Personal Injury

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has seen Orange County and the rest of our state change in many ways since he began practicing law in 1977. Some changes have been for the better, and others have been decidedly for the worse. Our state’s auto accident statistics would definitely fall in the latter category. To illustrate the scope of Florida’s auto accident problems, consider the following 2010 auto accident statistics:

• There were an astonishing 235,461 auto accidents throughout Florida for an average of 645 accidents each day.
• There were 2,261 fatal auto accidents that claimed the lives of 2,444 people.
• At least 195,104 people were injured seriously enough in these accidents to warrant an emergency room visit.

Alcohol-Related Florida Auto Accidents for 2010

There were 17,748 alcohol-related auto accidents in Florida last year, a truly frightening number when you consider that everyone knows about the dangers of drunk driving. Yet, in spite of knowing that driving while drunk is reckless and negligent, tens of thousands of Florida drivers got behind the wheel after drinking. Consider the following Florida drunk driving accident statistics:

• There were 7,825 accidents that resulted in injuries.
• 794 Floridians were killed.
• 12,168 people were injured.
• 2010’s numbers are down 11.64 percent from the number of alcohol-related accidents in 2009.

Drug-Related Florida Auto Accidents for 2010

Drivers under the influence of drugs are also a persistent problem on Florida roadways. When we hear of a drug-related auto accident, we often think of illegal drugs. While there are certainly drivers out there who are under the influence of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and other illegal drugs, prescription medication abuse among drivers is actually a much larger problem and greater danger. To illustrate the scope of the problem of Florida drivers impaired by drugs of all kinds, consider the following drug-related auto accident statistics for 2010:

• There were 1,236 drug-related auto accidents.
• 106 people were killed in drug-related accidents.
• 957 people were injured in drug-related accidents.

The auto accident statistics listed above are a small fraction of the auto accident numbers for Florida in 2010. If you or a family member is injured in an auto accident caused by a negligent driver and you want to seek legal action to recover damages, contact Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham today to schedule a free consultation. Mr. Cunningham has law offices conveniently located throughout our state, so contact him today toll-free at 888-425-2004 to schedule a consultation at the office nearest you.

Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham is closely following developments in an elder abuse case that casts all legal professionals in a bad light. A disbarred Kissimmee lawyer was recently sentenced to two years in prison for defrauding elderly people out of their life’s savings. Linda Vasquez, who is also known as Linda Littlefield, pleaded no contest last spring to charges that she created a scheme that defrauded senior citizens out of $20,000 or more. The State of Florida dropped 11 counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information in the case, but the 40-year-old ex-lawyer was ordered to pay an undisclosed amount of restitution to her victims.

Vasquez’s ex-husband, 47-year-old Ross Littlefield, is scheduled to receive his sentence in connection with the elder fraud case on February 24. He pleaded no contest this month to one count of fraudulent use of a credit card. The state dropped ten more fraud charges and one count of scheme to defraud against him in connection with the case. The ex-couple are the targets of numerous lawsuits, as are the pooled trust they controlled, foundations that administered the trust and Medicaid Benefits Experts, a company Vasquez created in Tampa in 2010 after her initial arrest. The plaintiffs in the lawsuits claim that hundreds of thousands of dollars held in the trust have disappeared, representing the entire life’s savings of many victims.

Mr. Cunningham is indignant at the actions of the former couple for two reasons: they preyed upon and defrauded vulnerable seniors, and at least one of them betrayed their professional and moral obligations as an attorney. Simply put, their actions are unconscionable and indefensible.

Mr. Cunningham has built his reputation as an aggressive Orlando personal injury lawyer helping people injured in accidents, but he also has a proven record of success helping victims of elder abuse. His skills and experience building effective personal injury cases have helped countless victims of abuse and their families receive the fair and just compensation they deserve. If you or someone you love is a victim of elder abuse of any kind and you would like to learn more about the law, your rights and your legal options, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Nearly 40 former factory workers who have developed cancers and other serious illnesses from drinking and washing with tainted drinking water have settled a multimillion-dollar five-year legal battle against Siemens Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. The victims claimed that the companies negligently handled toxins that leaked into nearby drinking water sources that eventually caused a variety of cancers and other life-threatening illnesses. Gladys Elder, a 32-year employee at the Lake Mary plant that makes telecommunications equipment was pleased that the long legal battle with the corporations was at an end.

“I’m just glad it’s over with,” she said, echoing what many of her coworkers said. Elder is a 70-year-old retiree who was diagnosed with kidney cancer more than ten years ago. She and her coworkers accused the corporations of making them sick by improperly handling industrial solvents such as trichloroethene (TCE), which was used to clean circuit boards and other electronic equipment at the plant.

Siemens AG owned the plant in 2001 and ordered workers to stop drinking the water after TCE was discovered. TCE is a known carcinogen that has caused cancer in laboratory animals. Workers had sued TCE at the plant from the time it opened in 1968 until 1986, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. After using the solvent to clean electronics, workers poured it into 55-gallon drums that were rusty and leaked the solvent into nearby groundwater over time. The tainted water was pumped inside the plant, where workers used it to wash their hands and make coffee. The plant was closed in 2003 after being owned and operated by five different corporations over the years, including United Technologies Corp., Marconi Communications Inc. and Siemens. Each corporation was a defendant in the lawsuit, and, while details about the settlement were unknown, it is believed that different employees were awarded different amounts.

Former employee and plaintiff Wallace Brottem was one of the recipients of the settlement. He has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, an illness with symptoms similar to leukemia. He did not reveal how much he received in the settlement, but doubted that the amount would help pay the more than $1 million in medical bills he has incurred to treat his illness. Many of the former employees and plaintiffs in the suit died before the suit was settled.

This sad story illustrates how important it is to retain the services of an experienced Orlando personal injury lawyer. While no amount of damages awarded in a court award or settlement can undo damage caused by corporate irresponsibility, it can help victims provide for their families and get the level of care they need. If you believe that your health has been impaired by someone’s negligence and you’d like to speak with an Orlando personal injury attorney, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation.

A young man was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries recently after getting his hand caught in a machine at an Orlando bakery. Details about the workplace accident are still sketchy, but police say the young man was working at around 12:30 a. m. one recent morning when his hand got caught in the auger of a machine at Aladdin Food and Bakery at 655 S. Golden Rod Road in the Rio Plaza. Firefighters arrived shortly after the accident and worked for around an hour to free the young man’s hand from the machine. They say he was preparing a large batch of bread dough when his hand got caught in the auger. Although they did not disclose the extent of the victim’s injuries, firefighters said that the teen’s fingers were intact when they extracted his hand from the machine. They said that after they freed him from the machine, they wrapped his injured hand in gauze and transported him to Arnold Palmer Hospital for treatment.

Any job involving heavy machinery can be dangerous whether the person is working in a bakery, a construction site, a machine shop or any other workplace. However, strict safety guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the last several decades have made workplaces much safer for workers. Regrettably, not all employers adhere to these safety standards and put profits before the health and safety of their workers. It is not yet known whether or not the Aladdin Food and Bakery removed safety equipment to increase productivity, but, if they did, they can be held liable for damages that their negligence and disregard for safety caused this young worker.

If you or a family member has been injured on the job, it is a very good idea to consult with an experienced Orlando personal injury lawyer such as James O. Cunningham. An attorney can explain the laws that apply to your situation, investigate the accident, negotiate with the employer, insurance companies, workers’ compensation officials and others and work hard to help you receive the best possible outcome for your case. If you’ve been hurt at work and have questions about your legal options, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to get an Orlando personal injury attorney with a proven record of success in these matters on your side.

A hazing incident at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University has led to serious injuries for one freshman and the arrests of three people who broke the victim’s leg and caused other injuries. Tallahassee Police arrested three young men aged 19, 22 and 23 for felony battery for injuring the 18-year-old member of the school’s “Marching 100” band. In addition to a broken femur, the victim suffered blood clots and bruised bones in her legs. The victim said she suffered the beatings on October 31 and November 1 while the Marching 100 band was in Orlando to perform at halftime of the Florida Classic football game. Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham is closely following developments in this case, as it is distressingly similar to a similar hazing incident that claimed the life of a 26-year-old FAMU drum major who collapsed and died in October. Police suspect that hazing led to this victim’s death.

The victim told police that she suffered the physical abuse when she tried to join a band club called the “Red Dawg Order,” which includes members from Georgia. She said she was struck repeatedly by two of the members at a meeting of the club held at a member’s apartment. She said she was forced to lift her legs as if she was marching in the band and the three arrested men punched her on top of her thighs more than 20 times. The next day at another meeting in the same apartment, the victim and other pledges were beaten by two of the men because they could not recite information that they were supposed to remember about the club. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the State Board of Governors are investigating the incidents.

The beatings that the victim received and her injuries suggest a great deal more than hazing pranks. To James O. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury lawyers, the incidents sound a lot more like assault, and the victim may be able to pursue damages against the three individuals. Medical treatment for her injuries is likely to climb into the thousands of dollars, and damages awarded in a lawsuit or settlement could help her pay these bills while she attends college. If you have been assaulted and want to explore your legal options, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation. He has law offices conveniently located throughout Central Florida and works hard to help clients receive the fair and just compensation they deserve.

The investigation into the workplace accident is still underway, but authorities say that a worker got his leg caught in a conveyor at a Pepsi-Cola plant in Tampa and was critically injured. Employees at the plant called 911 around 11:30 a.m. on August 28 and told the operator that the man’s leg had been caught in a conveyor rail system at the plant. Accident investigators say the man had been cleaning the equipment when co-workers heard him start screaming. The machinery crushed his leg, and workers said it took Tampa Fire Rescue’s heavy equipment team nearly 90 minutes to free the man so he could be taken to Tampa General Hospital.

This is the third serious accident at the plant in the last six months. Last March, a worker was killed and another seriously injured when a lift in the plant’s warehouse failed. There are many important details about this workplace accident that investigators have yet to discover, but if this is the third serious accident at the plant in the last six months, it’s fair to assume that this is a very dangerous place to work. Despite advances in safety awareness, OSHA safety guidelines, training protocols and other advances in workplace safety, thousands of people are seriously injured while on the job every year in this country.

In many cases, accident investigators find that an employer has cut corners, removed safety equipment, failed to properly maintain equipment and failed to properly train employees near dangerous equipment. These and other acts of negligence endanger workers’ lives and livelihoods and seriously impair their quality of life. If this worker’s leg was crushed so severely that it took trained personnel nearly 90 minutes to remove him from the machine, at worst, he will lose that leg. At best, he will have to undergo multiple surgeries, endure incredibly painful physical rehabilitation, have reduced mobility for the rest of his life and suffer other hardships.

Have you been injured in a workplace accident? If so, you may be entitled to damages to help pay medical bills, provide for your family while you can’t work and compensate you for pain and suffering and other damages. Before you sign anything offered by your employer or their insurance company, call Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000. Mr. Cunningham has a proven record of success helping injured workers receive the fair and just compensation they deserve from negligent employers and has the resources and experience to help you and your family. Call him today, and let an experienced, aggressive Orlando personal injury lawyer deal with the details while you focus on healing.

Just when it seemed that Longwood would join other Central Florida cities in doing the sensible thing and installing red light cameras to discourage drivers from running red lights, a panel of city commissioners voted against the ordinance. Longwood had planned to install three red light cameras at its busiest intersection and another at a different high-volume intersection. The commissioners voted down the red light camera ordinance by a vote of three to two, halting plans for three cameras at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17-92 and State Road 434 and a fourth at S.R. 434 and North Ronald Reagan Boulevard.
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In a move fully endorsed by Orlando personal injury attorneys and others throughout the area, Kissimmee has announced that the city will install red light cameras at ten of its busiest intersections this summer. The city will be the first city in Osceola County to install the life-saving cameras, and many hope that other Central Florida cities will also have red light cameras installed soon. The city plans to have the cameras in place and issuing tickets to red light runners by mid-August. The move follows other cities in Central Florida that have taken this step to protect everyone at busy intersections. Nearby Longwood is planning to install four cameras soon, Winter Park currently has two in place and Apopka has six. Orlando leads the way with 17 red light cameras located at some of the region’s busiest and most dangerous intersections.
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Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham was shocked to read recently that one in four drivers in our state is operating a vehicle without the required minimum amount of insurance coverage. According to a report issued recently by the non-profit Insurance Research Council, Florida ranks 50 percent above the national average for uninsured drivers, which is one uninsured driver out of every six. Massachusetts is lowest overall in the U.S. with one in every 100 drivers operating a vehicle without insurance. Mr. Cunningham was also shocked to learn that our state is not the worst for uninsured drivers. Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi and New Mexico average more than one in four uninsured drivers, but that is little comfort to anyone in Florida involved in an accident caused by an uninsured driver.
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A Volusia Beach Patrol officer making a U-turn while on patrol recently ran over and injured a woman’s arm and hand. Florida Highway Patrol and Volusia officials investigating the incident say it happened on the morning of Friday, May 13. The victim, a 22-year-old Ohio woman who was visiting the area, initially refused an ambulance ride to the hospital, but later drove herself to Halifax Health Medical Center to receive treatment. The Beach Patrol officer was ticketed for careless driving.
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