Articles Posted in Wrongful Death

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A 41-year-old man from Marion County made an appearance in court on Wednesday to answer to charges related to the deaths of eight farm laborers who died in a bus accident on State Road 40 on Tuesday.

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.

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A multi-fatality crash has shut down State Road 40 in Marion County between U.S. 41 and West County Road 328 between Ocala and Dunnellon.

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.

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MARION COUNTY, FL – A man has been sentenced to life in prison for causing a fatal crash in Marion County on Nov. 7, 2019, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

The sentence was handed down Monday for 52-year-old Stephen Douglas Lynn of Ocala.   The accident happened at the intersection of County Road 484 and Southeast 36th Avenue.  Authorities said Lynn ws behind the wheel of a pickup truck when he went through a stop light at that location.

The pickup T-boned a Suzuki Vitara driven by 71-year-old Emilio Nunez, who had picked up his two granddaughters from school and was heading home.  Nunez and the two girls, ages 9 and 7, were killed in the wreck.

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A 27-year-old man attending the Steelers game on Sunday died after falling 40 feet from an escalator around 4:30 p.m. after the game ended and crowds of fans were exiting Acrisure Stadium.

According to reports from the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, EMS responded to a “fall from height” call around 4:45 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium, minutes after the Steelers lost to the Jets.

They tended to the man at the scene, and transported him to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

The Steelers released a statement Sunday evening stating that they were aware of the situation and would assist police in any way to further investigate the matter.

Escalators are easily accessible in airports, large buildings, shopping malls, and stadiums and other large venues. While these devices are certainly convenient for the masses, they are also heavy machines that have many moving parts, so things can go awry very quickly.

Florida-Stadium-Personal-Injury-Lawyers-200x300While we do not often hear about escalator incidents in the news and other media outlets, when these accidents do happen, they are usually unexpected and leave victims suffering from serious injuries if they are lucky enough to survive. After such a tragedy, victims and their families may be wondering who is liable. Is the stadium owner or manager responsible for legal damages?

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed because of a dangerous condition or defect at a sports venue in Florida, then our Florida Stadium Injuries Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help protect your rights. Under premises liability laws, you may be entitled to financial compensation for personal injury or wrongful death damages after a slip and fall or trip and fall at a stadium if the venue’s owner or manager failed to live up to their obligations and keep their premises safe to all spectators and visitors.

What Causes an Escalator Accident?

Escalators are comprised of many moving parts, so when they are poorly designed or maintained, things can go wrong in an instant. The most common escalator accidents happen due to:

  • Fingers getting trapped
  • Escalators changing direction – leading to a pileup
  • Limbs getting trapped between steps
  • Missing comb plates
  • Missing foot brushes
  • Overcrowding
  • Gaps in plates or steps
  • Flaws in the escalator design
  • Clothing and limbs getting stuck in machinery
  • Poor lighting
  • Loose or missing screws
  • Emergency shut-off buttons that fail
  • Defective handrails

Slip and Fall or Trip and Fall Incidents at Stadiums

In order to be successful in a Florida stadium injury or wrongful death lawsuit, it must be shown that the property owner or manager was negligent. Whether filing a claim against Tropicana Field, Silver Spurs Arena, Raymond James Stadium, Pensacola Bay Center, Marlins Park Lockhart Stadium, Lakeland Center, Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, Hard Rock Stadium, Germain Arena, Florida State Fairgrounds Complex and Expo Hall, FIU Stadium, First Data Field, FAU Stadium, EverBank Field, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, Doak S. Campbell Stadium, CFE Federal Credit Union Arena, Camping World Stadium, Bright House Networks Stadium, Bragg Memorial Stadium, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, BB&T Center, Amway Center, AmericanAirlines Arena, or Amalie Arena, plaintiffs must be able to prove the following elements:

  • The stadium or sports venue owed you a duty of care
  • The owner or manager of the venue knew about a hazard, or should have known about the hazard, and failed to remedy the situation or failed to warn all visitors of the danger
  • The negligence of the owner or manager contributed to your injuries (or the death of a loved one) in some way
  • Economic damages were suffered as a result of the accident, such as medical bills, lost wages, funeral expensed, and other financial losses

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SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A man was convicted last week in connection with a fatal accident in Sumter County, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.

33-year-old Anthony Nepoleon Brown of Wildwood was found guilty of several charges in connection with the August 22, 2017 incident that led to the death of 55-year-old Laura Lee Price of Inverness.

Authorities said Brown was driving a BMW 550i as he attempted to flee from Wildwood Police and Sumter County deputies.  He went through a stop sign in the area of State Road 44 and Sumter County Road 219 and crashed into a Honda CRV driven by Price.   The BMW then sideswiped a Chevy pickup truck and hit a Mack semi-trailer truck.

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OCALA, FL – A driver was sentenced to prison for a crash in Ocala that left three people dead, reports the Ocala StarBanner.

37-year-old Travis Lee Johnson pleaded no contest last week in connection with the accident that occurred in January 2017 in the area of County Road 326 and Northeast 25th Avenue.

Authorities said Johnson was behind the wheel of a tow truck on County Road 326 when he veered off the road onto a shoulder, went back onto the roadway and slammed into a sport utility vehicle.

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CITRUS COUNTY, FL – The driver charged in a car accident that killed three people in Citrus County has pleaded no contest in the case, according to a report by the Citrus County Chronicle.

56-year-old Phillip Sawhill of Land O’Lakes will be sentenced Oct. 4 on three counts of second-degree vehicular homicide.

The crash took place Dec. 24, 2019 near the intersection of South Pleasant Grove Road and East Amy Lane near Inverness.  Authorities said Sawhill was driving a Toyota Highlander and trying to pass five other northbound vehicles in a no-passing zone on South Pleasant Grove Road.  His vehicle collided with a Kia Optima that was headed south.  Three people in the Kia, ages 86, 85 and 62, were pronounced dead at the scene.

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A new report by Tripadvisor shows that 3 cities in Florida – Orlando, Miami and Key West – are among the top 5 most popular vacation destinations in the U.S. The Sunshine State boasts beautiful weather, gorgeous beaches and waterways, fun night life, exciting theme parks and water parks, and of course, delicious cuisine. Figures from VisitFlorida.org show that in 2021, Florida saw 122.4 million visitors. With that many people coming to Florida, there are bound to be some mishaps that lead to injuries.

Below you will find the top five most common injuries suffered by tourists visiting Florida:

  1. Fractures and broken bones: Falling from a height or other traumas can certainly result in fractures or broken bones, but the most common reason for fractures or broken bones are car accidents. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Department, around 200,000 car accidents occur annually on Florida’s roadways, equaling out to 650 crashes per day. Visitors who are unfamiliar with the road and traffic patterns are at a greater risk of being involved in a car accident. Many tourists elect to not drive themselves and use rideshare services, like Uber or Lyft. These are great services, but also carry risks. If you are injured while on a ride with an Uber or Lyft driver, we can help.
  2. Internal organ injuries: Florida is ranked as the No. 1 most dangerous state in the country for pedestrian deaths, according to U.S. News. With that said, tourists are at a great risk of being hit by a car while walking or biking to their destinations. If you are lucky enough to survive being struck by a car, then you could be left suffering severe damage to internal organs, like your stomach, spleen, heart, kidneys, liver, and brain.
  3. Injured-on-Vacation-300x300Neck and head injuries: Car accidents, slip and falls, trip and falls, sporting and recreational accidents, and too much alcohol consumption are all common causes of head and neck injuries. Using golf carts, bikes, electric scooters – all popular modes of transportation in the Sunshine State – can present risks to tourists who are not used to using these vessels. Hiking, surfing, paddle boarding, parasailing, snorkeling, and kayaking are all recreational activities that many tourists partake in, but there are inherent risks.
  4. Soft tissue injuries: These injuries involve muscles, tendons, and ligaments and commonly result in sprains, strains, tendinitis, bursitis, and contusions. Many of these injuries are the result of sporting activities, but they can also occur from slip and fall or trip and fall incidents. Slip and fall and trip and fall accidents often happen at resorts and hotels in Florida vacation destinations, especially those that have beach access and swimming pools. Hotel owners are responsible for making sure that their premises are free from any and all hazards that could lead to guests sustaining injuries. If the premises are not properly maintained and clear of clutter, water, and debris, or have no warning signs about any dangerous conditions, then the hotel could be held liable for any injuries suffered by guests.
  5. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): A TBI is an injury that affects how the brain works. A blow, bump or jolt to the head can lead to a mild TBI or concussion, a moderate TBI or a severe TBI. The CDC reports that there were 64,000 TBI-related deaths in the U.S. in 2020. There can be numerous reasons for TBIs, but most Florida visitors suffer TBIs from recreational activities, like jet skiing, swimming and diving, boating, and parasailing.

Whatever injuries you have suffered, whether from a negligent hotel or a faulty jet ski rental beach company, our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can pinpoint who is liable and pursue financial compensation for your suffering. We specialize in all types of personal injuries and wrongful death cases, including what is known as “resort torts,” or injuries or death that happen while on vacation and staying at a resort, hotel, or in a recreational setting. Continue reading

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MARION OAKS, FL – A 17-year-old girl died after a collision with a driver in a cement truck on County Road 484 Friday morning.

The teen was driving a Toyota Camry east in the outside lane of County Road 484. At the same time a driver in a cement truck was traveling west when they entered the left lane to turn left onto Southwest 27th Circle.

It was then that the truck slammed into the side of the Toyota, reports the Ocala StarBanner.

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ZEPHYRHILLS, FL – A Canadian man died from injuries sustained while skydiving in Zephyrhills earlier this month, reports WFLA.

33-year-old James Southam of British Columbia, Canada was solo skydiving at Skydive City near Zephyr Pines on March 17th, when he suffered major injuries while attempting to land.

Southam was rushed to Lakeland Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

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