Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

September 5, 2024

News: Man and woman from Brooksville die following motorcycle collision

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRUS COUNTY, FL – An accident in Citrus County Saturday afternoon claimed the lives of a man and woman on a motorcycle, WFTS reported.

The incident happened at the intersection of U.S. Highway 19 and Dixieland Street in the Homosassa area at about 1:12 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was headed west on Dixieland Street and failed to yield at the intersection. The motorcycle entered the path of a Nissan Altima going north on U.S. 19 and was struck by the car.

The motorcycle driver, a 79-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at an area hospital. The two, described by the FHP as friends, were both residents of Brooksville.

September 4, 2024

News: Wrong-way crash near Gainesville airport leaves 1 dead, 3 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – A wrong-way driver was involved in a fatal collision in Gainesville on Sunday morning, police said.

According to a report by WCJB, the incident occurred at 3333 Northeast 39th Avenue, near Gainesville Regional Airport.

A police investigation determined that a driver was heading in the wrong direction while traveling east on State Road 222, and collided with another vehicle.

September 3, 2024

More Uninsured Drivers on the Road – Make Sure You Have UM Coverage | Florida Auto Accident Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The number of uninsured drivers is increasing, which raises the price of auto insurance for everyone else.

Analysts claim that the auto insurance sector is trapped in a never-ending cycle of rising expenses. Costs for auto insurance have increased by 52% in the last three years. An increasing number of drivers are canceling their policies due to rising prices, which in turn raises the cost of insurance for other drivers.

The nonprofit Insurance Research Council reports that as of 2022, the percentage of drivers without insurance increased from 11% in 2019 to 14% in 2022.

September 3, 2024

News: Woman on tricycle struck, killed by vehicle in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a fatal accident involving a tricycle in Pasco County Monday morning, according to a WTSP report.

State troopers determined that the rider of the tricycle was going west on Long Avenue near 15th Street shortly before 2 a.m. in front of a Suzuki SX4. The driver of the Suzuki, a 43-year-old man, overtook the tricycle and collided with it.

The tricycle rider, a 46-year-old woman, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The FHP said the tricycle did not have lights.

September 2, 2024

Former Cruise Ship Crew Member Sentenced to 30 Years for Secretly Filming Children | Florida Cruise Ship Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former Royal Caribbean International staff member was sentenced to 30 years in prison for using hidden cameras to film guests while they were in various stages of undress, including minors.

The 34-year-old man was sentenced on Wednesday following his previous guilty plea to producing child pornography, according to a news release from the Southern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office.

After a guest on the Symphony of the Seas ship discovered a hidden camera beneath the sink in their bathroom, the man was charged with six counts of video voyeurism in Florida and detained on federal child pornography charges in March.

September 2, 2024

News: Collision in New Port Richey leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – A two-vehicle wreck in Pasco County last week left one of the drivers dead and the other hospitalized.

Pasco News Online reports that the incident happened Aug. 26 at the intersection of Little Road and Heritage Lakes Boulevard.

The Florida Highway Patrol said that the driver of a Ford Focus was going south on Little Road and turned left into the path of a northbound Nissan Xterra, resulting in a collision. The Ford driver, a 36-year-old man from New Port Richey, was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead.

August 31, 2024

Labor Day Festivals and Fairs in Full Swing – Stay Safe Out There | Florida Amusement Park Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Labor Day weekend is here, which marks the official end of summer. Whether you are attending a block party, a parade, a music festival, concert, or even a carnival or fair, our Florida Amusement Park Injury Lawyers want to remind you to exercise caution so that you can stay injury-free.

Injuries at fairs and festivals can be caused by a variety of things, including ride malfunctions, chaos and fights, inadequate security, etc. Many hazards can present themselves at these large events, especially when crowd control is not prioritized.

If you are injured at a festival or fair, we would like to remind you to do four important things:

August 30, 2024

News: Bronson man killed when motorcycle crashes into utility pole

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol has released details of a deadly motorcycle crash that occurred in Alachua County on Wednesday morning, the Gainesville Sun reports.

State troopers responded to the scene on State Road 24/Archer Road west of Gainesville at about 10:32 a.m. The FHP said a motorcyclist and the driver of a car were both attempting to pass other traffic when they collided. The motorcycle then went off the roadway and crashed into a utility pole.

The motorcycle rider, a 40-year-old man from Bronson, was pronounced dead after being transported to UF Health Shands Hospital.

August 29, 2024

News: Bicyclist injured after being struck by vehicle in Zephyrhills

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ZEPHYRHILLS, FL – State troopers are investigating a collision in Pasco County that sent a bicycle rider to the hospital.

A report by Pasco News Online states that the incident took place Monday morning on Chancey Road near Zephyr Preserve Place in Zephyrhills.

The Florida Highway Patrol reported that a bicyclist was riding westbound in the eastbound lane and was hit by an eastbound Chevy Silverado. The bicyclist, a 40-year-old man from Zephyrhills, was seriously injured.

August 28, 2024

News: 16-year-old motorcyclist crashes into school bus in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A motorcycle and a school bus were involved in a collision in Pasco County on Monday afternoon, WTSP reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol said a 16-year-old boy was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle east on Trinity Boulevard when the incident took place shortly before 3:30 p.m. The school bus and other cars had stopped for a pedestrian on a crosswalk near Sweetspire Drive, and the motorcyclist was not able to stop in time.

The teen rider crashed into the back of the bus and was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. There were no injuries among the 42 students on board the bus and the bus driver.