Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

December 20, 2024

News: Insurance claims from Hurricane Milton rise another $100 million

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The state of Florida has issued an update regarding the number of insurance claims filed as the result of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton.

According to Florida Politics, more than 313,000 insurance claims have now been filed in Florida due to Milton, resulting in a total of $3.448 billion in Florida claims.

That is an increase of $100 million from the previous figure posted last month by the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation. The office has been keeping track of claims made since Hurricane Milton hit the Gulf Coast in October. The number of claims was up nearly 11,000 from the last report. The new total includes 248,812 residential property claims and 14,805 commercial property claims.

December 19, 2024

News: Crash on County Road 33 in Groveland leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol released details of a fatal collision that occurred in Lake County on Monday afternoon.

According to WESH, the wreck happened in the area of County Road 33 and Soto Road in Groveland. The FHP said the driver of a 2008 Chevrolet HHR was headed south on County Road 33 at about 12:13 p.m. when the vehicle went out of its lane. The Chevrolet entered the path of a 2015 Ford Fusion going north.

The vehicles collided near Soto Road. The Chevrolet driver was transported to the Orlando Regional Medical Center and was pronounced dead. The Ford driver was taken to the same hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

December 18, 2024

News: Multi-vehicle crash shuts down southbound lanes of Interstate 75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – A multi-vehicle accident snarled traffic along a stretch of Interstate 75 in Pasco County during Wednesday morning’s commute, reports WTVT.

The crash, which occurred at about 8 a.m., took place between State Road 54 and State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. The Florida Highway Patrol said commercial and non-commercial vehicles were involved, causing injuries that were not life-threatening.

All southbound traffic was diverted at Exit 279 for State Road 54. The right lane of I-75 remained blocked nearly three hours after the wreck, which remains under investigation.

December 17, 2024

5 Holiday Safety Tips to Keep You and Your Loved Ones Injury Free

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The holidays are a joyous time, and while there is much fun to be had, there are also safety concerns to think about. There is always an increase in traffic this time of year, with people traveling, shopping, and running around to holiday parties and events. It is important to take safety precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe this season, so our Florida Injury Lawyers have compiled a list of 5 safety tips to keep in mind as you are out and about celebrating.

Drive Responsibly

Congested roads with people rushing to get where they need to go can be a recipe for disaster. Please try to remember to:

December 17, 2024

News: Collision in southwest Ocala leaves 1 driver dead, 1 seriously injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – An elderly driver died after her vehicle was involved in a collision southwest Ocala last week, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

The incident happened Wednesday in the area of State Road 200 and SW 73rd Street Road, where state troopers responded just after 10 a.m.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a Nissan 370Z was going east on Southwest 73rd Street Road and tried to make a turn at the intersection. She turned in front of a Chevy Silverado pickup truck that was going north on SR 200, resulting in a collision that caused the Chevy to overturn.

December 16, 2024

News: Woman, 89, killed in multi-vehicle wreck on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

EUSTIS, FL – A multi-vehicle collision in Lake County on Wednesday afternoon claimed the life of an elderly driver, according to the Daily Commercial.

The crash happened in the area of State Road 44 and Forest Ridge Road at about 1:47 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation indicated that the driver of a semi-tractor-trailer was trying to slow down for a vehicle ahead on eastbound State Road 44. The truck lost control of its trailer, which veered into the westbound lane and struck a 2014 Nissan Sentra.

The Nissan then crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a Ford E-450 van/passenger bus. The Nissan driver, an 89-year-old woman from Eustis, died after being taken to an area hospital.

December 13, 2024

News: Crash involving car and semi shuts down stretch of I-75 in Hernando County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Rescue crews were called to the scene of a crash involving a car and a semi-truck on Interstate 75 in Hernando County Wednesday.

According to a report by WTSP, the incident occurred shortly after noon and shut down the northbound lanes of I-75 at mile marker 304. A semi collided with a car, jackknifed and collided with a guardrail. The trailer of the truck went sideways as a result of the impact and blocked the northbound lanes.

Only minor injuries were reported, but drivers were advised to expect an extended closure and major delays. The exit for State Road 50 was recommended as an alternate route.

December 12, 2024

News: 1 dead, 2 injured in multi-vehicle collision on State Road 52

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly multi-vehicle accident that occurred in San Antonio, Pasco County on Sunday morning, WFLA reports.

According to the FHP, the driver of a Hyundai Tucson was making a turn at the intersection of State Road 52 and Old Tampa Bay Drive at about 10:30 a.m. The Tucson turned in front of a Harley Davidson motorcycle that was going east on State Road 52, and the bike collided with the vehicle. The Tucson was then re-directed into a semi-truck that had stopped at the intersection.

The motorcyclist, a 46-year-old San Antonio man, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The Tucson driver, an 81-year-old woman, and her passenger, an 87-year-old man, suffered minor injuries. Both are from San Antonio.

December 11, 2024

News: Man, 36, killed when ATV hits fence, overturns in Hernando County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – An accident in Hernando County killed the driver of an all-terrain vehicle on Saturday morning, WFTS reports.

The crash happened in the 3300 block of Saturn Road, where a man was driving a Polaris side-by-side ATV at about 12:44 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said he lost control while going around a curve. The vehicle went off the roadway, struck a fence and overturned.

The driver, a 36-year-old man from Brooksville, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Three passengers were not injured, the man’s 11-year-old daughter, his 36-year-old girlfriend, and her 10-year-old daughter.

December 10, 2024

News: Brooksville man, 73, dies after motorcycle rear-ends vehicle on US-301

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A rear-end collision in Pasco County on Sunday afternoon claimed the life of a motorcyclist, Pasco News Online reports.

The incident took place in the 21000 block of US-301 in Dade City. The Florida Highway Patrol determined that the driver of a Cadillac Escalade had stopped to turn into a driveway at that location, and was struck from behind by a motorcycle going north on US-301.

The motorcycle rider, a 73-year-old man from Brooksville, was killed. The Escalade driver, a 56-year-old woman, was not injured in the collision, which remains under investigation by the FHP.