Monthly Archive for November, 2010

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West Palm Beach Woman Killed Riding Moped in Riviera Beach

Published on November 12, 2010 in Car Accidents. 0 Comments Tags: .

November 10, 2010, Riviera Beach, FL – A car that struck a moped from behind led to the death of a 32-year-old West Palm Beach woman, The Palm Beach Post has reported.

Brandy Shepard was riding the moped in Riviera Beach on October 31 when a Toyota Camry ran into her on Broadway, said Rose A. Brown, a police spokeswoman. Shepard was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center and later died.

Charges have not been filed against Kristine Brand, the driver of the Camry. Brown did not say whether alcohol may have been involved. The fatal moped accident remains under investigation.

Shepard was an alumnus of Boca Raton’s Spanish River High and was employed as a nursing assistant, according to Mikel Perez, who also said she had many close friends. Those friends had planned a memorial to take place at Shepard’s apartment a few days after the moped accident.

According to the 2009 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of South Florida, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in South Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to:

  • single-car accidents;
  • accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
  • accidents caused by distracted drivers or aggressive driving.

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog posting removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

Multi-Vehicle Accident on I-95 in Delray Beach Sends 3 to Hospital

Published on November 11, 2010 in Car Accidents. 0 Comments Tags: .

November 10, 2010, Delray Beach, FL – Three people were hospitalized, one of them in critical condition, after an October 29 accident on Interstate 95 in Delray Beach, The Palm Beach Post has reported. 

The I-95 accident occurred when a woman hit a car and a tractor trailer before she slammed into a median wall, said Lt. Tim Frith, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol. 

The wreck shut down I-95 south near Linton Boulevard, snarling morning traffic. 

According to FHP, Regina Sexton, the driver of a Mercury Grand Marquis, merged left, lost control of the car, over-corrected and hit a Toyota Corolla. She then hit the truck and struck the concrete median. 

Sexton and her passenger, Lawrence Sexton, were transported to Delray Medical Center. Her condition was listed as serious and his was critical. Both are from Jenkins, Ky. 

Wilson Hinds, of Lantana, who was driving the Toyota, was also transported to the hospital, but only as a precautionary measure. The victim was expected to be discharged the same day. Luis Lopez of Wellington, the driver of the tractor trailer, did not sustain any injuries. 

According to the 2009 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of South Florida, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in South Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to:

  • single-car accidents;
  • accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
  • accidents caused by distracted drivers or aggressive driving.

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog posting removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

Complications in a Serious Burn Injury

Published on November 7, 2010 in Personal Injury. 0 Comments Tags: .

Any burn, whether it is a first-, second- or third-degree burn, can be considered serious, depending on the area of the body that is affected and the general health of the individual.  

All burns that cover more than a 3-inch area should be considered serious. So should all third-degree burns and any burns that affect the face, feet, hands, groin, buttocks or skin that covers a major joint.  

Burn injuries that are deep or cover a large area can lead to the following complications: 

  • Infection – when skin has been penetrated, you lose your protective barrier.
  • Sepsis – this life-threatening condition results from an infection that rapidly progresses.
  • Hypovolemia – damaged blood vessels can lead to a severe loss of blood and fluid.
  • Hypothermia – the more skin that is damaged, the more likely you are to lose body heat.
  • Respiratory difficulties – inhaling smoke or hot air can damage your lungs.
  • Scarring – burns can cause scar tissue to overgrow.
  • Joint and bone issues – scar tissue could knock joints out of alignment, and deep burns could affect movement. 

If you have suffered a serious burn accident in Florida because of someone else’s negligence, it is crucial that you seek medical treatment and maintain all follow-up appointments. Doing so can help support your personal injury claim to seek compensation for the medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering your burn injuries have caused. 

Contact a Palm Beach Burn Injury Lawyer 

A burn injury can completely change your life. If you have suffered a burn injury in West Palm Beach or North Palm Beach, Florida, you should contact a Florida burn injury lawyer to learn about your rights and determine liability. 

24/7 Injury Law, a law firm based in West Palm Beach, Florida, takes time when speaking with you about your case and works with you on a contingent fee basis so there are NO FEES unless one of our trained personal injury lawyers wins your case. Call now to schedule a no-cost evaluation of your case – 888-984-4878.

Family Seeks Punitive Damages in Fatal DUI in Wellington

Published on November 4, 2010 in Car Accidents. 0 Comments Tags: .

October 27, 2010 – Wellington, FL — The attorneys for John Goodman have agreed to the plaintiffs’ request for the polo mogul’s medical records from the February 12, 2010 crash that resulted in the death of Scott Patrick Wilson.

According to reports from The Palm Beach Post, Wilson’s parents, William and Lil Wilson, will ask for punitive damages in the wrongful death case against Goodman, 46, founder of the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Goodman was behind the wheel of a 2007 Bentley convertible when he ignored a stop sign in Wellington, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reported. He collided with Wilson’s Hyundai, which flipped into a canal, where Wilson, who was 23, drowned. Police said Goodman fled on foot, and one hour later, he called 911.

Daniel Bachi, Goodman’s attorney, said Goodman’s medical records include blood samples drawn after the car accident when Goodman was treated at Wellington Regional Medical Center for injuries to his wrist.

Blood tests showed that Goodman’s blood alcohol content topped 0.17, which is twice the state’s legal limit for intoxication.

In the original lawsuit, the Wilsons sought damages for pain and suffering and medical bills. Now they are preparing an amended lawsuit to seek punitive damages and will be allowed to obtain records to get an idea of Goodman’s financial worth.

Goodman has been charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and fleeing an accident scene.

According to the 2009 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of South Florida, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in South Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to:

  • single-car accidents;
  • accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
  • accidents caused by distracted drivers or aggressive driving.

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog posting removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

School Bus Hits Teen in Loxahatchee

Published on November 3, 2010 in Car Accidents. 0 Comments Tags: .

October 28, 2010 – Loxahatchee, FL ― Ryan Garcia was hospitalized at St. Mary’s Medical Center on October 27 after a school bus hit him in the vicinity of Seminole Ridge High.

According to reports on CBS12.com, the bus driver, Johnny Burroughs Sr., was reassigned to non-driving duties as authorities investigate the cause of the pedestrian accident. Charges against the school bus driver might be pending.

The accident occurred north of Sycamore Drive at Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. According to police, 17-year-old Garcia was crossing the street on Seminole Pratt Whitney when he was struck by the bus. Thankfully, the school bus was not occupied with students at the time of the crash.

Police said the bus was stopped at a red light, and when the light turned green, the bus turned left to enter Seminole Pratt Whitney while Garcia was in the crosswalk. Burroughs told police he did not see the teen, who was wearing dark clothing on that foggy morning. 

It was initially thought that Garcia’s injuries, including head trauma, were life-threatening, but he was later reported to be in stable condition.

Burroughs, employed as a bus driver since 1991, had been cited numerous times for speeding and other traffic offenses. The last time he received a citation was in January of this year.

According to the 2009 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Statistics Report, there were 197,214 traffic crashes resulting in injury and 2,563 fatalities as a result of vehicle accidents in Florida.

As a service to the residents of South Florida, our firm will frequently publish blogs about local traffic accidents. We do this to raise awareness about the common types of motor vehicle accidents that occur in South Florida that may result in serious injury or traffic fatalities.

Common accidents include, but are not limited to:

  • single-car accidents;
  • accidents caused by hazardous road conditions; and
  • accidents caused by distracted drivers or aggressive driving.

If you have been named in this blog or you are the victim’s family member or friend and would like the blog posting removed from our website, please feel free to contact us and we will promptly accommodate your request.

Partial Fault Means Partial Damages

Published on November 2, 2010 in Car Accidents. 0 Comments Tags: .

Every state has a law for how to handle personal injury cases such as car accidents in the event that both parties involved are found to have caused the accident through negligence. Florida operates with a pure comparative fault law, which allows a victim to be up to 99% at fault for their own injury and still recover 1% of the damages awarded in their claim. 

The degree of fault is determined after reviewing the evidence and circumstances involved in your South Florida car accident claim. The presentation of this evidence is critical, and your best option is to hire a Palm Beach car accident lawyer to help you persuade the court that the other driver was primarily responsible for your accident.  

Once the percentage of fault is determined, the trial proceeds to settlement, placing a final dollar value on your case. The lower your degree of fault, the more of this settlement you are entitled to collect. For example, a South Florida car accident claim that settles for $100,000 would give a plaintiff who was found to have a degree of fault of 20% a final settlement of $80,000. 

There’s more information on how your South Florida car accident is affected when you are partially at fault in our article library. Knowing how to best prove a low degree of fault is important to your settlement amount, and a trusted Palm Beach car accident lawyer from 24/7 Injury Law can help. Call today to set up a consultation – 888-984-4878