Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

March 6, 2025

News: Man killed, woman injured in wreck on U.S. 19 in Crystal River

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CRYSTAL RIVER, FL – Two vehicles were involved in a deadly collision on U.S. 19 in Crystal River last week, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation of the Feb. 26 accident found that the driver of a Hyundai Accent had pulled out of a parking lot to go west onto U.S. 19 when the vehicle was struck by a northbound GMC Yukon near State Road 44.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 71-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene while his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, was seriously injured. Both were Homosassa residents.

March 5, 2025

News: Scooter crash in Gainesville claims life of University of Florida student

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – A collision between a car and a scooter in Gainesville claimed the life of a University of Florida student, the Gainesville Sun reports.

The crash occurred Sunday evening near the Southwest Recreation Center on campus. Gainesville police said the student was riding her scooter west on Hull Road at about 7:30 p.m. At the same time, the driver of a Mustang was gong east on Hull Road when they tried to make a turn into a parking lot and crashed into the scooter.

The student, identified as 21-year-old Nyla Holland, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.

March 4, 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. Lucky 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.

March 4, 2025

News: Head-on crash on State Road 54 leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said one driver died and another was injured after their vehicles crashed in Pasco County Monday morning.

Pasco News Online reported details of the collision, which occurred on State Road 54 near Heron Cove Drive in Lutz.

According to the FHP, the driver of an Infiniti G37 was heading west shortly before 8 a.m. and failed to properly navigate a curve in the roadway.

March 3, 2025

News: Woman involved in crash after fleeing from Marion County deputy

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A driver is facing charges after crashing her vehicle while fleeing from law enforcement in Marion County last week, according to a WCJB report.

The suspect in the Feb. 24 incident was identified as 33-year-old Nicole Backer, of Ocala. Authorities said she was spotted entering her car and then failing to stop before driving onto Northeast 24th Street. Officials also said she was not wearing a seatbelt.

A Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy began following Backer, who tried to turn onto Northeast 25th Street but swung too wide into the shoulder of the road and was almost hit by another vehicle.

February 28, 2025

News: Man struck, killed by 2 vehicles on US Highway 301 in Citra

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRA, FL – A man died after being hit by two vehicles in northeast Marion County Wednesday morning, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the pedestrian was walking or standing in a southbound lane of U.S. 301 in Citra at about 5 a.m., and was struck by a semitractor-trailer whose driver did not see him in time.

The pedestrian was thrown across the median into a northbound lane, where he was struck again by a northbound Honda CRV. The victim, a 40-year-old man from Citra, was pronounced dead at the scene.

February 27, 2025

News: Spring Hill man, 20, dies in Hernando County motorcycle crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a collision in Hernando County that killed a motorcyclist on Tuesday morning.

According to the Hernando Sun, the crash occurred at the intersection of U.S. 19 and Windward Boulevard. State troopers said the driver of a GMC SUV was headed north on U.S. 19 at about 7:34 a.m. and tried to make a left turn at Windward Boulevard, where the vehicle entered the path of a southbound Honda motorcycle.

The vehicles collided, causing the SUV to veer onto the shoulder of the road and hit a roadway sign. The motorcycle came to a stop on the highway. The motorcycle rider, a 20-year-old man from Spring Hill, died at the scene. The SUV driver, a 52-year-old Spring Hill woman, suffered minor injuries.

February 26, 2025

News: Motorcyclist, 23, killed in collision with SUV on US-441 north of Ocala

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A motorcycle rider was killed in a collision with an SUV in Marion County on Sunday night, WFTV reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the motorcyclist was heading north on US-441 near Ocala when the incident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. The FHP’s investigation indicated that the driver of the SUV was going west on NW 95th Street and pulled out from a stop sign.

As the SUV driver was trying to cross over US-441, the vehicle was struck on the left side by the motorcycle, causing both vehicles to overturn.

February 25, 2025

Do Not Leave the Scene of a Car Crash – Here’s Why

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Hit-and-run car accidents are a big problem in the state of Florida, with nearly 25% of all crashes involving a hit-and-run driver. Most of these accidents result in property damage, but the reality is that a good amount of hit-and-run accidents can result in serious injuries or even death.

According to the FLHSMV, there were 104,273 hit-and-run crashes in Florida in 2023, which is a decrease of less than 1% from 2022. Of these hit-and-run collisions in 2023, 271 lives were lost and another 871 suffered serious bodily injuries. Out of the 271 people who were killed in hit-and-run accidents in 2023, 159 were pedestrians and 47 were bicyclists.

What Are the Laws in Florida Regarding Hit-and-Run Accidents?

February 25, 2025

News: 18-year-old driver killed when pickup truck crashes on U.S. 301

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A wreck in Hernando County last week claimed the life of a teenage driver, the Villages-News reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the 18-year-old was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck north on U.S. 301 Feb. 19 when the accident occurred just before 9 p.m.

The driver lost control of the vehicle on the wet roadway north of State Road 50, and the pickup overturned. The driver, a man from Webster, was pronounced dead at the scene.