James O. Cunningham 
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Camp Lejeune LawsuitsOrlando Accident & Injury Blog
Florida Bicyclist Killed By Hit-and-Run Driver in Sanford
Accident investigators looking into a fatal hit-and-run bicycle accident that occurred early in the morning of August 28 say that the victim’s body had been lying on the shoulder of Monroe Road for nearly two hours before it was found. Florida Highway Patrol officials say the 36-year-old victim rode his bicycle on Highway 17-92 for 14 miles in each direction nearly every day on his way to and from work. FHP troopers said that the owner of a pickup truck that struck and killed the bicyclist had turned the vehicle over to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office sometime later that afternoon. No charges have been filed against the 54-year-old truck owner in connection with the accident, but troopers called the man a “person of interest” in the case.
Longwood Red Light Cameras Canceled in Tight Voting
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.
Nine Injured When Tire Bursts on SUV and Causes Rollover
Nine people were injured recently in a July 1 single-vehicle accident on Interstate 4 near mile marker 57 near ChampionsGate golf course. Florida Highway Patrol officers say that a 2000 Ford Excursion was traveling eastbound on I-4 at the posted speed limit when one of the right tires burst, causing the large SUV to rotate counterclockwise and into the median. The SUV then rolled and came to a stop on top of a guardrail. Emergency response personnel closed all lanes of I-4 in both directions to render assistance, and traffic was reportedly backed up more than ten miles.
Kissimmee Planning Ten Red light Cameras
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.
Fifteen Injured in Separate Orlando Lynx Bus Accidents
Investigations are still underway in connection with two separate but similar accidents on Wednesday, July 13 involving Lynx buses. The bus accidents lead to hospitalization for 15 Orlando-area residents, and several more passengers received treatment for minor injuries at the scene. Police say the first accident occurred near the intersection of North Orange Blossom Trail and Rosamond Drive when a car belonging to a 51-year-old woman rear-ended the bus, which had stopped to unload passengers. Emergency response personnel transported eight people with injuries from this accident to area hospitals. The driver of the car was taken to Florida Hospital in serious condition. A spokesperson with the Florida Highway Patrol said they expect to file careless driving charges against her.
Melbourne Couple Killed in Florida Aviation Accident
A couple from Melbourne has died from injuries suffered in a plane crash on the afternoon of July 23. Accident investigators say the couple and a 20-year-old passenger were flying in a Cirrus single-engine aircraft owned by the pilot and his wife. The plane went down in an undeveloped region of southwestern Palm Bay known as the “The Compound.” The 65-year-old pilot and his 50-year-old wife were taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne after the 12:30 p.m. crash but died from their injuries some hours later.
Study Claims Sidewalks More Dangerous for Bicycle Riders
Bike riders in Florida and Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham know very well that our state is the most dangerous for bicyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 107 riders were killed in bicycle accidents in 2009, and our state ranks first in the nation for total numbers of bicycle accidents and numbers of people injured and killed year after year. This knowledge may inspire riders to ride on sidewalks rather than streets and highways, but a study conducted in California a few years ago found that riding on sidewalks is actually more dangerous than riding on streets and highways is!
Study Finds One in Four Florida Drivers Is Uninsured
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.
Rider Critically Injured in Florida Motorcycle Accident
A collision between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle has sent the rider to the hospital with critical injuries. The investigation is still underway, but officers with the Melbourne Police Department say the motorcycle accident occurred around 9:35 p.m. on Friday, July 22. They report that the motorcyclist was eastbound on Parkway Drive when a westbound Honda Accord failed to yield at a green light and turned in front of the rider. Police say the rider had no time to take evasive action and struck the side of the Honda. The force of the collision threw the rider more than 20 feet.
New Coalition Organized to Reduce Texting While Driving
Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham has been hoping that our state will finally pass substantive laws that ban texting and talking on cell phones while driving but has seen one bill after another fail due to a governor’s veto or die in committee. Florida is one of the few remaining states in the country without bans on texting and talking on cell phones while driving, but Mr. Cunningham is hopeful that a new coalition will pressure lawmakers to get a new law passed soon.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.