Jacksonville Injury Attorney Blog

A senior offensive lineman at Miramar High School in South Florida died after a conditioning drill at the school’s football field. He was two weeks away from celebrating his 17th birthday.

Unfortunately, this is a story we’ve heard before. Recently, we published information about a University of Central Florida (UCF) football player who died after collapsing during drills due to complications from sickle cell disease. His family was awarded $10 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against UCF. Closer to home, a 12-year old Jacksonville boy died during his second day of Pee Wee League football practice in 2008.

Among athletes, the most common causes of death include complications related to sickle cell trait, heatstroke or an undiagnosed cardiac problem, according to Florida Atlantic University’s School of Medicine. Dehydration and over exertion can exacerbate these conditions.

Most of these deaths could be prevented if the proper precautions, such as providing adequate hydration and prior medical screenings, are taken. Athletic associations or schools can be held liable for wrongful death if cardiac arrest or severe dehydration is foreseeable and reasonable precautions are not taken.

The Miramar High School student’s official cause of death will be determined when autopsy results are completed.

Continue reading " Florida High School Football Player Dies during Summer Practice " »

This morning, a series of car accidents happened on San Pablo Road on Jacksonville's Intracoastal West area as a result of construction materials falling out of a pickup truck.
After the items fell, the driver stopped to retrieve the items. An oncoming vehicle was unable to swerve in time to avoid colliding with both the truck and the man. The man was rushed to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center with life-threatening personal injuries. A second car accident happened in the lanes going the opposite way because a driver was looking at the first accident.

This as an all too familar and wholly unnecessary scenario. In fact, our lawfirm is currently handing a case involving a young woman who was seriously injured in an auto accident that resulted from a ladder falling from a truck. We are also handling the case of a man injured as a result of a surfboard falling off of racks on top of a car on J. Turner Butler Boulevard. Tragically, a few years back, a woman was killed on the Buchman Bridge when a ladder fell from a construction vehicle.

In Florida, the owner and operator of the vehicle is responsible to pay for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering for personal injuries or wrongful death caused by items falling from the vehicle. Simple and thorough strapping down of such items will prevent these unfortunate tragedies.

Continue reading " Another Accident in Jacksonville Caused by Items Falling Out of A Truck " »

An 11-year old boy from Jacksonville's Westside died recently after falling off the back of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV).

The boy was one of two riding on the back of the ATV driven by a 14-year-old boy when they hit a bump on a cattle grate bridge on Manning Cemetery Road. Authorities said it did not appear any of the boys were wearing helmets.

Unfortunately, ATV accidents are not uncommon. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 376 deaths and 131,900 injuries on ATVs nationwide in 2009. This included the accidental deaths of 61 children younger than 16 and 32,400 injuries.

Children under 16 are required to wear not only helmets, but eye protection as well, according to state law in Florida. In addition, ATVs are prohibited from drivng on paved roads.

There were 105 accidental deaths of chidlren in Florida as a result of ATV accidents between 1982 and 2009.

Written by Elizabeth Allen

Continue reading " All-Terrain Vehicle Accident Results in Child Fatality " »

We see it in the news several times a year - a football player dies during summertime practice. Here in Jacksonville, it happened in 2008 when a 12 year old boy died during his second day of Pee Wee League football practice.

Most of these incidents result from the effects of the combination of dehydration and exertion. Athletic programs can face wrongful death lawsuits for overexerting and not providing proper hydration for the players.

In 2008, a football player for the University of Central Florida died after collapsing during drills due to complications from sickle cell disease. Dehydration worsens the complications that can be caused by sickle cell disease.

The parents of the player brought a wrongful death lawsuit against UCF, alleging the school was negligent and that such negligence caused his death. The jury agreed and awarded each parent $5,000,000.00.

Continue reading " Orlando Jury Awards $10m in Wrongful Death Case Against the University of Central Florida for Football Player's Death " »