Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

September 10, 2024

News: Woman charged with DUI in Pasco County crash that killed motorcyclist

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HUDSON, FL – A motorcyclist was killed in an accident in Pasco County involving a suspected drunk driver, reports WFTS.

The collision occurred Sunday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 19 and Sea Ranch Drive at about 1:10 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation determined that the driver of a Chevrolet Impala was going north on U.S. 19 when she turned left at the intersection under a flashing yellow left turn signal.

The Impala entered the path of a southbound Kawasaki motorcycle, which crashed into the car and then caught fire. The motorcycle rider, a 21-year-old man from Inverness, died after being taken to an area hospital.

September 9, 2024

News: Sumter County school bus hit by car after driver runs stop sign

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A car collided with a school bus in Sumter County on Friday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

A report by WFTS states the incident happened along County Road 222 at about 8:35 a.m. State troopers learned that the driver of a Ford Escort wagon was going east and failed to stop at a stop sign. The Ford entered the path of the school bus and the vehicles collided.

The Ford driver, a 68-year-old woman, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital. The school bus driver, a 50-year-old woman, was hospitalized with minor injuries.

September 6, 2024

News: Head-on crash in Alachua County leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

NEWBERRY, FL – A head-on crash in Alachua County left one driver dead and another injured, according to the Alachua Chronicle.

The wreck occurred Wednesday night on State Road 45 near SW 215th Terrace shortly after 7:00 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of a Subaru SUV was headed south on SR-45 and swerved into the northbound lane, where it collided with a Toyota SUV.

The driver of the Toyota, a 64-year-old Alachua man, died after being taken to an area hospital. The Subaru driver, a 41-year-old man from Archer, was hospitalized with serious injuries.

September 5, 2024

News: Man and woman from Brooksville die following motorcycle collision

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRUS COUNTY, FL – An accident in Citrus County Saturday afternoon claimed the lives of a man and woman on a motorcycle, WFTS reported.

The incident happened at the intersection of U.S. Highway 19 and Dixieland Street in the Homosassa area at about 1:12 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was headed west on Dixieland Street and failed to yield at the intersection. The motorcycle entered the path of a Nissan Altima going north on U.S. 19 and was struck by the car.

The motorcycle driver, a 79-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were pronounced dead at an area hospital. The two, described by the FHP as friends, were both residents of Brooksville.

September 4, 2024

News: Wrong-way crash near Gainesville airport leaves 1 dead, 3 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – A wrong-way driver was involved in a fatal collision in Gainesville on Sunday morning, police said.

According to a report by WCJB, the incident occurred at 3333 Northeast 39th Avenue, near Gainesville Regional Airport.

A police investigation determined that a driver was heading in the wrong direction while traveling east on State Road 222, and collided with another vehicle.

September 3, 2024

More Uninsured Drivers on the Road – Make Sure You Have UM Coverage | Florida Auto Accident Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The number of uninsured drivers is increasing, which raises the price of auto insurance for everyone else.

Analysts claim that the auto insurance sector is trapped in a never-ending cycle of rising expenses. Costs for auto insurance have increased by 52% in the last three years. An increasing number of drivers are canceling their policies due to rising prices, which in turn raises the cost of insurance for other drivers.

The nonprofit Insurance Research Council reports that as of 2022, the percentage of drivers without insurance increased from 11% in 2019 to 14% in 2022.

September 3, 2024

News: Woman on tricycle struck, killed by vehicle in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a fatal accident involving a tricycle in Pasco County Monday morning, according to a WTSP report.

State troopers determined that the rider of the tricycle was going west on Long Avenue near 15th Street shortly before 2 a.m. in front of a Suzuki SX4. The driver of the Suzuki, a 43-year-old man, overtook the tricycle and collided with it.

The tricycle rider, a 46-year-old woman, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The FHP said the tricycle did not have lights.

September 2, 2024

Former Cruise Ship Crew Member Sentenced to 30 Years for Secretly Filming Children | Florida Cruise Ship Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A former Royal Caribbean International staff member was sentenced to 30 years in prison for using hidden cameras to film guests while they were in various stages of undress, including minors.

The 34-year-old man was sentenced on Wednesday following his previous guilty plea to producing child pornography, according to a news release from the Southern District of Florida U.S. Attorney’s Office.

After a guest on the Symphony of the Seas ship discovered a hidden camera beneath the sink in their bathroom, the man was charged with six counts of video voyeurism in Florida and detained on federal child pornography charges in March.

September 2, 2024

News: Collision in New Port Richey leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – A two-vehicle wreck in Pasco County last week left one of the drivers dead and the other hospitalized.

Pasco News Online reports that the incident happened Aug. 26 at the intersection of Little Road and Heritage Lakes Boulevard.

The Florida Highway Patrol said that the driver of a Ford Focus was going south on Little Road and turned left into the path of a northbound Nissan Xterra, resulting in a collision. The Ford driver, a 36-year-old man from New Port Richey, was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead.

August 31, 2024

Labor Day Festivals and Fairs in Full Swing – Stay Safe Out There | Florida Amusement Park Injury Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Labor Day weekend is here, which marks the official end of summer. Whether you are attending a block party, a parade, a music festival, concert, or even a carnival or fair, our Florida Amusement Park Injury Lawyers want to remind you to exercise caution so that you can stay injury-free.

Injuries at fairs and festivals can be caused by a variety of things, including ride malfunctions, chaos and fights, inadequate security, etc. Many hazards can present themselves at these large events, especially when crowd control is not prioritized.

If you are injured at a festival or fair, we would like to remind you to do four important things: