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Statewide rules on Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing services went into effect earlier this month, after Gov. Rick Scott agreed to create uniformity as it relates to the services, which had previously been regulated by a patchwork of local statutes.

The new law went into effect July 1st. HB 221 establishes long-debated statewide regulations for so-called “transportation network companies.” The new law, codified now in F.S. 627.748, sets forth a number of provisions these rideshare services will have to meet, some of which the companies had been voluntarily following anyway.

Among the provisions of the bill:

  • Insurance for bodily injury and death is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident and $25,000 per property damage while the driver is logged into the app. This can be paid by the driver’s own plan, through the insurance provided by the rideshare company or some combination of both.
  • Insurance for bodily injury and death of $1 million when the company is engaged in an active ride with a passenger.
  • Rideshare services will be required to conduct background checks on their drivers.
  • Drivers will be required to show their picture and license plate numbers to riders before they are picked up.

Continue reading →

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A recent news article from the Miami New Times takes a look at the five worst intersections in the city for bike crashes.  While we are not going to focus on the specific intersections for the purpose of the blog, it is interesting to see how they are spread out throughout the city and are in places that people might not ordinarily think would be hot spots for bike-car crashes.

One thing to keep in mind is that we are seeing more and more studies and articles like this, because bike riding is becoming more popular across the country, including in South Florida, and our area is becoming more bike friendly.  However, there is still a lot of work that can be done to make the area safer for bikers.  One of the major areas of needed improvement is that there must be bike lanes added. This is not only at these five deadliest intersections, but also around the city in general. Continue reading →

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CBS Local Miami reports tennis legend Venus Williams is allegedly at-fault in a car accident that resulted in the death of a 78-year-old man.  This fatal accident occurred at an intersection in Palm Beach Gardens. It’s important to bear in mind, however, that a final determination of fault may ultimately rest with the court. A police report is just the result of initial findings by a single investigator, and may even be subject to change as the investigation continues.

The accident report indicates that Williams was driving north when approaching an intersection and tried to make it through, but traffic in front of her caused her to slow down as she approached the intersection.  As this was happening, the victim was headed west and entered the intersection. According to investigating officers, the victim had the right of way in that intersection and not Williams. Continue reading →

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When a pedestrian is hit by a car the result is often horrific. The pedestrian has no protection and is being hit by a moving object that weighs thousands of pounds.  Even at slow speeds, there is so much mass and energy being transferred to the pedestrian that is like the pedestrian is colliding with a brick wall.   For this reason, the pedestrian is often left with severe and debilitating injury or is killed as happens often.

According to a recent news article from the Miami Herald, a woman was waiting at a bus stop in Lauderhill when she was killed as result of a two-car accident that occurred adjacent to the bus stop at which she was waiting. Authorities have said the two cars were engaged in reckless driving and that is the result of the crash and her death.  While this woman at the bus stop was the only fatality, there were seven total injuries.  One of the injured was ejected from a car that was involved in what is being described as a chain reaction crash. Continue reading →

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If you are the victim of a serious car accident, you likely suffered many different types of harm. There is an emotional toll taken when you are the victim of serious car accident in South Florida.  This can include the shock caused during the accident and the mental anguish during the treatment and painful recovery from the accident.

This is what lawyers would call “suffering” in terms of damages.  Damages is basically a legal term to mean the money to which you are entitled as the victim of serious car accident or any other personal injury, for that matter.  The pain you experienced during the accident and treatment can also be reduced to financial figure, and this is typically coupled with the suffering damages and is expressed as a single figure for pain and suffering.  There are various other types of damages in a car accident case that we will discuss below, and they are also listed in Florida Statute 768.73. Continue reading →

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Many people enjoy riding motorcycles, and the state of Florida is great place to ride.  The weather is nice most of the year, and there is no shortage of open roads with incredible coastal views and other breathtaking scenery in the Sunshine State.

However, there is also no question that riding a motorcycle is also dangerous.    It is not that there are more motorcycle accidents than there are car accidents, but rather that the level of injury sustained in a motorcycle is often far more severe than what would be suffered, if any, in a car or truck. Continue reading →

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In the state of Florida, the law requires all drivers with Florida license plates (a car registered in the state of Florida) to have a car insurance liability policy.  It is illegal to drive without insurance. It should be noted that while the law only requires cars registered in Florida to have insurance, every other state has its own insurance requirement, and a vehicle driven in Florida, but registered in another state must have insurance pursuant to their home state’s law, and failure to do so is illegal in Florida as well.

As for the amount of insurance you must carry, pursuant to the Florida laws, you must have no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) of at least $10,000 and $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL) insurance for property damage to others (car, house, building) damaged in the accident. There is a per claim limit of $20,000 and a total combined single accident minimum of $30,000. Continue reading →

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We often use the terms car “accident.” However, in reality, the term crash would probably be more appropriate.  The reason for this is because when we think of an accident in the non-legal sense, we tend to think of something that just happens and can’t be avoided – something that is nobody’s fault.

However, we know most car accidents are someone’s fault, and the accident occurred due to negligence of the at-fault driver, and, had the driver been more careful, the accident could probably have been avoided. Continue reading →

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Anyone familiar with West Palm Beach or other South Florida cities knows what a canal is.  These are man-made drainage trenches controlled by Utilities and Drainage Districts, and they are there to alleviate flood risks and also for irrigation.  They are often fenced-off and are known for being home to alligators.  From time to time, we see car accidents in which a vehicle ends up in the one of the canals, which often results in serious personal injury or even death.

According to a recent news article from the Palm Beach Post, a 26-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly crashed his car in to a canal in West Palm Beach and swam across the canal to flee the accident.  The car was submerged in deep water in this canal at the time, and there was a female passenger still trapped inside. Continue reading →

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When you are injured in a serious crash, it’s important not to negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company until you have spoken with an injury attorney. Victims of major auto accidents may be entitled to a substantial amount of damages, and signing off too early could result in forfeiting money you’re owed.

According to a recent news report from CBS 12, a firefighter from Fort Lauderdale was seriously injured in a car crash in West Palm Beach, Florida. This serious car crash occurred on Northlake Boulevard near Coconut Avenue.

Authorities have said victim was driving his personal vehicle in the Palm Beach Gardens area, and was only a few miles away from his home.   He was on his way home from a long shift at his fire station in Fort Lauderdale when he was allegedly rear-ended by another driver.  The force of the collision was so significant that it caused his car to hit a tree and roll over. Continue reading →

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