James O. Cunningham 
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Camp Lejeune LawsuitsOctober, 2011 | Orlando Accident & Injury Blog Archive
Orlando Remains Most Dangerous for Pedestrians
An article published recently in The New York Times regarding the Orlando metropolitan area’s ignominious ranking as the most dangerous place in the country for pedestrians comes as no surprise to Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham. It comes as no surprise to the millions of others who live in the Orlando area either. Transportation for America, a non-profit safety advocacy organization, conducted a recent survey that led to the article. They found that Orlando-Kissimmee ranked first out of 52 metro areas in the country for pedestrians killed by motor vehicles, with more than 550 people killed in pedestrian accidents from 2000 to 2009. The survey found that the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area ranked second, followed by Jacksonville and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, respectively.
Florida Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Medical Malpractice Cap
A 2003 law that dismayed Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham and other attorneys throughout Florida may be headed for review before the state Supreme Court. That year, lawmakers passed legislation effectively capping the amount of pain-and-suffering damages that could be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits at $1 million. Professional organizations such as the American Bar Association, the AARP and the Florida Justice Association have filed briefs recently supporting the challenge to the controversial $1 million pain-and-suffering cap and question the constitutionality of the law.
Florida Called “Epicenter” of Prescription Drug Abuse
A new study has found that overdoses of prescription painkillers now kill more people in the U.S. each year than auto accidents do, and they have become the leader in preventable deaths in this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fatal overdoses from prescription medication more than tripled to 13,800 from 1999 to 2006 in the U.S. Recent data suggest that overdoses have nearly tripled again since 2006, with at least 37,485 people killed in 2009 from taking powerful painkillers such as OxyContin, Xanax, Vicodin and others. James O. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury attorneys are especially concerned that our state is now being called the “epicenter” of this abuse. Recently, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has indicted dozens of physicians and operators of clinics for unnecessarily prescribing these potentially lethal drugs.
SeaWorld Says Citations in Connection With Trainer’s Death Are Unfounded
An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) official recently told reporters that SeaWorld Orlando’s policy of allowing trainers to determine whether or not a killer whale’s behavior poses a threat to handlers was a factor in the death of a trainer last year. A recent hearing on the matter revealed that the Orlando theme park has been issued three safety citations in connection with the accident involving a killer whale that pulled a trainer under water, causing her to drown. SeaWorld Orlando fired back, saying the citations and attendant fines are unfounded and that the drowning death was a tragic accident.
Labor Day Weekend Caps Busy Summer For Safety Officials on Central Florida Waterways
The Labor Day weekend traditionally ends the most dangerous time for boaters in Central Florida and throughout the state. The vast majority of boating accidents and the deaths and injuries they cause occur between the busy Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, and officers have been especially diligent about negligent boaters this summer. Over that period of time this past summer, officers arrested no less than 50 boaters for boating while intoxicated in Central Florida, with half of the arrests happening in Volusia County alone.
Special Town Built for Kids in Florida Teaches Pedestrian Safety
Orlando personal injury attorneys, public safety officials, Central Florida law enforcement agencies and many others are very excited about a new way to teach children about pedestrian safety. The Children’s Safety Village in Orlando has taught at least 8,000 children from Central Florida counties how to be safe when crossing or walking near streets and highways, and the program has inspired other communities to build their own safety villages. Safety village designers are proactively protecting the lives of area children and helping to combat the Orlando area’s reputation as the most dangerous place in the country for pedestrians.
CPSC Issues Drop-Side Cribs Recall
On September 29, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recall for around 2,300 drop-side cribs in the United States, and Health Canada has recalled another 800 in Canada. The recall affects drop-side cribs made by Sherman Inc. due to risks of entrapment, suffocation and fall hazards. The CPSC advises anyone who owns one of these cribs to stop using it immediately as the drop-side rail hardware used in construction of the cribs can break or fail, allowing the drop-side to become detached from the crib. If this occurs, a dangerous gap is created between the drop-side and the mattress, potentially trapping and hurting or suffocating an infant.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.