Orlando Personal Injury Blog
Florida Pit Bull Shot and Killed after Attacking Two People
The owner of a pit bull shot and killed his dog recently after it attacked him and his son when they tried to break up a fight with another dog. Orange County authorities say that the pit bull and another dog were fighting at a home on Forsyth Road around 5:30 p.m. when the pit bull’s owner intervened to break up the fight. Both the owner and his adult son were attacked by the pit bull during the scuffle. The owner’s wife saw the dog attack and armed herself to protect her husband and son but her attempts to shoot the animal were unsuccessful. The owner then took the gun from his wife and killed the dog before being taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Boy Killed in Orlando Bicycle Accident Involving Tractor-Trailer
A boy riding his bike on the way to school was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer in the Orlando area’s most recent fatal bicycle accident. Witnesses report that the six-year-old was on his way to Meadow Woods Elementary School with his older brother and two friends about 8:10 a.m. when he was struck by a semi-truck hauling wooden roofing materials that was exiting State Road 417. Florida Highway Patrol troopers say that the driver is a 47-year-old Winter Haven man, who told them that he never saw the boy. He told them that he had stopped his rig just past a yield sign after making a right turn onto Landstar Blvd. because he “felt a bump.”
Two Workers Injured in Construction Accident at Power Plant
Two workers injured recently at a construction accident at the Florida Power & Light plant in Indiantown are being treated at local hospitals with undisclosed injuries. Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputies said that the workers, a 32-year-old Zephyrhills man and a 52-year-old Sarasota man, were working on a large steel frame when it collapsed. One of the workers was reportedly working on the ground behind the frame while the other was on a ladder on the front of the structure when it collapsed.
Man Killed when Driver Crashes into Medical Building in New Smyrna Beach
Police investigators say that a 63-year-old man was killed and two other people were injured recently when a woman backed her car 40 feet into a medical office building in New Smyrna beach. Police report that the 78-year-old driver backed her car into the Coronado Medical Office Building on Palmetto Street shortly before 2 p.m. Although their investigation is ongoing, police say that the woman somehow backed the vehicle directly between two pillars before plowing 40 feet into the lobby of the building. There were several people waiting in the lobby for appointments at the time of the accident, including the fatally injured man.
OSHA Accuses Blue Rhino of Multiple Safety Violations after Plant Explosion
Orlando personal injury attorneys are closely monitoring developments in a plant explosion last summer that left five workers with severe burns. Workplace accident investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently accused Blue Rhino of committing numerous safety violations in connection with an explosion and fire at the company’s propane depot in Tavares last July. Ric Ridgway, a prosecutor who reviewed the State Fire Marshal’s investigation of the July 29 accident, said the accident started when a spark from a forklift ignited "a cloud of propane" behind the plant. He said that his investigation found no evidence of criminal negligence in connection with the accident.
Two People Killed and another Person Injured in Aviation Accident near Panacea
A recent aviation accident near Panacea has claimed the lives of two people and seriously injured a third. Investigators report that the accident involved a helicopter, which crashed in a heavily wooded and swampy area near the airport in Panacea. In a statement, the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office said that the crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. and claimed the life of the pilot, a 53-year-old Tallahassee man, and one of his passengers, a 49-year-old man also from Tallahassee. A 45-year-old Tallahassee woman, who was a passenger on the helicopter, was injured in the crash and transported by medical helicopter to a Tallahassee hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Toyota Recall for Brake Problems affects 261,000 Vehicles
Toyota recently announced a recall that affects more than 261,000 vehicles sold in North America and abroad to address a brake problem that could result in increased risk of accidents for the affected vehicles. The recall involves 261,114 Lexus RX crossover vehicles, Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks and RAV4 sport utility vehicles. Toyota reports that the brake problems are caused by an electrical component within the brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure for each of the brakes on the affected vehicles. Toyota says that in some cases, improper fluid pressure causes increased resistance to the brake pedal.
Orlando Boaters Urged to Take Approved Safety Course
Our Orlando personal injury attorneys recently read a very disturbing statistic taken from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s “How to Boat Smart: Florida Boating Safety Course.” On page 39 of the publication, there is an “Accident Pyramid” diagram, which shows how different factors lead to Florida boating accidents. The diagram shows that mechanical failure and other problems with equipment cause only ten percent of boating accidents in our state. However, it shows that 75 percent of boating accidents are caused by human error, such as:
Florida Law Regarding Passing Bicyclists
Our Orlando personal injury attorneys fully support any measures that make Florida roadways safer for everyone, especially bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized traffic. While bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, public awareness campaigns and other substantive safety measures have been implemented in recent years, educating the public about road safety may be the most substantive measure of all. To that end, here is a brief post about an important but little-known Florida law intended to help drivers and bicyclists safely share the road.
Mount Dora Man Killed in Trucking Accident
A 41-year-old Mount Dora man killed in a recent trucking accident was a physician known for his exceptional warmth and skill putting patients at ease. According to police investigators, the man was killed on a busy stretch of U.S, Highway 441 in Leesburg around 6:38 in the evening. Police say that the man was driving his Hummer H3 southbound on U.S. 441 when he crashed into a tractor-trailer driven by 53-year-old Wisconsin man. Investigators report that the truck driver pulled out of the Family Furniture Galleries lot and into the path of oncoming southbound traffic on the highway, cutting off the victim and giving him little time to react.
