Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

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.

November 14, 2023

News: 2 teens dead, 2 injured after car crashes into tree in Spring Hill

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SPRING HILL, FL – A car accident in Spring Hill late Saturday night left two teenagers dead, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol released details of the fatal wreck, which occurred on Mariner Boulevard at about 11:05 p.m. The FHP said a 17-year-old male was driving a Toyota Camry southbound and failed to negotiate a curve in the road near Santee Street.

As the car rotated, the teen drove off the road and the vehicle overturned in the front yard of a home on Mariner Boulevard, where it crashed into a tree.

November 13, 2023

News: Fatal collision involving motorcycle and Marion County government vehicle

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – A motorcycle and a Marion County government vehicle were involved in a fatal collision on Wednesday afternoon, reports the Ocala StarBanner.

The Florida Highway Patrol, Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Marion County Fire Rescue responded to the scene on County Road 314 shortly before 2:30 p.m.

The FHP’s investigation determined that the operator of an older model Harley-Davidson motorcycle was riding eastbound on CR 314 and approached a deep curve near Northeast 112th Avenue. The bike rider crossed into the opposite lane, where the driver of a Marion County Public Works van was going west.

November 10, 2023

News: Man arrested following hit-and-run crash in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HOLIDAY, FL – A man is facing charges in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Pasco County on Sunday afternoon, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

New Port Richey Patch reports the accident occurred at the intersection of Ridge Road and DeCubellis Road at about 12:20 p.m. State troopers said the driver of a Ford Escape went through a red light and crashed into a Nissan Altima that was stopped for the red light. The Altima driver, a 66-year-old New Port Richey man, was not injured.

The driver of the Ford kept going north on DeCubellis Road after the crash before losing control of the vehicle, which overturned. That driver then fled the scene on foot.

November 9, 2023

News: Ocala woman dies in collision on State Road 200

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene of a deadly collision in Marion County on Monday.

WKMG reports a sedan and a pickup truck collided on State Road 200 near SW 62nd Court at about 5 p.m. According to state troopers, the driver of a pickup truck was going west when he went across the grass median for unknown reasons and entered the eastbound lanes of State Road 200.

The front of the pickup crashed into an eastbound sedan driven by a 65-year-old woman from Ocala. The woman was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital.

November 9, 2023

NHTSA Urges Drivers to Steer Clear of Decorative Car Steering Wheel Decals | Florida Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning consumers to avoid purchasing aftermarket steering wheel decals as they may detach in a collision and cause very serious injuries or death.

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

November 8, 2023

News: 2 teenage boys killed in rollover accident near Leesburg

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a rollover accident near Leesburg Monday night left two teenagers dead.

WKMG reported details of the wreck, which took place in the area of Goose Prairie Road and Felkins Road. State troopers said a 17-year-old boy was driving a Jeep Wrangler east on Goose Prairie Road at about 7:52 p.m. when he entered the westbound lane of the roadway to pass a pickup truck.

When another westbound vehicle approached, the Jeep driver re-entered the eastbound lane and hit the front of the pickup. The Jeep then went onto the eastbound shoulder and the driver over-corrected, causing the vehicle to go across both lanes of the road and end up on the westbound shoulder. The Jeep overturned several times and collided with a wire fence.

November 7, 2023

News: Woman dies after car goes off road on I-75 north in Alachua County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL – A motorist died following a car accident in Alachua County early Sunday morning, according to the Gainesville Sun.

The incident happened on Interstate 75 at mile marker 394 at about 12:10 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation found a driver going north on the interstate went off the roadway for an unknown reason and crashed.

The driver, a 34-year-old woman from Fort White, Florida, was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was in the car at the time, and no other vehicles were involved.