Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is known as one of the biggest shopping days of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, 2023 saw a record 200.4 million shoppers take advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargains.
To help you stay safe while shopping for those must-have items on your list, our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton want to remind you of the potential hazards, typical injuries, safety tips, and what to do if you get hurt during the holiday rush. This year Black Friday falls on November 29, 2024, and we want you to be prepared.
The incident happened at Bushel and a Peck Orchard in the town of Lafayette, which is in Chippewa Falls, about 200 miles west of Green Bay.
According to reports, the wagons were being pulled off a public road when the driver lost control, causing them to flip and leaving multiple children and adults with serious injuries.
It is that time of year again – the kids are all heading back to school. Right about this time is when family life gets hectic, but it is important to take the time to review – and share with your kids – some key safety tips that can keep them safe throughout the school year.
Tips for Transportation Safety
Children must take the necessary safety precautions whether they walk, ride their bicycles, or take the bus to and from school. To ensure that your child gets to school safely, consider the following suggestions:
Suffering an injury because of another person’s negligence can flip your life upside down. The aftermath of a car accident, a slip and fall, a workplace accident, or any other personal injury accident can be daunting, with growing medical bills, lost pay, and pain and suffering to consider. However, when it comes to recovering compensation for your losses, hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer at Whittel & Melton can make all the difference.
Keep in mind that the opposing party’s insurance company is not your friend. Without a doubt, they will advise you against hiring an attorney as doing so will probably result in a larger payment from their business. Their primary purpose is to reduce the amount they must pay, whether by shifting blame to you, undervaluing your injuries, or pressuring you to accept a low-ball settlement offer.
Your personal injury claim is likely worth much more than the insurance adjuster is letting on, which may shock you. The truth is that the insurance industry’s own research has revealed that clients who are represented by a personal injury lawyer receive three times larger payouts than those who choose to take these cases on without legal representation.
Findings From the Insurance Research Council
According to the Insurance Research Council, accident victims with lawyers by their side receive payouts that are roughly 3.5 times more than those without. Since its initial publication in 1999, this research has been revised and is still valid.
In addition to greater settlement amounts, the Insurance Research Council discovered that 85 percent of all insurance settlements for bodily injury claims went to individuals who hired an attorney.
The Insurance Research Council’s findings are supported by an internal investigation done by Lawyers.com. The study found that 91 percent of individuals who hired a lawyer received compensation, compared to 51 percent who received no payout. Furthermore, even after accounting for the attorney’s contingency fee, claimants with legal assistance received around three times the amount as those without. According to a 2023 update from Lawyers.com, the average payout is $52,900, and personal injury verdicts and settlements normally range from $3,000 to $75,000.
Insurance companies do not want you to work with an attorney because they know that this most likely means they will pay more for your claim. Do not be fooled by their attempts to make you a “fair” offer. It is in your best interests to sit down with our Florida Personal Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton, who have the experience needed to handle personal injury cases as well as a proven track record of success, and discuss your claim in a free consultation before accepting any offers from insurance adjusters. When you meet with us, we can ask questions and discuss the details of your case in further detail so that you can determine how you would like to proceed. Continue reading
MARION COUNTY, FL – State troopers said a Marion County sanitation worker was killed in an accident on Tuesday morning, according to WKMG.
It happened as the worker was loading garbage within the Spruce Creek subdivision on Southeast 108th Terrace.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was hit by a tire from the garbage truck at about 9 a.m. The worker, a 25-year-old Ocala man, was pronounced dead by Marion County Fire Rescue.
GoPasco offers free bus rides to Pasco County voters on Tuesday, March 19, so anyone needing transportation to the polls has it!
Voters who present a valid voter information card will receive free bus rides thanks to a partnership between Pasco County Public Transportation and the Supervisor of Elections. Voters who otherwise would not have been allowed to cast a ballot on election day have come to favor the collaboration, which has been in place for a little over ten years.
Polls throughout the state open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
In 2017, the woman apparently claimed in disclosures made before Ireland’s High Court that she suffered from “debilitating pain” from a car accident that prevented her from lifting heavy objects and kept her in bed on bad days.
The NHTSA reports that at least one motorist suffered the loss of sight in one eye when a rhinestone embellished aftermarket emblem dislodged from the steering wheel in a crash and hit her in the face.
The item in question is a metal or plastic plate with an adhesive back that covers the vehicle’s logo in the center of the steering wheel. It is typically adorned in rhinestones or other shiny embellishments. When an air bag deploys in a collision, the product may become a projectile that causes significant harm or even death.
These aftermarket decals, unlike the permanently mounted insignia on your vehicle’s steering wheel, can readily become detached when the air bag deploys. Your air bag may also stop working properly if you make any modifications to it or its cover.
The NHTSA has released a warning asking consumers to avoid purchasing these potentially dangerous decals. If you have already purchased one and applied it to your steering wheel, the NHTSA urges you to remove it promptly to avoid any potential injuries.
Why Is Bling on Your Steering Wheel Dangerous?
These shiny, gemstone encrusted decals go over the steering wheel, which is where the driver’s side airbag deploys in the event of a crash. This is essentially placing a fragile item on top of an explosive. If a crash occurs, the stones from the cover could separate and become airborne shrapnel scattering about the vehicle that could cause harm to vehicle occupants.
Though aesthetically pleasing, these diamond or rhinestone embellishments are not safe. You may be entitled to compensation for losses such as medical costs, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and emotional anguish if you were hurt by products manufactured using defective components. Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can offer you a free consultation about your legal rights and alternatives. Continue reading
Hiring the right lawyer for your case does not just mean getting the best results. It also means getting the right treatment.
The truth of the matter is that our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have been practicing personal injury law for a very long time, and we have great relationships with doctors all over the Sunshine State, especially in the communities near our office locations in Spring Hill, New Port Richey, St. Petersburg, Inverness, Beverly Hills, Bushnell, The Villages, Gainesville, Tampa, Boca Raton, and Miami Beach.
What does this mean for injury victims? The benefit of seeking treatment from a medical professional recommended by an attorney is that you will probably be seen immediately away and can choose a location that is convenient for you.
It is acceptable to receive care from your health insurance provider if you have coverage. Your health insurance company will be entitled to compensation for any accident-related medical care it paid for when your injury claim is resolved.
When receiving care through a health insurance provider, there may be protracted wait times and challenges obtaining physical therapy authorization. Additionally, you might need to see a chiropractor but your insurance does not cover that type of care.
If you employ a personal injury attorney, they may recommend a physician who will treat you on a lien, which means you will not have to pay the physician until after you have received the settlement money from the case. Doctors that have an established relationship with your lawyers will prioritize seeing you and will go that extra mile to really do what they can to help you.
At the end of the day, a personal injury case is not only about money – it is about making you feel better, getting you quality medical care, and getting you on the right track for now as well as in the future. This is why it is so important to hire the right lawyer and not just any lawyer. Continue reading
Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
