GAINESVILLE, FL – Authorities said a man trying to elude police crashed into a Gainesville Police Department vehicle late Tuesday night.
According to a WCJB report, the incident began when Gainesville police officers attempted a traffic stop on 21-year-old Robert Rodriguez on Northeast Third Place at 11 p.m. Police said Rodriguez took off and fled onto Northeast Waldo Road. At that point he collided with a Gainesville patrol vehicle that was waiting at a red light.
An officer inside the patrol vehicle was trapped and extricated by firefighters. The officer was treated and released from the hospital after sustaining injuries that were not life-threatening.
PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a van and a motorcycle were involved in a deadly crash in Pasco County Friday night.
A report by WFLA states the accident happened on US-41 near Five Palms Lane at about 10:10 p.m. The FHP’s investigation found that a 40-year-old man from Hudson was driving an Oldsmobile van southbound on U.S. 41, and made a left turn at a private driveway.
The van turned in front of a Yamaha motorcycle going north on US-41, resulting in a collision. THe operator of the motorcycle, a 25-year-old man from Spring Hill, was pronounced dead at the scene.
SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A single-vehicle accident in Sumter County early Sunday morning left a driver dead, WKMG reported.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the wreck in the area of County Road 616 and County Road 48. The FHP’s investigation found that the driver of a Ford Taurus was headed north at about 12:53 a.m. when he went through the intersection without stopping and crashed into a tree.
The driver, a 21-year-old man from Bushnell, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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
PORT RICHEY, FL – A Port Richey man was arrested after police said he left the scene of a crash on Monday, according to Pasco News Online.
37-year-old Kris Paterson is charged in the incident that occurred at the intersection of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Hampton Road in Clearwater. Police said Paterson was driving a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup truck when he made a right turn from a business parking lot and struck a man riding a mobility scooter.
The victim, 80-year-old Ernest Coluzzi, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in critical condition. Investigators said Paterson did not stop to help the victim but fled the scene at a high rate of speed. He stopped on Bayview Avenue to remove the scooter that became stuck under the pickup, police said.
HUDSON, FL – State troopers are investigating a crash on State Road 52 in Hudson Monday night that claimed the life of a pedestrian, Pasco News Online reports.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a woman entered the roadway west of Colony Road just before 11 p.m. and was hit by two vehicles heading eastbound, a motorcycle and a commercial truck.
The pedestrian, whose identity was not disclosed, died at the scene. The man driving the motorcycle, a 57-year-old resident of New Port Richey, was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the truck, a 49-year-old Pompano Beach man, was not injured.
MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol and Marion County Fire Rescue were at the scene of a fatal pedestrian accident in Marion County early Monday morning.
According to the Ocala StarBanner, the incident occurred in the area of County Road 314A and Northeast 14th Street Road shortly before 6 a.m.
The FHP’s investigation determined that a woman was walking in the northbound lane of CR-314A when she was hit by a northbound pickup truck. The pedestrian, a 36-year-old Silver Springs resident, died at the scene.
The man was charged with eight counts of DUI manslaughter after a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup truck he was reportedly driving crashed with a 2010 International bus carrying 53 migrant workers to a nearby farm shortly after 6:30 a.m.
According to the arrest report, the Ford pickup truck was headed east on State Road 40 while the bus was heading west.
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Authorities announced an arrest in connection with a deadly collision in Hernando County in November 2023, Pasco News Online reports.
48-year-old Kristie Lynn Paxton of Hudson is charged with DUI manslaughter for the crash that occurred on Mariner Boulevard near Case Grande Circle.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Paxton was driving a 2005 Nissan Armada when she lost control of the vehicle. The Nissan collided with a 2019 Toyota Tacoma, causing Paxton and her passenger to be ejected.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred around 6:30 a.m. today involving at least one or more large buses.
Marion County Public Safety Information officials confirmed that 53 people were onboard at the time of the accident, 8 people were killed, there are 8 additional trauma alerts, and 38 others were transported to nearby hospitals.
