James O. Cunningham 
Bicycle Accidents
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Camp Lejeune LawsuitsOrlando Accident & Injury Blog
After Years of Denial, GM admits Potentially Fatal Flaw
After repeated denials that there were any problems with the ignition switches in their Chevrolet Cobalt models, General Motors has finally recalled the Chevy Cobalt, and five other models made between 2003 and 2007. Recent news reports have revealed what many Cobalt owners have been telling GM for years. A defect in the ignition switches in some Cobalt models causes the engine to shut off suddenly, preventing drivers from steering, braking and otherwise controlling their vehicle and preventing airbags from deploying in a collision. The defect has led to many accidents that have killed at least 26 people and injured dozens more. Growing evidence of the problem and several investigative reports into the fatal accidents prompted GM to finally recall 1.6 million Chevrolet Cobalt models and other small cars.
Driver Charged in Fatal Hit-and-Run Accident in Kissimmee
Florida Highway Patrol troopers recently charged a Kissimmee woman in connection with a fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident that claimed the life of a 65-year-old man. Troopers said that they arrested the 27-year-old driver after receiving a tip about her severely damaged 2003 Kia Spectra. When confronted, she admitted to FHP traffic homicide investigators that she had struck and killed the man. She led troopers to the garage, where they found damage on the vehicle consistent with evidence collected at the accident scene.
Teen Critically Injured in Pedestrian Accident while walking to School
Florida Highway Patrol troopers report that a 14-year-old freshman at Timber Creek High was struck and critically injured in a pedestrian accident recently while walking to school. They say that the girl was trying to cross Waterford Chase Parkway at Oak Chase Drive in Waterford Lakes about 6:45 a.m. when he was struck by a 2007 Kia SUV driven by a 54-year-old Waterford Lakes man. Troopers say that the victim was on her way to her school-bus stop when she was struck. She was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, where she is being held in serious condition with undisclosed injuries.
Golf Cart Accidents are more Common than You may Think
It’s difficult to believe that a vehicle with a top speed of around 15 mph could result in accidents that injure more than 1,000 Americans each month but it comes as no surprise to Orlando golf cart accident injury lawyers. He has been helping golf cart accident victims since 1977 and he, along with other personal injury attorneys across the country, have forced golf cart manufacturers to improve that safety of these vehicles through improved designs and better safety equipment.
Financial Elder Abuse Expected to Rise in the Coming Years
In a story closely followed by Orlando elder abuse attorneys, a meeting of elder financial abuse experts recently convened in Miami to discuss ways to combat a surge in financial fraud of the elderly. The group included a federal consumer activist, a professor of elder law, and representatives from the State Attorney’s Office, the AARP and other organizations. They said that Florida ranks first in the country for reports of financial fraud of the elderly and that number is expected to surge in the coming years as more and more Floridians retire.
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.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.