Tampa Personal Injury Blog

Florida roads would be a lot safer without drunk drivers

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson on Friday, June 21, 2019.

When you get behind the wheel to travel on Florida roads, you understand that you must adhere to traffic laws. You likely also understand that there's not much you can do about the skills or habits of other drivers. Drunk driving kills thousands of people in this state and others every year. You can lower the risk of collision by practicing safe driving habits and making responsible choices.

There are numerous ways to avoid drunk driving and multiple ways to recognize potential danger on the road. However, if a person consumes alcohol, drives a car, hits you and causes you injury, it's understandable that you'd want to seek justice. It's a good idea to know what to do if an accident occurs and where to seek legal support as needed.

Falling cargo caused 346 traffic crashes in Tampa Bay

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in Truck Accidents on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

Imagine a terrible crash while on the road because someone failed to securely tie down cargo. Think of you veering over someone's spilled load or falling debris and losing control in busy traffic. Sadly, these types of incidences happen all the time. Falling cargo on roads from vehicles poses a substantial threat to other motorists and can cause serious bodily injury or death to an individual. Trucks and heavy commercial motor vehicles typically transport huge loads such as furniture, construction equipment, garbage, and farm tractors and other motor vehicles. Any of this cargo can become deadly if improperly secured

Every year, many road accidents happen because of drivers' failure to check their cargos periodically during the carriage. These wrecks also occur due to the use of substandard material to secure cargos. According to Florida Uniform Traffic Citation Statistics, in 2018, more than 2,000 traffic citations related to improperly secured cargo were made in Florida. More than 300 crashes resulted from those infractions in the Tampa Bay area alone. The data shows that statewide there were 23 such incidents that involved serious injury or death. Most of the accidents occurred between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as the mid part of the day is considered to be the peak times for drivers to carrying goods.

Used cars hold secret risks for most drivers

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in Products liability on Monday, June 17, 2019.

Almost every person drives a used vehicle at some point in their life. It might be a car that your dad passed along to you when you turned 16. Or it is a vehicle you bought when you first left for college and made your first adult purchase.

Whatever the circumstance, used cars are an excellent way to obtain transportation for a significantly lower price tag. However, buying a used vehicle puts drivers at risks for concealed maintenance and possible mechanical issues.

FDA issues alert concerning Hep A in Kroger's frozen blackberries

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in products liability on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Hepatitis A has become a problem in Florida, as in the remaining parts the country. Florida has confirmed 1,373 cases of Hepatitis A so far this year, which is more than the number of cases reported the entire time between 2014 and 2018.

Hepatitis A can have severe health consequences. The symptoms can vary in severity from a few weeks of mild ailment to a more serious ailment lasting few months. The signs and symptoms can include sudden nausea, vomiting, fatigue, low grade fever, loss of appetite, joint and abdominal pain, dark urine, pale stool, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. The disease is contagious and can transmit from person to person through contact or when someone takes in the virus from consuming contaminated food or drink.

Florida leads nation in bicycle deaths

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

Bicycle riders on the road are at risk of being hit by motor vehicles, such as trucks or cars. Bicycle accidents may cause serious injuries or even fatalities, because people who ride bicycles are not as protected as those in other vehicles on the road. Florida authorities continue to educate drivers, cyclists and pedestrians on road safety. However, regardless of such programs and awareness, the national data on fatalities from bicycle accidents released recently may put residents of Florida in shock. They may find it alarming to read that according to a new report, Florida is the deadliest state in the country for bicyclists.

According to the latest figures from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of bicycle riders killed in a motor vehicle accident across the country was 783 in 2017, and 125 of those deaths took place in Florida. The Tampa Bay area is top contributor to the problem and was found to be the worst city in the nation to ride a bicycle. Per the report, the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, Jacksonville, Orlando and Miami claimed the first four places on the list of deadliest metro areas.

Are mandatory rest breaks contributing to trucking accidents?

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson on Monday, June 3, 2019.

Motorists of all types of vehicles generally know that a fatigued driver is a dangerous driver. This danger is more pronounced when it comes to semi-trucks. Though they are a vital and necessary tool for our economy, their larger size means that cars involved in trucking accidents sustain greater damage, and people in those accidents suffer more serious injuries.

To address this issue, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration implemented rules that dictated when and how often truck drivers should take rest breaks. It hoped that the truck drivers would get adequate rest and that the rates of trucking accidents would drop. However, the FMCSA is now attempting to determine if these regulations are actually contributing to more fatal accidents.

Man arrested in hit-and-run death of young child

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in Wrongful Death on Friday, May 31, 2019.

The loss of a child is a terrible experience, especially for the child's parents. The parents of the deceased child may have a hard time accepting the sudden passing of their loved one. In one incident in Florida, a person was recently arrested in connection to a fatal hit-and-run that killed an 8-year-old girl back in March. The motorist was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with a fatality and vehicular homicide.

Reportedly, the man was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck when he hit the girl while she and her brothers were waiting for the arrival of their school bus. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver abruptly turned to the left-hand corner of the intersection outside of his lane where the girl and her brothers were seated and kept on driving east in a westbound lane. The left wheels of pickup truck went over the grass and the left dirt shoulder of the street hitting the girl. The girl was sitting near the stop sign with her back to the road and waiting for her school bus to arrive. The driver didn't stop and fled the scene of the crash. Failing to report a fatal accident is a violation of state law.

Teen drivers and summertime car accidents

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson on Saturday, May 25, 2019.

Most Florida schools are either already dismissed for the summer or quickly approaching that point. There is an increase in the number of drivers on the road during the summer, particularly younger drivers. When school is not in session and summer travel is at its peak, more drivers often leads to more car accidents.

Experts and authorities have deemed the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day the 100 Deadly Days of Summer. This may sound ominous to you, as it should. The rate of fatal accidents increases during the summer, and you may want to know how to keep yourself and your family safe. Many of these fatal accidents involve teen drivers who are enjoying their summer break.

Texting while driving is now a primary offense in Florida

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

Most people these days understand that using a cellphone while behind the wheel is risky. Texting and driving is an unsafe and dangerous practice that leaves drivers, passengers and pedestrians at danger. According to reports, there were almost 50,000 distracted driver-related motor vehicle crashes in Florida in 2016. In that year an estimated 233 people were killed and as many as 3,500 were seriously injured due to these crashes.

However, the good news for the residents of Florida is that a new state law that prohibits texting and driving and makes it a primary offense passed last week. Many believe that it will greatly reinforce the state's law against texting and driving, because it allows law enforcement authorities to stop a vehicle and ticket the driver just for texting. The law goes into effect first day of July this year. With this, Florida becomes the 44th state to pass such a primary traffic offense for all drivers. Earlier, texting and driving was a secondary offense in Florida, which means drivers could only be ticketed for the act if pulled over for a separate violation.

Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon recalled over listeria concerns

On behalf of Anderson & Anderson posted in products liability on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

Many companies supply fish and meat products in Florida and promote their products to be safe and healthy. As these products are meant for human consumption and can affect the person directly, the manufacturing companies should ensure that their products satisfy the requirements of the applicable rules and regulations and don't present any health risk for consumers because of contamination. Sometimes foods may get contaminated with listeria, which is a source of food poisoning and may even lead to death of the person.

There have been reports of Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon recall after testing finds listeria in it. Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that cause food-borne illness, was discovered in the product through routine regulatory testing conducted by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. People who have purchased this product are being warned not to consume it and return it to the store where it was originally purchased for a refund of their money.