RSSOrlando Personal Injury Attorney - Part 3
New Florida Law to Reduce Our State’s Reputation as Pill Mill
In a move that Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham fully supports, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a law recently that will make it more difficult for doctors to write prescriptions for painkillers. For years, Florida has been known as a “pill mill,” a place where it has been easy for people to get prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Oxycodone and other pharmaceuticals that often lead to drug abuse. The ease with which people could obtain these drugs in our state caused people from nearby states with more restrictive access to these drugs to come here for prescriptions.
Brevard County Man Charged in Connection With Hit-and-Run Bicycle Accident
A Brevard County man charged in connection with a hit-and-run bicycle accident that seriously injured a seven-year-old boy riding his bicycle was arrested and taken into custody recently. Investigating officers say the boy was riding his bike near the intersection of Alma Boulevard and George Edwards Court on Thursday, May 26 when he tried to cross the road. Police say a Ford Ranger driven by the 41-year-old Brevard County man struck the boy and that the driver then fled the scene of the accident. Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham would like to remind readers that in the event of an accident, especially a hit-and-run accident, it is everyone’s responsibility to write down a description of the vehicle and driver and report the accident to police as soon as possible.
Worker Killed in Orlando Amusement Park Accident
An accident at the I-Drive attraction at the Magical Midway Thrill Park claimed the life of a worker recently after he fell while working on the ride. The accident investigation is ongoing, but early reports state that the accident occurred around 2 p.m. while he was working on the I-Drive at the Orlando-area amusement park at 7001 International Drive. The 30-year-old victim was at around 90 feet in the air and wearing a safety harness while working on the ride when he fell, according to Battalion Chief Mark Smothers with Orange County Fire Rescue. Smothers did not know why the man fell, but he said that the man fell around six feet before being caught by the safety harness he was wearing at the time of the accident.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Florida Cap on Medical Malpractice Damages
In a move that disappointed many Orlando personal injury lawyers, a federal appeals court in Atlanta has upheld the constitutionality of a Florida law that caps damages that victims can receive in medical malpractice cases. A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals made their ruling recently and issued a statement that the Florida law “passes muster” of the U.S. Constitution and Florida Constitution. Their ruling came after the family of a Florida woman named Michelle McCall claimed medical malpractice was responsible for her death after childbirth in 2006. They filed a lawsuit against a doctor they claimed was negligent.
Woman Killed When BBQ Smoker Detaches From SUV and Strikes Her Vehicle
A 41-year-old Orlando woman was killed on the evening of May 31 when a BBQ smoker being towed by a sports utility vehicle in front of her detached from its hitch and struck her vehicle. The accident occurred around 10:21 p.m. on Old Winter Garden Road near the intersection with Deleon Avenue when a smoker being towed by a 1998 Lincoln Navigator became detached. The smoker then traveled across Old Winter Garden Road and collided with the driver’s side of a 1988 Ford Mustang driven by the victim. Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol say that the woman died at the scene from her injuries, and charges are pending against the driver of the SUV.
Florida Bicycle Safety Law Not Widely Known or Enforced
A Florida law passed a few years ago to help protect bicyclists from becoming bicycle accident victims has received little publicity or enforcement from state and local police according to recent findings. Five years ago, state lawmakers passed a law that requires motorists to maintain at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist. Since then, only a few hundred drivers have received tickets for violating this law, and most had no idea that such a law was on the books. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind his readers to give riders even more room than the required three feet when passing them to reduce bicycle accidents and make roadways safer for everyone.
FHP Officers Alarmed by Rising Blood-Alcohol Levels in Drivers
A recent drunk driving accident illustrated the dangers that impaired drivers present to themselves and anyone else on the road. A drunk driver involved in an accident with a school bus in south Lake County this year had a blood-alcohol level that doctors say would be lethal to most people. The 54-year-old driver had a BAC of 0.426 percent, more than five times the 0.08 percent level that is considered legally drunk in Florida. Florida Highway Patrol officers were not surprised that the driver survived the accident, but were astonished that he survived imbibing a lethal dose of alcohol.
Study of Toyota Recalls Finds Numerous Flaws at Automaker
A panel of analysts assembled by Toyota Motor Corporation last year to identify problems that led to the recall of more than 14 million Toyota vehicles found several flaws in the way the company addresses consumer complaints. Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater was one of seven members on the panel, and he headed the investigation that presented its findings recently. Many of the flaws the panel discovered stemmed from Toyota’s tendency to dismiss consumer complaints and a lack of clear procedure for handling safety problems. Regular readers of this blog will remember that Toyota’s safety problems involving floor mats, sticking accelerators and sudden, unintended acceleration have led to lots of auto accidents here in the U.S. and around the world that have killed and injured hundreds of people.
Woman Struck and Killed in Pedestrian Accident
A woman was struck and fatally injured on the morning of Friday, May 13 while crossing Orange Blossom Trail in south Orange County. Florida Highway Patrol officers are still investigating the accident, but they say that the 41-year-old victim was walking along Orange Blossom Trail around 5:14 a.m. when she stepped in front of a 2011 Ford F-250 that was heading southbound on Orange Blossom Trail near La Quinta Drive. Police say the truck was driven by a 38-year-old Orlando man, and charges are pending against the man during investigation. The woman died at the scene from her injuries.
Sunbather’s Arm and Hand Run Over By Beach Patrol Officer
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.
Mr. Cunningham is an excellent and knowledgeable attorney.