their damages if the bill is signed. This is because medical negligence claims are extremely complex and expensive to litigate.

If a claimant must spend $50,000 on expert witnesses to bring the claim, by the time he or she has paid such expenses and lawyers, there is nothing left. As a result, there is no incentive for such victims to bring a claim. We know of no attorneys in Jacksonville who are currently willing to take cases against the doctors at Shands.

Continue reading " Shands Jacksonville Medical Center Granted Protection for Medical Mistakes " »

One person died and another person was seriously injured in a head-on car accident on I-10 in Baker County, near Macclenny, Florida, this afternoon. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the driver of a car westbound on the interstate crossed the median and struck a car travelling east head-on. It is unknown why the driver lost control of his vehicle.

The driver of the car that crossed the median was taken to a hospital in Macclenny. One other person was flown to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center.

Because this is a holiday weekend and the start of summer, the number of drivers on the roads, especially the interstates, will be higher than usual. Every year we see an increase in the number of serious car accidents during holidays. In an attempt to curb this problem, local and state law enforcement step up efforts to ticket speeders and often conduct DUI checkpoints.

Reports published by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reveal that Memorial Day weekend has one of the highest rates of auto accidents and fatal auto accidents. Surprisingly, it is comparable to New Year's Eve. Drinking and driving is involved in a disproportionate number of Memorial weekend accidents.

Our advice is to always practice defensive driving, always wear your seatbelt and try to stay off the roads late at night.

Continue reading " Holiday Weekend Starts with a Fatal Car Accident on I-10 " »