Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

January 23, 2025

International Travel Tips from a Personal Injury Lawyer

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

If you have never traveled abroad and are planning a trip soon, there are probably many questions going through your brain. Luck for you, our personal injury attorneys at Whittel & Melton are well versed in international holidays and we have some great non-injury-related tips that can help your trip go smoothly.

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before you head out on your vacation. Drink plenty of water once you arrive at your destination, just make sure that whatever water you are drinking is safe for consumption. In countries where the tap water is unsafe to drink, bottled water is the best option.
Use bright luggage. This helps you identify your bag quicker and will help you get through customs swiftly so that you can get on with your vacation. If you do not have bright-colored luggage, consider adding colorful stickers or a fun tag or ribbon that stands out so that you can easily identify your luggage.

January 23, 2025

News: Child injured in school bus vs. sedan crash at Ocala intersection

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A 12-year-old child was hurt Wednesday afternoon, January 22, in Ocala when the vehicle they were traveling in was rear-ended by a school bus, reports WCJB.

The incident occurred in the right-turn lane of Southwest 60th Avenue, prompting an emergency response shortly after 4:30 p.m.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said a 56-year-old woman was behind the wheel of a sedan and was stopped in the lane. At one point, the sedan was hit from the back by a school bus occupied by 26 students.

January 22, 2025

News: 1 dead after train collides with car at railroad crossing in Citra

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRA, FL – A crash in Marion County involving a train and a passenger vehicle left one person dead on Sunday morning, according to a WCJB report.

It occurred in Citra, in the area of NE 175th Street Road east of U.S. 301. Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at about 2:30 a.m. and found a person dead inside a vehicle.

The Florida Highway Patrol learned that a CSX train going south had collided with the vehicle at a railroad crossing.

January 21, 2025

Why You Should Hire a Curious Lawyer

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

You should choose your lawyer carefully, just like you would with a contractor or financial advisor. In addition to disclosing private information, you will be putting your trust in their legal counsel and their abilities to help you get through a difficult circumstance that you are unable to manage on your own.

When you are doing your research into finding a lawyer for your case, look for a lawyer who is curious about the law. What do we mean by this? You want your lawyer to be someone that is always engaged with what is going on in their field and constantly evolving with the times. Your dealings with your lawyer should not just be transactional – you are a team working together and collaborating to achieve the best possible outcome. Your lawyer should be someone you like and trust – you should be able to confide in your lawyer and feel comfortable sharing the details of your case. With that said, you want a lawyer who asks probing questions and seems genuinely curious about your case and not just the basic facts.

You want a lawyer that encourages you – the client – to ask questions. There are no dumb questions, and the more informed you are, the better. A lawyer who encourages their clients to seek clarification is one that is fostering a relationship of collaboration and trust. Your lawyer should want you to be curious, too, so that you can actively contribute to the legal process.

January 21, 2025

News: 1 dead, 2 injured in fiery crash at intersection in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – Two vehicles were involved in a deadly crash at an intersection in Sumter County on Friday night, WESH reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol was called to the area of County Road 475 and State Road 44 after the incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m.

The FHP’s investigation determined that the driver of an unidentified car was heading south on C.R. 474 while approaching a stop sign and did not yield when entering the intersection. The driver of a Nissan Altima going west on S.R. 44 swerved to the left to avoid a collision with that vehicle and entered the eastbound lanes, where the car crashed into an eastbound Chevy pickup truck. The Nissan and the Chevy both caught fire.

January 20, 2025

News: Suspect in custody in connection with Lake County hit-and-run

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol has made an arrest in the case of a collision that killed a motorist in Lake County on Jan. 13, according to the Leesburg News.

The crash happened on US-27 at Margaux Drive shortly before 7 p.m. According to the FHP, the vehicle of a 37-year-old Auburndale man had broken down and he was standing behind it, directing traffic to the next lane. A tow truck driver stopped partially in the outside lane and on the shoulder of the road to assist the man.

State troopers said that at that point, the driver of a Kia Soul was heading south on US-27 in the outside lane and failed to move over. The Kia then struck the 37-year-old pedestrian, causing him to hit the driver’s side mirror of the tow truck. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

January 17, 2025

Let’s Lower the Number of Distracted Driving Accidents in 2025

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

In today’s fast-paced world, technology has become an essential component of our daily routine. Although there are many advantages to technology improvements, they have also led to an increase in incidences involving distracted driving. Distracted driving is a critical issue that jeopardizes road safety.

The bottom line is that cars today have more features than cars 20-30 years ago, which makes it much easier to become distracted behind the wheel. We are constantly getting text messages and have large screens in our cars where you can play satellite music or even “car play” where you can play music from your phone, listen to podcasts and audiobooks, the list goes on.

Distracted driving is often attributed to teen drivers, but that is not always the case. Our Florida Car Accident Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have seen distracted driving accidents involving truck drivers, bus drivers, moms and dads in minivans and SUVs, grandmas/grandpas in sedans, and of course, teen drivers.

January 17, 2025

News: Car slams into back of school bus on SW 27th Avenue in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A car and a school bus were involved in a collision in Marion County on Thursday, First Coast News reported.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the bus driver was heading south on SW 27th Avenue and put on the yellow flashing lights while slowing down to pick up a child. The driver of a southbound sedan did not slow down, and struck the rear of the bus.

No children were on board the bus, and no injuries were reported.

January 16, 2025

Driver of disabled vehicle struck and killed in hit-and-run on U.S. 27

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly hit-and-run incident that occurred Monday evening in Lake County.

A report by WKMG states that a 37-year-old Auburndale man was killed in the crash on US-27 at Margaux Drive shortly before 7 p.m. According to the FHP, the man’s vehicle had broken down and he was standing behind it, directing traffic to the next lane. A tow truck driver stopped partially in the outside lane and on the shoulder of the road to assist the man.

State troopers said that at that point, the driver of a Kia Soul was heading south on US-27 in the outside lane and failed to move over. The Kia then struck the 37-year-old pedestrian, causing him to hit the driver’s side mirror of the tow truck. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

January 15, 2025

News: Altoona woman dies in collision with dump truck on County Road 439

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – Authorities were called to a fatal crash involving a sedan and a dump truck in Lake County on Tuesday morning, WESH reported.

The accident happened at about 8:23 a.m. on County Road 439 near County Road 44A. The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the driver of a 1994 dump truck encountered stopped traffic while heading north. When the driver tried to brake, he veered into the southbound lane of CR-439 and collided head-on with a 2019 Toyota Corolla.

The Toyota driver, a 23-year-old Altoona woman, died after being rushed to AdventHealth Waterman Hospital. The dump truck driver, a 28-year-old Leesburg man, was not injured and stayed at the scene.