The car accident happened at the intersection of County Road 131 and County Road 240, when one car entered the path of another car driving through the intersection. Two other adults suffered injuries in the crash and were taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
The man who died was ejected from the Jeep he was in and was not wearing a seatbelt. The other passengers who all survived were wearing seatbelts. The reason for the car entering the path of the other car is not currently known.
This provides yet another example of one person involved in a car crash without a seatbelt dying when others wearing seatbelts survived a crash. There are also legal ramifications if a person is injured in a car accident and was not wearing a seatbelt. Florida law allows such an injured person to only recover for the injuries he or she would have received if he or she had been wearing a seatbelt.
]]> Please call our Jacksonville auto accident lawyers for a free consultation if you have any questions about a personal injury claim resulting from an auto accident. ]]>The victim reported that following the accident, he got out of his vehicle, when he was struck by the fleeing driver. The arrested driver admitted to drinking earlier in the day. He was arrested for fleeing the scene; however, proof of his intoxication will be very difficult given the time that elapsed between the vehicle accident and his arrest.
Pulling to the side of a road following an auto accident and getting out of a car can present a very dangerous situation. Other drivers can be distracted by "rubber-necking" and cause an additional accident. Of course, a person standing outside of car is in a very vulnerable position for severe injuries if struck by a car. Our advice is to park your car as far off of the roadway as possible when exiting your vehicle following an auto accident.
The woman causing the car accident was charged with vehicular homocide and driving under the influence manslaughter. The jury convicted her of vehicular homicide but acquited her of the DUI charge. The woman causing the auto accident was sentenced to ten years in prison.
While the court system may provide long sentences for careless and drunken driving, it does nothing to replace the loss of a person's life. Likewise, although Florida's Wrongful Death Act provides compensation for the pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost support and services and lost savings for the family members of a person wrongfully killed in an auto accident, the devastated family members often find little solace in compensation.
We can all help. Report careless or drunk drivers by calling 911. Try to get the license plate number of the car, but, by all means steer clear of such a driver.
]]> If you have any questions about an car crash or wrongful death from a car accident, please contact our Florida auto accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation. ]]>Four people were in a pickup truck driviing near the intersection of State Road 200 and County Road 225. The driver of the truck lost control, the truck left the roadway and flipped multiple times.
Two of the four people in the truck were thrown from the vehicle as it flipped. Unfortunately, no one was wearing a seatbelt. Two other passengers received personal injuries and were taken to Shands Hospital in Starke.
One of the greatest dangers in not wearing a seatbelt occurs when a vehicle rolls over. The inertia of a human body in a spinning vehicle propels a person into the interior of the vehicle. If windows are down the person is easily ejected. The force can also propel a person through a closed window.
Severe personal injuries and death from a rollover collision are very common, especially when someone is thrown from the vehicle. When a person is thrown from a vehicle, they suffer injures from: striking the inside of the vehicle; being thrown from the vehicle; striking the ground, trees or other objects after being ejected; and being hit by the vehicle itself.
This is just too common. Seatbelts are required by the law for a good reason: they save lives. If a person suffers personal injuries or wrongful death in a car accidnet and was not wearing his or her seatbelt, Florida law provides that any right to recovery will be reduced to only those injuries the person would have received if he or she was wearing a seatbelt.
]]> If you have any questions about a car crash or rollover accident, please contact our Northeast Florida car accident attorneys. We handle cases throughout Northeast Florida including the following counties: Duval, Clay, Nassau, St. Johns, Bradford, Flagler, Union, Columbia, Baker, Alachua and Putnam. If we accept your case, you pay us nothing unless we make a financial recovery for you. ]]>Because the driver fled from the scene and hid in the woods, one must wonder if he was intoxicated. Unfortunately, if enough time passed before he was arrested, blood alcohol testing may not be worthwhile.
As Jacksonville auto accident lawyers, we notice that some of the worst drivers, especially drunk drivers, tend to be irresponsible across the board. Often this translates into such drivers having little or no bodily injury liabilty insurance.
Your best ally if such an auto accident occurs is to have significant uninsured motorist coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage will provide you payment for medical expenses, lost wages, disability and pain and suffering for personal injuries caused by an uninsured driver.
]]> If you have any questions about an auto accident in the greater Jacksonville area, please contact our injury law firm headquarted in Jacksonville, Florida. Initial consultations are always free. ]]>Guacamole and salsa have been shown to be linked to salmonella and E. Coli. The biggest problem with these food products come from freshly made dishes instead of processed items. Freshly made products usually do not contain preservatives and stringent production safeguards when being made.
Salmonella and E. Coli are two of the most common food-borne illnesses in the United States. In the last few years we have seen alerts from certain fresh vegetables including spinach and tomatoes. Such illnesses, which can cause personal injuries and wrongful death, can lead to a product liability or negligence case against the manufacturer of the product, the distributor of the product and the restaurant or grocery store selling the product.
Because it is often difficult for the consumer to prove how toxic bacteria or other substances got into food products, Florida law allows for the consumer to bring a "strict liability" defective product case, where all companies involved in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of the product may be liable if the the product was defective an unreasonably dangerous.
From 2004 to 2998, there were 765 vehicle accident deaths on this portion of the interstate. During that period, there were 100 fatalities in the section of I-95 within the Jacksonville area counties of Nassau, Duval and St. Johns. Jacksonville fared better than nearby Volusia and Brevard counties, which both had a much higher number of deaths than Jacksonville. South Florida also a higher number of fatalities.
According to an FDOT spokesman, the number of fatal auto accidents in Jacksonville may be lower than other areas because of the numerous improvements to the roadway in the Jacksonville area including: imrovements to the Fuller Warren Bridge; widening the interstate to 6 lanes in areas; and the construction of 9A.
The plaintiffs purchased an expensive home in Miami and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating it. Ulitmately, due to noxious smells they moved out. Defective Chinese drywall has been linked to some health issues and can cause the corrosion of the piping and air conditioning systems in a house.
The plaintiffs demonstrated that the supply company was aware of the problem as it returned a large supply of the drywall prior to the plaintiffs purchasing their home. The jury awarded the plaintiffs nearly $2.5 million in damages.
This case will probably represent a landmark in the hundreds of drywall cases that are pending throughout Florida. Numerous cases are also pending in Jacksonville.
]]> If you have questions about a Chinese drywall or other product liability case, please feel free to contact our Jacksonville defective products attorneys for a free consultation. ]]>The driver of the car was airlifted to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The driver and passengers in the SUV suffered minor personal injuries. Police report that everyone in the two vehicles involved in this collision was wearing a seat belt.
The reason for the car crossing the median has not been reported.
]]> If you have any legal questions about your rights regarding an automobile collsion, contact our Jacksonville auto accident attorneys for a free consultation. ]]>Consumers have filed hundreds of cases throughout Florida seeking damages for product liability as a result of the use of drywall manufactured in China. The components of the drywall at issue are alleged to cause corrosion of pipes, air conditioning units and personal injury.
In Jacksonville, the use of Chinese drywall was common during the construction boom that occured from 2000 through 2005. Many homeowners are just now learning that they have a defective product in their home as they are beginning to experience the problems that can result.
We will report on the jury's verdict when it is rendered.
As Jacksonville injury lawyers, we see a lot of instances where ATVs are involved in accidents causing serious personal injury or death. An ATV has a high center of gravity and they have had problems with rollovers since they were first sold. Having four people on one ATV may have increased the possibility of the ATV flipping by making it even more top heavy.
Cases are often brought against ATV manufacturers for alleged defects causing rollover accidents.
]]> If you have any questions about an ATV or other accident causing personal injury, please contact our Jacksonville ATV accident lawyers for a free consultation. ]]>After the collision, the driver of the car left the scene but was later stopped by police. The cause of the crash has not been reported.
Distance bicyclists often use the long stretch of highway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville; however, there is no separate bike lane for them. There have been several similar accidents in recent years. Because this area is not heavily congested, there is little reason for accidents to occur provided that drivers are paying attention. However, drivers have more distractions than ever, with cell phones, texting and dvd players now playing a role in car accidents.
An arbitration agreement provides that, if a medical negligence claim or a nursing home negligence case is brought, it will be decided by a panel of arbiters instead of by a jury. Arbiters tend to be seasoned attorneys who have seen many tragic cases over their years of practice. As such, they tend to not be as sympathetic as jurors and provide smaller and fewer awards.
Arbitration agreements can also limit the damages a person can recover. Often, they limit the amount a person can recover for pain and suffering. They can also provide that, even if you win your case, the medical provider or nursing home does not have to repay your litigation costs. Because such cases typically require several medical experts, the litigation costs can easily exceed $50,000.00. Claimants have challenged the enforceability of arbitration agreements, but Florida Courts have found them enforceable in many instances. Our advice is to not sign an arbitration agreement.
]]> If you have any questions about a medical malpractice case, a nursing home abuse claim or about the enforceability of an arbitration agreement, please contact our Jacksonville nursing home and medical malpractice lawyers for a free consultation. ]]>Currently, the intersection is congested and includes some awkward traffic patterns. For example, drivers turning on to Northbound I-95 from Westbound JTB must switch lanes and merge with traffic coming from Salisbury Road just a few hundred feet prior to the exit to get onto I-95.
Daily, there are backups in the mornings getting on to I-95 and in the evenings getting on to JTB from I-95. Some help has already taken place as evening congestion on Eastbound JTB has been alleviated by the opening of additional lanes in the section of JTB near Kernan Boulevard.
It is also the site of many car accidents. At or near this intersection there were 448 car crashes from 2004 through 2008. Funding for the much needed changes has not been established; however it is a top priority according to state officials.
]]>Witnesses say the driver of the boat was pulled from the water by people in a nearby fishing boat. The driver was then taken to shore and left the area. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating.
Given that the driver of the boat left the scene, it seems that alcohol may have played a factor in this boating accident. For some reason, some boaters think it is acceptable to operate a boat while intoxicated. The results of doing so can be tragic. Just last April, five people died in an accident in the Palm Valley area of Ponte Vedra. That accident involved an overloaded boat with numerous intoxicated passengers and an inexperienced driver operating the boat.