Florida car accidents are often caused by poor choices made by other drivers or bad weather conditions. Occasionally, they are caused by hazards created by construction zones or the design of a roadway. The Third District Court of Appeal recently issued an opinion in a negligence action filed against a gas station. The plaintiff alleged a cut across a median requested and promoted by the gas station caused the errant ... [Read More]

Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal recently issued a ruling in favor of an estate seeking coverage from an auto insurer. A man suffered a fatal accident while riding his motorcycle, and the deceased’s estate sought uninsured motorist coverage benefits from his collector vehicle insurance policy. This policy provided $300,000 worth of coverage for stacked uninsured motorist (UM) coverage for $416 per year. The insurer denied the claim, and the ... [Read More]

When filing a Florida wrongful death case, an estate must attempt to name all of the claims of injury against all parties. Opportunities to correct or add claims or parties in a complaint exist but must be done within a statutorily specified amount of time. A recent Fourth District Court of Appeal decision provides insight into the timing and appropriateness of these types of additions. The personal representative of the ... [Read More]

In all civil litigation, the right to appeal an order of the trial court is essential to the judicial process. Incorporating tiers of review injects a system of checks and balances. If one suffers an injury in an accident, files suit, is dealt an unfavorable ruling, and feels the court ruled incorrectly, one can appeal the decision by the trial court judge. Since there are statutory timelines for filing suit, ... [Read More]

Personal Injury Protection benefits are available to those who’ve suffered physical injuries in a Florida auto accident. Before PIP is distributed, Florida statutes require the deductible to be subtracted from the total medical care bill before the statutory reimbursement limitations are provided. In a recent district court of appeal decision, an auto insurer attempted to persuade the courts otherwise. In its appeal from the trial court’s calculation, the auto insurer ... [Read More]

Florida wrongful death cases stem from different types of accidents and injuries. Some may be caused by a vehicle collision, and others may occur at the hands of a negligent health care provider. In any scenario, the plaintiff and their counsel must scrutinize all of the relevant statutes that either affect the way proceedings unfold or present substantive challenges to obtaining the damages one seeks. In Florida, a medical negligence ... [Read More]

If a product causes serious injuries, the manufacturer can be held strictly liable for the injury. The manufacturer is accountable for a defective design or failing to warn of dangers. In a recent Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals lawsuit, the manufacturer of a transvaginal mesh product appealed the final judgment awarding over $6 million to a woman substantially injured by its product. The injured woman’s lawsuit originated in West Virginia ... [Read More]

Many considerations are made when filing a Florida car accident lawsuit. The injured person must name and notify all parties responsible for the injury, think of the experts needed to connect the defendants’ actions to the injury, and collect documentation to show the damages amount needed to cover the incurred hospital bills and lost wages. An important decision, albeit less obvious, is where to file the lawsuit. In a car ... [Read More]

In a recently issued Florida car accident decision (Case No. 2D14-5925), the Second District Court of Appeal affirmed a Florida circuit court ruling that found Chapter 2000-439, section 18, Laws of Florida to be unconstitutional. This ruling stemmed from a serious car accident case that resulted in two periods of multi-day treatment at a publicly funded hospital system. These stays cost a total of $84,199.99. Claims were filed against the ... [Read More]

When responsible drivers purchase car insurance, especially additional coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) coverage, they believe they are ensuring payment when accidents occur. A recently issued opinion from Florida’s Second District Court of of Appeal presents all of the various considerations a claimant should have when seeking payment from the insurer. The plaintiff-appellant in this Florida auto accident lawsuit was injured as a passenger in her father’s car. The woman filed ... [Read More]