A combination of heavy fog and smoke from a nearby fire set off a chain of accidents on I-75 south of Gainesville in Florida, killing 10 people and injuring 18.  The pileups began at around 3:45 a.m. Sunday morning and at least 12 vehicles and 7 tractor trailers are believed to have been involved.

Victims involved in the crash and emergency personnel who arrived at the scene have described it as horrific and even compared it to what they imagined the end of the world would look like.  The pileups stretched for almost one mile on both sides of I-75.

There were explosions and fire and the poor visibility made it extremely difficult for emergency personnel to help people trapped in vehicles and rubble.  Reports say they followed moans and screams to try to pull people out.  Officials say it was difficult to even be sure of the exact number of vehicles involved because some of them were so mangled and burned.

Investigators say the fire does not seem to have started naturally and are searching for answers.  Lt. Patrick Riordan, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, described the pileup as “probably the worst one I’ve seen in 27 years.”

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another, call Florida Accident Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule your free consultation and thoroughly discuss your legal rights.

According to reports, Christopher R. Bonin, of Boynton Beach, was crossing Congress Avenue in Palm Springs around 9 a.m. on Friday when he tripped over the raised center median.  Steve Johnson was driving a white pick-up truck in the northbound lanes of Congress Avenue when he says Bonin stumbled and fell in front of his car.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue crews transported Bonin to Delray Medical Center under a trauma alert, said fire rescue spokesman Capt. Don DeLucia.  Troopers are investigating whether Bonin was under the influence of any substance.

There have been an unnerving number of reports related to pedestrian-involved accidents in recent months.  Both drivers and pedestrians have to be very cautious and alert on Palm Beach County roadways.  Be aware of your surroundings, take your time, and look in all directions before proceeding.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another, call Palm Beach County Injury Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule your free consultation and go over your legal rights.

Two women in their twenties were involved in a single car accident with a tree this past weekend in South Florida.  Reports say that a young man stopped to help and all three were struck and killed by a third vehicle.  One of the young women was killed at the scene and the two others later died at Broward General Medical Center.

Details of how the accident occurred and who struck the three have still not been released pending a complete investigation but the news reminds us of the special care that must be taken if something happens to our vehicle on South Florida roadways.

For more information regarding this accident, click here for the full article in the Sun Sentinel.

Whether you are involved in an accident, your car breaks down or you are stopping to help others, please remember to fully analyze the situation and your location before getting out of your car.  If you have looked around and gauged whether it is safe to get out at that point in time and you do get out of your vehicle please be careful about where you stand.  There are many things to take into consideration, such as the time of day and lighting, if there is a curve in the roadway and a passing driver may not see you or have enough time to avoid you if you stand in a particular place, etc.  Take caution in any situation.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to the negligence of another driver, call South Florida Car Accident Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your legal rights.

How many of have sought medical advice in Florida for any type of injury or other ailment, only to be prescribed treatment via a medication or device you have never heard of?  Beyond that, how many of you have wondered if your doctor has received any type of payment from a drug or device company and if this has influenced their advice?

Data collected from varying sources shows that doctors receive payments in the form of cash, gifts, and food, sometimes worth as much as millions of dollars each year, from drug and medical device companies.

In an effort to offer some type of transparency for patients who are prescribed certain medications or medically advised to use certain devices, the US government is preparing to order all drug companies to regularly report all monies paid to doctors, whether directly or in the form of gifts and food.  This information will be posted on a website by the federal government, for public viewing.

According to a New York Times report, “the Obama administration estimates that more than 1,100 drug, device and medical supply companies will have to file reports, generating ‘large amounts of new data’.  Federal officials said they would inspect and audit drug company records to make sure the reports were accurate and complete.”

Studies show that some doctors who receive payments run their practices a bit differently; they are more apt to try new, more risky treatments in the form of a medication or device.  From the patient’s perspective, many people wonder if a doctor’s advice has been influenced by some type of payment and do not want to insult a doctor by asking questions.  This government enforced reporting could ease some of that worry on the part of the patient and allow them to look this information up and make a more informed decision.

Some worry that the publicly viewable reporting could deter advances in the medical field by making doctors more apprehensive in accepting payments and trying new medicines or devices.

There have been important points made about how the information should be presented so it is viewed in a proper context, does not stall progress in the medical field, and fulfills the primary goal of providing transparency of payment information to enable patients in making better-informed decisions.  The requirements are set to take effect very soon.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another, call Florida Injury Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule your free consultation and go over your legal rights.

We have discussed Florida Seatbelt Laws and Car Seat Safety in previous posts, but did you know that Florida is one of only 3 states in the country that does not require a booster seat for children over the age of four?  A proposed bill, HB 151 would change that and require that children, up to the age of eight, who are under the height of 4’9”, ride in a booster seat.

Lorrie Walker, a Deerfield Beach-based training manager and technical advisor for Safe Kids Buckle Up program, told the Sun Sentinel recently:  “Young passengers’ lives depend on parents hanging tough whether the law requires it or not.  If parents knew how violent a crash is, they would be horrified to not put their kids in restraints. Children can have back, spine and head injuries that can affect them for the rest of their lives.” The Safe Kids Buckle Up organization certifies child passenger safety technicians to assist consumers in properly installing car seats.

The point expressed by the bill’s supporters is that seat belts are designed to protect the average adult and do not sufficiently restrain and protect a much lighter and shorter child.

Arizona and South Dakota are the only two other states that do not have a booster seat law.

According to a Sun Sentinel report, it will soon be the fourth consecutive time state Rep. Richard Steinberg has co-sponsored a booster seat bill. Similar legislation passed both the House and Senate in 2001 only to be vetoed by then Gov. Jeb Bush, who said it was “too intrusive.”  Last year, the measure passed the Senate but was not heard by House committees. HB 151, at this point, also has not had a House committee hearing although it has multiple co-sponsors.

Statistics show that auto accident-related injuries and deaths of children would have prevented if a child booster seat would have been used.  Isn’t the protection of a single child a good enough reason to support this change?  It seems Florida is lagging behind on something that should be a ‘no-brainer.’

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida Automobile Accident, call Florida Automobile Accident Lawyer Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule a consultation at no cost to you.

A recent press release from the Florida Department of Health states the following:

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners (sitting as the Child Care Facilities Board) in August 2011 approved a new requirement for child safety alarm devices in vehicles used by child care centers. This rule is the first of its kind in Florida for protecting the children of Palm Beach County.

On or after September 1, 2012, all vehicles used by or on behalf of the child care facility for the transportation of children and that are designed to transport six (6) or more passengers must be equipped with a child safety alarm device that prompts the driver to inspect the vehicle for children upon vehicle shut off. The device must be properly maintained in working order at all times.

To ensure the safety of children, the child safety alarm must be used in conjunction with other requirements described in Palm Beach County Rules and Regulations Governing Child Care Facilities which states the driver or the staff member who conducts the walk-through inspection as required must sign the transportation log to verify that all children have exited the vehicle.

Reimbursement for a portion of the cost of the alarms is available to licensed providers through the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County. More information and request forms are available online at http://providers.cscpbc.org/childalarms.

In addition, when transporting children, staff to child ratios must be maintained at all times. The driver may be included in the staff to child ratio, however, when infants are being transported, there must be at least one other staff member in the vehicle who can see and hear all the children. At no time shall the driver alone transport infants or children under 5 years of age.

The complete rules and regulations can be reviewed online at http://www.pbchd.com/childcarerules

This is a positive step in protecting children of Palm Beach County who are transported under the supervision of child care facilities.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of another, call Palm Beach County Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your legal rights.

As of January 2, records show 111 people died as a result of Florida traffic accidents during the 18 days prior to January 2.  This figure has almost doubled from the 60 deaths recorded over an 18 day span during the holidays last year.

Florida Highway Patrol Captain Mark Brown said officials do not yet have an explanation for the increase.  Law enforcement agencies throughout Florida increased their presence on the roadways during the holidays for both years but the details of the traffic accidents need to be analyzed in depth to see what has caused this sharp increase.

Some statistics released in a report by WPTV Channel 5 News:

• Florida state troopers made 505 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs during the most recent campaign dubbed “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”  That compares to only 407 a year ago.
• Overall traffic citations issued by troopers, though, dropped from 40,000 to 35,000.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a Florida traffic accident due to the carelessness of another driver, call Florida Traffic Accident Lawyer Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today to discuss your legal rights at no cost to you.

As announced all over the news in the last few days, a 19 year old Belle Glade man has been arrested and charged in the murder of beloved Alabama Georgia grocery store owner Jimmy McMillan.  McMillan, a champion bass fisherman and father of three who Belle Glade residents remember with fondness, gave credit to residents who did not have cash and offered cooked meals to unemployed and hired locals.  The degree of impact of the loss of a person like this in a community like Belle Glade cannot be put into words.

State Attorney Michael McAuliffe and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the cooperation of the Belle Glade community was essential in making an arrest so quickly and they hope this is a sign of continued support of law enforcement by the community in cutting down on the amount of crime in Belle Glade.

In a unanimous decision by Belle Glade commissioners and community residents, a nighttime curfew has been discussed and there are requests for an increase of police patrolling.

One day after McMillan was murdered, the Osvilda Jewelry Store across the street from McMillan’s business was robbed by three men carrying guns. The robbers were wearing masks but there is surveillance footage available through wptv.com that anyone can view to see if there is something recognizable that law enforcement should be informed of immediately.

Assistant State Attorney Robert Shepherd spoke to residents of Belle Glade last Friday January 6, about both of the incidents.  Shepherd verbalized that too often people are concerned that they will be labeled a “snitch,” turning murder cases in Belle Glade into cold cases. “There are probably 100 cold cases because no one’s willing,” he said. “We can’t do anything.”

Anyone with information about the jewelry store robbery or any other crime is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

As a response to the escalating violence in Belle Glade, the Community has joined forces and plans to host a “Stop the Violence” March on Monday January 16, 2012.  Anyone can fall prey to this violence – your mother, father, brother, sister, friend… anyone.  The only way to stop this is to band together and express zero tolerance for these senseless acts.

If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident due to the negligence of another person, call Belle Glade Injury
Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today for a consultation at no cost to you.

More and more stories surface on the news about children acting violently toward each other.  Whether the cases are directly labeled as “bullying” or not, there is something seriously wrong.  Why do these children think it is ok to belittle and bully others?  Why do they seem to have little to no understanding of what their actions can cause: expulsion from school, legal repercussions, shame to their families, physical and emotional harm, and most devastating of all, loss of life.  These are all things that should cross their minds before they even think of harassing anyone else, whether physically or verbally.

I just spotted a news report about not one, not two, not three, but SEVEN central Florida teenagers who were arrested after authorities said they punched and kicked a 13-year-old girl until she was unconscious while riding a school bus this past Friday.

According to a WPTV News Channel 5 report:

The victim told authorities that Friday was her first time riding the bus and no one would let her sit down. About 75 children were riding the bus bound for a middle school in Ocala. According to the arrest report, the victim said someone threw a shoe at her and she threw one back, then one girl allegedly asked students if they wanted to hit the victim and instructed the teens to form a circle; they then began hitting and kicking the victim.  Several witnesses said they saw the girl fall to the floor and “appear to have a seizure and pass out.”

The victim, who is not being identified, was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with having suffered a concussion, severe bruising on her head and muscle spasms.

Seven teens, ranging in ages from 12 to 15, have been charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

The school’s bus driver said he saw the fight and pulled the bus over to intervene. The fighting ceased, so he continued driving, but he told authorities the fight broke out again and he couldn’t control it so he drove to a nearby school and called officials.

Law enforcement authorities interviewed all students on the bus and at least ten students stated they saw the seven “commit battery upon the victim as a group,” according to the report.  Additionally, Deputy Shannon Wiles wrote in the report that one 14-year-old girl climbed over several seats filled with students to get to the victim and “advised she punched the defendant repeatedly in the head, approximately 10-15 times because the victim called her a name.”

The Ocala Star-Banner, which first reported the fight, said school discipline rules call for the students to be expelled or reassigned to another school, according to Marion County Public Schools spokesman Kevin Christian.

This is yet another example of savage and inexcusable behavior among children.  A message of anti-violence and basic respect for one another obviously needs to be further discussed in schools, at home and in the media.  This is not a situation that is going to disappear with one conversation.  As an African proverb expresses, “it takes a village to raise a child.”

If you or a loved one has been injured due to the disregard of another person, call Florida Injury Attorney Shannon J. Sagan at 1-800-FLA-LAWYER today for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights.