Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

November 24, 2023

News: 2 Spring Hill men die in car accident near Casa Grande Circle

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SPRING HILL, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a car accident in Spring Hill Monday night left two men dead, reports the Hernando Sun.

The victims were riding in a Cadillac ATS sedan when the crash occurred in the vicinity of Mariner Boulevard and Casa Grande Circle.

The initial investigation determined that the driver was headed south on Mariner Boulevard shortly before 10:30 p.m. and was unable to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The Cadillac entered the median, went back over the southbound lanes, and then struck two transformer utility boxes and a concrete wall.

November 22, 2023

Deep Frying a Turkey for Thanksgiving? Know How to Use a Fire Extinguisher | Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Frying turkeys did not seem to be a thing until a few decades ago, but it is now viral. Indeed, it can also be hazardous.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, Thanksgiving is a peak day for house fires due to all the home cooking.

For your safety on Thanksgiving, consider the following advice:

When cooking, remain in the kitchen. It will allow you to monitor the situation should things go awry.
Stay at home while you prepare the turkey, and be sure to monitor it as cooking time progresses. Do not be tempted to sneak away to the neighbor’s house for a two-hour glass of wine or get wrapped up in a three-hour phone call with your Aunt Linda in Chicago.
When hot foods and liquids are prepared on Thanksgiving, keep children away from splash/splatter zones. Hot steam and scorching surfaces have the potential to cause severe burn injuries.
Do you have functional smoke alarms? Verify that they are by checking them–everything should be working if you hear an ear-piercing shriek from them.
Turkey fryers require a lot of oil and very high cooking temperatures, which may result in severe burns. In case you were unaware, fryers that do not need oil exist.

Have You Used A Fire Extinguisher Before?

Remember the PASS method (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep) when using a fire extinguisher.

Take the pin out. The seal will be broken as a result.
Aim low, at the fire’s base.
Apply pressure on the handle.
As you spray, move your hand side to side at the fire’s base.

November 22, 2023

News: Teenage driver arrested following fatal accident in Hernando

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said an accident involving a suspected drunk driver left an elderly man dead Nov. 14.

According to the Citrus County Chronicle, the incident happened in the area of North Florida Avenue north of Zephyr Street. The FHP’s investigation determined that a Chevy Silverado and a Nissan Rogue had become immobilized at that location shortly after 11:30 p.m. A pedestrian and a Good Samaritan helped both drivers safely leave their vehicles before the Nissan went up in flames.

At the same time, a 17-year-old girl driving a Kia Optima was headed south on North Florida Avenue. At the top of a hill she struck the pedestrian, a 45-year-old Inverness woman, and the Chevy driver, an 82-year-old man. The Kia driver then struck the Chevy, causing it to hit the Nissan.

November 21, 2023

News: Driver injured when car hits pole, breaks apart in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A driver was hospitalized after a car accident in Marion County on Saturday morning, officials said.

According to a Facebook post by Marion County Fire Rescue, crews were dispatched to the intersection of State Highway 200 and SW 80th Street at about 8:24 a.m.

Callers to 911 reported that a white Corvette had gone off the road, clipped a power pole and broken apart. First responders arrived to find the car in pieces and power lines hanging low. The driver was transported to an area hospital as a trauma alert, but no further details were provided on the person’s condition.

November 20, 2023

3 Million Floridians Anticipated to Travel for Thanksgiving Holiday | Florida Car Accident Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Over 3 million Floridians are expected to travel 50 miles or more over the Thanksgiving holiday season, according to AAA. With 87,000 (3%) more vacationers anticipated than in the previous year, this year’s projection is the biggest since 2005.

Road trips Over Thanksgiving is the Second Highest on Record in Florida

Most Thanksgiving travelers will road tripping to their destinations. According to AAA, about 2.8 million Floridians will travel 50 miles or more by car. This breaks down to 71,000 more Florida drivers on the road (+2.6%) than there was the previous year. The amount of auto traffic expected this year is 10,000 less than the record high, which was reached over the Thanksgiving weekend in 2005.

November 20, 2023

News: Passenger killed, driver arrested after collision on I-75 south

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – One person was killed and another was arrested after a car accident Thursday night in Marion County, according to the Ocala StarBanner.

Two vehicles were involved in the crash on Interstate 75 south near the exit for County Road 326.

The Florida Highway Patrol said a Honda Civic was headed south on I-75 when the vehicle hydroplaned on the wet pavement. The driver lost control of the car which went off the roadway, crashed into a guardrail, returned to the road, and was struck by a rental Nissan Armanda sport utility vehicle going south. The impact caused the SUV to overturn.

November 17, 2023

News: Man walking on I-75 south of Ocala killed by hit-and-run driver

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident that occurred in Marion County on Sunday morning.

According to a WESH report, a man was walking in the right lane of Interstate 75 south of Ocala at about 5 a.m. when he was struck and killed by a northbound vehicle. The victim was a 41-year-old man from Clearwater.

The driver involved left the scene of the crash. No description of the vehicle was immediately released.

November 16, 2023

News: Van driver injured in collision with Amazon truck in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – A collision in Marion County on Tuesday morning sent one of the drivers to the hospital, rescue officials said.

According to a Facebook post, Marion County Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene of the crash shortly after 11 a.m. It happened at the intersection of SE 174th Court and State Road 40 East, where an Amazon tractor-trailer collided with a Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

The Ocala StarBanner reports the minivan driver was driving erratically while going west on SR 40. The Florida Highway Patrol said the van crossed over the double yellow line and hit the tractor-trailer, which went off the roadway and into a ditch.

November 16, 2023

New Safety Protocols Revealed as Florida Announced Third Worst State for Pedestrian Accidents | Florida Pedestrian and Cyclist Accident Attorneys Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

According to a recent study by traffic safety technology provider Altumint, Florida has the third-highest rate of pedestrian traffic fatalities nationwide.

The Road Safety Report from Altumint looks at both county- and state-level accidents, offering an unparalleled look at Florida’s road deaths. Speeding accounts for 25% of road fatalities in the US, and most drivers in Florida acknowledge that they break the speed limit in school zones, endangering Florida’s school-aged children. To put this into perspective, if a pedestrian or cyclist is struck by a driver travelling at 40 mph, their chances for survival are approximately 10 to 15 percent.

Here are the areas in Florida that are the most dangerous following this 12-month reports from 2022:

November 15, 2023

News: Head-on collision of pickups on SR 24 kills 1, injures 3

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said two pickup trucks were involved in a deadly collision on Sunday evening in Alachua County.

The Main Street Daily News reports the accident happened on State Road 24 near NE 55th Terrace. The FHP determined that a man was driving a pickup south shortly before 6 p.m. when he crossed over the center median and collided head-on with a northbound pickup.

The driver of the first vehicle, a 23-year-old man from Gainesville, was killed in the wreck. The driver of the second vehicle, a 43-year-old man, and his two passengers, a 44-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy, suffered minor injuries. The three are from Cordova, Maryland.