South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Earlier this month, a car accident in Lauderhill, Florida killed a 51-year-old woman and injured the woman's husband and grown-up daughter. The auto accident occurred when the husband swerved their 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis to avoid stalled traffic, according to police. The car crossed five lanes of traffic, veered off the road, and hit a concrete wall.

The 57-year-old husband and 29-year-old daughter were transported to Broward General Medical Center and were expected to survive their injuries. The Grand Marquis was traveling westbound at the time of the fatal car crash.

None of the car accident victims were wearing seat belts. Police say they are still investigating the crash and they have not filed any charges.

Woman dies when car hits wall in Lauderhill, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 19, 2009

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In downtown Lakeland, a two-vehicle collision injured six people and blocked the southbound lanes of South Florida Avenue for several hours. The auto accident occurred around 9:45am at South Florida Avenue and Lemon Street when a PT Cruiser collided with a Ford Focus. According to police, the PT Cruiser turned sideways, rolled over, and ended up in the southbound lane of Florida Avenue.

Five of the six people in the PT Cruiser were sent to the hospital, including three adults, an infant girl, and a toddler. Emergency responders had to pry the door off the passenger side of the PR Cruiser in order to free one of the injured women. One person in the Focus was also taken to the hospital and treated for injuries.

The car accident remains under investigation.

Crash Hurts 3 Adults & 3 Small Kids, TheLedger.com, October 12, 2009

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In Florida, a 58-year-old woman from Ormand Beach died after being thrown from her golf cart. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the woman was ejected from her golf cart while driving it in the Plantation Bay Golf Club. The cart tilted as she made a turn onto a bridge around 6:25pm last Thursday.

Authorities say they do not know how she lost control of the vehicle.

The woman was transported to Florida Hospital Flagler and later pronounced dead. Troopers say they are waiting for the results of an autopsy to determine whether the golf cart accident was related to alcohol consumption. They also hope to find out the cause of death.

Golf cart accident victim identified, News-Journalonline.com, October 17, 2009

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On Saturday morning, a two-vehicle car crash on Interstate 10 Florida killed four residents. All four of the car accident victims who died were riding in a 2000 Nissan Sentra and were from the Defuniak Springs, Florida area. The driver and three passengers died, but their identities and ages have not been disclosed.

According to a state police report, the driver of the second vehicle was a 22-year-old from Blountstown, Florida. The driver of a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck suffered severe injuries in the motor vehicle accident, which occurred around 6:25am. That auto accident victim was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the car crash and any contributing factors.

Four killed in Jackson County Florida car crash, Dothaneagle.com, October 10, 2009

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On Friday, two men died after a multi-car crash on the Palmetto Expressway. The men were identified as a 22-year-old man from Miami Gardens and a 16-year-old whose residence was not disclosed. A woman, 29, was critically injured as well. She was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center.

The car crash occurred on the southbound lanes of the expressway around 4am.

According to reports from the Florida Highway Patrol, the car accident occurred when a Ford F-250 towing a boat pulled over to the left shoulder. A red car stopped in front of the truck to help. Two men were underneath the boat when it fell on top of them after a Chevy Malibu lost control and hit the back of the boat.

The FHP has confirmed that the boat and truck were stolen from two different people. Troopers discovered a bag of marijuana and three bags containing a white, powdery substance near the scene of the accident. They are testing the bags for cocaine.

Multi-car wreck on Palmetto kills two men, Miami Herald, October 10, 2009

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In September, a chartered bus carrying 32 South Florida Baptist senior adults was part of a 19-vehicle pile-up on Interstate 75. There were several injuries involving passengers in the other vehicles, but none of the seniors were injured in the bus accident. According to one of the bus passengers, the motor vehicle accident occurred in the mid-afternoon as light rain fell on the roads and "ballgame traffic" clogged the interstate.

The passengers were on their way from Florida to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where they were to attend Johnny Hunt's annual Jubilee. The group apparently continued to their destination after boarding another bus.

Reports from the Tampa Tribune indicate that northbound lanes of I-75 at State Road 60 were closed for approximately three hours after the multiple vehicle crash.

Baptist seniors’ charter bus involved in 19-car accident, Florida Baptist Witness, October 8, 2009

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Earlier this year, a 9-year-old boy suffered severe burns and lost all ten fingers in a go-kart accident at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida. His go-kart flipped over and burst into flames after he allegedly hit a patch of uneven pavement. The boy's family has filed a negligence lawsuit against the raceway and the manufacturers of the go-kart and its engine.

The family's negligence lawsuit accuses the raceway of not having adult supervision, fire extinguishers, or phones nearby for emergencies. It also alleges that the raceway had poorly maintained surfaces and accuses the go-kart company of making a product that dangerously leaks fuel when inverted. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the go-kart's design.

The family of the injured boy has not spoken publicly about the go-kart accident, but their attorney said that based on the accident victim's suffering, the judgment could be as high as the eight figures.

Family sues raceway over son's go-kart crash, South Florida Sun Sentinel, October 5, 2009

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According to a new study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, hybrid electric vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in accidents with cyclists and pedestrians, who may not hear the hybrid's quieter engine.

Researchers examined almost nine thousand hybrid and 600,000 internal combustion engine vehicles in 12 states, including Florida. They found that the car accidents usually occurred at low speeds, when the sound different between the two types of engines is greatest. However, accident rates were similar when the cars were going straight. None of the car crashes studied were fatal.

As hybrid cars gain in popularity, automotive engineers and manufacturers are examining ways to address this safety concern. In the future, they may add a device that would generate noise under certain circumstances to alert pedestrians or bicyclists when the vehicle is backing up or performing other maneuvers.

Broward County is working on a pilot project to give 15 new licenses to fuel-efficient taxis and luxury sedans, and the county's consumer protections administrator says she may ask drivers about safety concerns when the licenses are awarded in 2010.

Study: Hybrids twice as likely to crash into pedestrians, cyclists, South Florida Sun Sentinel, September 30, 2009

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