Jacksonville Personal Injury Blog

This is a tragic story that serves to remind us of the dangers that can lurk, even at home.
A Palm Bay, Florida married couple and their son were all putting up a ham radio antenna in their back yard. The couple and their 15-year-old son were on the ground holding the antenna. Meanwhile a friend was on the roof.

Tragically, the antenna fell and struck a low-hanging power line that had 13,000 volts of electricity. The voltage shocked the family, killing them.

Our condolences go out to the friends and family of these poor individuals.

This story underscores how everyday premises can present a danger. Who would have thought that something so random and tragic could happen? The same sort of unexpected tragedies can happen on premises that do not belong to a homeowner.

Sometimes called “slip and fall,” the owner of a premise has the highest duty to keep those on the premises from harm, whether the individuals are invited or not.

Individuals under this definition may include business customers (shoppers at Wal-Mart), visitors to public places (museums or parks), and guests (social gatherings). Generally, if the property is open to the public and the property owner invites the public inside, the public is considered an “invitee.”

But a landowner is not responsible for a slip and fall accident if the person who fell is considered a trespasser.

But the property owner has certain legal responsibilities regardless of the status of the person entering upon the property. Some of these responsibilities include:

1. proper notice of any dangerous conditions of which the property owner may be aware;


2. keeping the property in a reasonably safe condition;


3. proper posting of “no trespassing” signs or warning of harmful or dangerous conditions regarding the property; and,


4. not creating a dangerous or harmful condition on the property, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Continue reading " Electrocution Death of Three in Palm Bay " »

Often referred to as the “Gateway to Florida,” Lake City is located in Columbia County and has become a much desired tourist attraction as well as a stop for those on their way to Southern Florida. Lake City has a population of approximately 12,000 and is situated in a county whose population is only increasing (Columbia County has close to 68,000 inhabitants as of 2006). Within its densely populated area, Lake City comes into contact with its degree of motorcycle accidents as a result of negligent motorists failing to see motorcyclists on the road. When another driver’s negligence causes a motorcyclist to suffer catastrophic injuries, the motorcyclist may be able to seek compensation with the assistance of a skilled Lake City motorcycle accident attorney.

Motorcycle collisions in Lake City can have serious repercussions on a motorcyclist, drastically affecting an injured victim’s quality of life for many years. Brain injuries are one of the most frequent afflictions that affect motorcyclists. The experienced brain injury attorneys at Farah and Farah have been assisting motorcycle victims and other personal injury victims obtain the compensation they need to receive proper medical attention and rehabilitative care after a brain injury.

At Farah and Farah, our personal injury law firm has an invaluable pool of resources and legal knowledge that you need to reach a successful outcome in your injury case. To find out how we may be able to help you receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of wages, medical treatment, and much more, contact us today. For a free and confidential consultation of your injury case in Lake City, call Farah and Farah at our Lake City office:

(386) 754-7534
212 N. Marion Ave Suite 208
Lake City, FL 32055


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She will spend the next four years in prison for DUI manslaughter. Many are saying she got off lucky. It was bad enough when last April, the 25-year-old woman side-swiped a van on I-295 near San Jose Boulevard. But instead of staying at the scene of the early morning wreck, police say she drove away.

She might have gotten away with it, but when she left the scene, she kept driving and then lost control of her pickup truck on Crown Point Road and struck a tree. As often happens with people who are driving while under the influence of alcohol, she was uninjured, but her 30-year-old male passenger died at the scene. Despite the death of her passenger, the woman took off on foot and was eventually tracked down by K-9 teams.

The woman pled guilty to DUI manslaughter. This week she was sentenced.

We wonder how the family of her passenger feels about her four years behind bars. According to state guidelines, the woman could have received 15 years for a felony in the second degree. Leaving the scene, in this case twice, bumps the sentencing to a first degree felony.

The driver of any vehicle involved in a crash that results in the death of any person is required by Florida law 316.027 to immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the crash or as close as possible, and remain at the scene.

You are required to stay and render aid and give information to any officer investigating the scene and to give aid to anyone injured at the scene including getting them to a doctor or hospital if that is requested by the injured person.

Continue reading " DUI Hit-and-Run Driver Sentenced " »

Doctors may finally be getting the message about the dangers of Johnson & Johnson’s fentanyl patches. Sales are down worldwide 20.5 % equating to roughly $200 million dollars. The drop comes after a series of deaths and lawsuits and at least two J & J recalls in the last two years.

Just last month, the painkiller was prescribed to a 15-year-old boy who died of an overdose following a tooth extraction. The Seattle teen was autistic and for some reason was prescribed the patch usually used for chronic pain in cancer patients and is generally prescribed for people who have developed a resistance to opium-based painkillers.

Since the 15-year-old was unable to speak and communicate to caretakers, it complicated his reaction and anyone’s ability to help him.

A civil suit has been filed because the boy was given the highest dose available, says his attorney. The hospital says it erred in prescribing fentanyl to the teen patient. Wrong prescriptions of the fentanyl patch are not an uncommon problem across the country.

A Sanford, Fla., jury in October 2008 awarded $13.3 million to the family of a 34-year-old woman who died after undergoing back surgery and using the Duragesic patch (fentanyl). The jurors decided that two J & J subsidiaries, Janssen and Alza, were responsible for her death.
J & J face about 60 other lawsuits over the Duragesic patches.

Part of the problem with fentanyl, whether by J & J or generic, is that it is delivered through a patch allowing the drug to pass through the skin and entering the blood at a constant rate. When someone takes a pill, the level of drug rises and falls in the blood, giving the body somewhat of a rest.

Transdermal patches don’t give the patient’s body a rest and they may end up getting too much of the drug.

There have been five Duragesic/fentanyl recalls since 1994. Watson Pharmaceuticals issued a recall for its leaking fentanyl painkiller patch in August and the company said that exposure to fentanyl exposure may lead to respiratory depression and possible overdose.

In 2005, the FDA said that there had been 120 reports of death related to the fentanyl patch.
Most recently, in December 2008, a division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen a company under Johnson & Johnson recalled defective fentanyl transdermal patches. The company said some patches had a slit along one side creating the possibility that the fentanyl get could leak out of the package exposing both caregivers and the patient to an overdose.

The last official move by the FDA earlier this year came in a letter sent to the six manufacturers to demonstrate that the drug’s benefits outweigh the potential risks. While the drug has a real benefit for those suffering from so-called “breakthrough pain,” especially from cancer, the FDA notes that the number of accident overdoses is increasing.

Continue reading " Fentanyl Patch Dangers " »

California will begin testing a requirement that drivers convicted of DUI install a device in their vehicle that stops the car from starting if alcohol is detected on the driver. The driver’s breath gives him away. A breathalyzer will be installed in the car for five months under the law. Any detection of alcohol and the interlock device will keep the car from starting, even a small amount of alcohol. This is a six-year test pilot project.

A similar law went into effect in Florida in 2003, mandating that some drunken drivers have the ignition interlock device installed in their car.

Florida’s legal intoxication blood-alcohol level is 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood or a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more per 210 liters of breath.

Repeat DUI offenders and first-time offenders with a BAC over .15 would have to install the devices. The law would also apply to those who drove under the influence with a child in the car.

The law states that the lock will be installed for six months for first offenders and the lock will not allow the car to start unless the driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) is under 0.05.

With a second conviction, the driver must have an ignition interlock device operated or owned by the convicted person. A third conviction and they get a mandatory placement for a period of not less than two years. A third violation can bring you up to 12 months in jail and the mandatory placement for at least two years. Fines go up from there.

The law also states that for a third or subsequent violation, the offender must complete a DUI treatment course.

If you are pulled over and you do not have an approved interlock device, you will be subject to arrest for violating your driver’s license restriction.

Continue reading " Ignition Devices Could Stop Repeat DUI Offenders " »

Located in Northeast Clay County, Orange Park is a suburb of Jacksonville situated just south of Jacksonville, Florida. As a lively community rich in history and culture, Orange Park has a great deal to offer. Clay County, which Orange Park is located in, is also a bustling region of Florida. With a population in excess of 180,000 and a high population density, hundreds of residents and visitors take part in the pleasure and thrill of riding motorcycles. Similar to many densely populated cities, Orange Park is not immune to motorcycle accidents that are caused by negligent motorists failing to yield to motorcyclists or even see them on the road.

At Farah and Farah, our skilled Orange Park motorcycle injury lawyers have devoted many years to protecting the rights of motorcycle accident victims. When another driver’s negligence causes a motorcyclist to suffer serious injuries, the motorcyclist may be able to seek compensation to help pay for loss of wages, pain and suffering, medical treatment, and many other financial burdens brought on by a serious injury.

Motorcycle accidents in St. Augustine can have catastrophic repercussions on a motorcyclist, significantly affecting an injured victim’s quality of life for many years, if not indefinitely. Brain injuries are one of the most recurrent injuries that affect motorcyclists when collisions take place. The experienced brain injury attorneys at Farah and Farah have been assisting motorcycle victims and other personal injury victims receive the compensation they require to obtain appropriate medical care and rehabilitative attention after a brain injury.

To learn more about how the attorneys at Farah and Farah may be able to help you receive compensation for the physical suffering, emotional grief, or property damage caused by your motorcycle accident or brain injury accident, contact us at our Orange Park office for a free and confidential consultation of your injury case:

(904) 264-0700
1534 Kingsley Avenue
Orange Park, Florida 32073


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St Johns County Sheriff’s Officer, Col. Art May of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Department says he is seeing it more and more. Often it presents as a swerving car. In the past, he would have pulled the driver over assuming they were drunk.

These days he quickly ascertains more often than not that the driver is texting.

Now the St Johns County Chamber of Commerce is joining forces with the AAA Auto Club South. It developed the idea of getting businesses involved to sign a safe-driving pledge to guarantee their employees will not text and drive.

Chamber President Robin Burchfield feels it is a natural to represent businesses in the community in a positive way.

The movement is not limited to Jacksonville. All of the chambers in Florida will be invited to join in the effort to get businesses to sign the no-texting-while-driving pledge.

Ultimately AAA hopes to put pressure on the Florida Legislature to finally pass a law that bans texting while behind the wheel. At the present time it is legal for drivers to text and drive, but an officer like May can cite you for careless driving.

So far no bills have passed in the Legislature and though one was introduced this year, lawmakers adjourned without voting. Expect it to come back again in 2010 when the session convenes on March 2, including Heather’s Law which would prohibit the use of handheld cell phone while driving.

Continue reading " Florida Focus on Dangers of Texting While Driving " »

A husband and wife were pulled over for speeding when the woman was going into labor last March. She later gave birth to their son.

News Channel 4 caught up with them recently. It turns out a Jacksonville Sheriff’s officer ticketed them for speeding as they rushed to get to the hospital. The woman was only 20 weeks into her pregnancy, a very dangerous time for her water to break. Doctors told the couple to get to the hospital fast!

On nearby Kernan Boulevard, where the speed limit is 30 mph, they were pulled over for going 39 mph. When they told the officer about the pending emergency, instead of showing compassion and driving the couple to the hospital, or at least accompanying them, he held them up further by writing the ticket. Today they are angry with that JSO officer, who they say took his time writing the ticket.

The husband even went to court to fight the ticket but lost and ended up paying. Instead of the birthday of his son, spending it with him in the hospital, he was in court for two yours. He lost.
JSO began an internal investigation in June into the actions of the two officers involved following the Nordman's complaint. Both officers claimed they were never told that the woman was pregnant or that she needed medical attention and said they were only told by the husband that they were on their way to the hospital.

Continue reading " Couple Speeding, Ticketed On Way To Hospital " »

Yaz and Yasmin are two types of birth control pills manufactured by Bayer Healthcare. Both contain ethinyl estradiol which has been present in “The Pill” for more than three decades. However, what’s new about these popular forms of oral contraceptive is the presence of progestin in Yasmin and Yaz. It is called drospirenone, a so called fourth-generation synthetic progestin. Unfortunately it results in elevated potassium levels which can cause potentially life-threatening heart problems.

Approved by the FDA in 2006 and 2001, almost immediately the FDA began receiving adverse event reports including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and heart arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat.

Public Citizen, the consumer group, has put the two pills on its “Do Not Use” list of drugs.
As the number of complaints over the side effects of these birth control pills continues to increase, four significant lawsuits have been filed in federal court against Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and there are more to come.

Bayer will run some corrective advertising and has told the FDA it will spend $20 million on the campaign to downplay its former overstatements about the benefits of Yaz while it downplayed the risks.

The birth control pills are still sold and aggressively marketed, exposing young women to serious and potentially life-threatening risks. When you follow the money trail, you understand why.

Yaz and Yasmin account for nearly 18 percent of the birth control market last year. That translated to more than $600 million in sales for Yaz and $1.85 billion in the first quarter of 2009 and $382 million for Yasmin. With other birth control formulations on the market, there is no benefit to using Yasmin and Yaz.

Continue reading " Yaz Yasmin Lawsuits Abound " »

The prominent community of St. Augustine boasts being home to the oldest port in the continental United States and finds itself often referred to as “the nation’s oldest city.” The estimated population of St. Augustine was 12,157 in 2004. With its museums that reflect life of the early Spanish explorers who settled in St. Augustine, beautiful beaches and classic architecture, the city continues to attract numerous tourists in Northern Florida. Considering that St. Augustine is situated approximately 40 miles south of Jacksonville and 60 miles north of Daytona Beach just 5 miles east of Interstate 95, one can only imagine just how many residents and passersby traverse through the area.

With a region that encompasses such a vast area and a population that is only increasing, St. Augustine experiences its share of motorcycle accidents as a result of negligent motorists failing to see motorcyclists on the road. When another driver’s negligence causes a motorcyclist to suffer serious injuries, the motorcyclist may be able to seek compensation with the help of an experienced St. Augustine motorcycle accident lawyer.

Motorcycle accidents in St. Augustine can have catastrophic repercussions on a motorcyclist, significantly affecting an injured victim’s quality of life for his or her remaining years. Brain injuries are one of the most frequent calamities that motorcyclists endure, even when a helmet is worn. The skilled brain injury lawyers at Farah and Farah have been helping motorcycle victims and other personal injury victims obtain the compensation they need to receive proper medical attention and rehabilitative care after a brain injury.

The attorneys at Farah and Farah have been protecting the rights of motorcycle and brain injury victims, as well as many other personal injury victims, for over 25 years. Our firm has an invaluable pool of resources and legal knowledge that you need to obtain a successful resolution of your injury case. To find out how we may be able to help you receive compensation for loss of wages, pain and suffering, medical treatment, and much more, contact us today. For a free and confidential consultation of your injury case in St. Augustine, call Farah and Farah at our St. Augustine office:

(904) 797-7977
301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080


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Researchers believe that two separate and fatal cases of Lou Gehrig’s Disease in young girls following the Gardasil injection may be related to the vaccine. Gardasil is injected in girls beginning at age 9 through age 26, to protect against two types of virus that cause cervical cancer and two that cause genital warts. It’s estimated 7 million young girls and women have received the vaccine, delivered in a three-shot series.

In both cases the young women died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and the disease progressed rapidly. Merck, the maker of Gardasil, does not believe that Gardasil could have caused the events.

But the two cases are very similar and researchers are suspicious that ALS in young people, affecting just one in 2-3 million, may be related to the vaccine.

Here’s what we do know. One of the girls was 14-years-old when she received Gardasil. Months after her third shot in the three-booster Gardasil series, she began tripping over easy hurdles in gym class. Soon both legs and her arms became weak, she began to limp and had trouble gripping objects and she felt pins and needles in her feet. Her muscled atrophied. Within a year she was paralyzed, a quadriplegic and used life support to help her breath before she died. The degenerative disease did not harm her mind, which Web MD reports was as sharp as ever.

The girl’ parents want people to know they are not anti-vaccine. After all, they had their daughter vaccinated with Gardasil. The girl was 15-years-old when she lost her battle with the rapidly degenerative neurological disease on March 15, 2009.

Another girl, 20-years-old had a rapid progression of ALS in a similar way within four months of her first Gardasil shot. She died 28 months later.

Our hearts go out to the parents and family and friends of these two young women.

The link between the symptoms and the shot is very suspicious to researcher Dr. Catherine Lomen-Hoerth at the ALS Center at University of California San Francisco Medical Center. First, the symptoms progressed very rapidly, more so than in a typical ALS patient. And both girls had an inflamed spinal cord she said to doctors at the American Neurological Association, which is not normally seen in ALS.

And one doctor, Yadollah Harati, a neurologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, says he will now ask his young ALS patients if they received the Gardasil vaccine. He didn’t think to ask before, he tells Web MD. The parents of the 14-year-old are asking anyone who visits their Web site in their daughter’s honor, Jenny’s Journey, to forward any cases of muscle paralysis following a Gardasil injection to their Web site so they can make sure that it is registered on the federal VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System). They fear other cases may not be reported since VAERS is not generally known to the public and there are no requirements to post adverse events, though hospitals and doctors are encouraged to do so.

Continue reading " Two Girls Die of Lou Gehrig Disease Following Gardasil " »

He is the 15-year-old teen who went for a joy ride on the last day of school in June with an overloaded SUV that rolled, killing four of his friends.

Now 16-years-old, he is set to go to trial October 19th, charged with four counts of driving without a license, causing serious bodily injury and careless driving. Of the nine counts, eight are felonies.

Police say the teen was driving to the beach when a rear tire blew causing the SUV to flip. Several people claim that the teen actually kept the car on the road for quite a while after the tire blew. His defense attorney claims that the reconditioned tire was defective and never should have been sold. With a catastrophic tire failure, many were surprised that the State Attorney’s office decided to prosecute the teen at all.

The community of Jacksonville has been divided over this case. The teen was driving when he shouldn’t have been. At the age of 15, he didn’t even have a permit.

None of the nine individuals in the vehicle were wearing a seat belt, except for the teen driver standing accused in this case. He was unhurt when the vehicle rolled over on I-295 near Pritchard Road. That doesn’t exactly paint a picture of a reckless driver.

Continue reading " 15-Year-Old's Trial for Auto Accident Wrongful Death to Begin " »

Located about thirty miles north of Florida, the city of Brunswick is situated in southeastern Georgia. Nicknamed “the shrimp capital of the world,” the area is also well-known for being the center of Georgia’s shrimp and crab industries. Home to the fourth-largest automobile port in the eastern United States, the city's economy encompasses agricultural processing, manufacturing, and bulk cargoes. In 2007, the city proper had an approximate population of 16,235 and an estimated metropolitan population of 101,792.

Brunswick’s metropolitan area is the twelfth-largest in the state of Georgia and includes the counties of Glynn, Brantley, and McIntosh. With a region that encompasses such a large area and a population that is on the rise, a handful of residents and visitors alike who ride motorcycles may find themselves involved in a motorcycle accident at no fault of their own. When another driver’s negligence causes a motorcyclist to suffer serious injuries, the motorcyclist may be able to seek compensation with the help of a skilled Brunswick, Georgia motorcycle accident attorney.

Motorcycle accidents in Georgia can have devastating consequences on a motorcyclist, greatly influencing an injured victim’s life forever. Brain injuries are one of the most common calamities that motorcyclists suffer, even when a helmet is used. At Farah and Farah, our experienced brain injury lawyers have been assisting motorcycle victims and other personal injury victims in receiving the compensation they need to receive adequate medical attention so that the road to rehabilitation after a brain injury can be a smooth one.

In devoting over 25 years to assisting injury victims, the dedicated and aggressive attorneys at Farah and Farah are prepared to take on any motorcycle accident or traumatic brain injury case. All you have to do is call. For a free and confidential consultation of your injury case in Georgia, call Farah and Farah at our Brunswick, Georgia office:

(912) 466-8896
4216 Coral Park Drive,
Suite 107
Brunswick, GA 31520

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Emergency room doctors make decisions quickly as a matter of life and death, often without knowing the medical history of their patients. That was the argument the Georgia Supreme Court justices heard this week defending a 2005 tort reform law. It requires the injured to make a clear and convincing case that an emergency room doctor committed “gross negligence” to prove medical malpractice.

The case in question involved a woman who had serious pain behind her eye. The woman went to St. Francis Hospital in Columbus in April 2007 with a throbbing pain. Instead of a CAT scan, the doctor blamed her headache on stress and high blood pressure, gave her a prescription for Valium and sent her home. The woman was reportedly screaming in pain. Turns out she suffered a brain aneurysm. A CAT scan would have found it. Her lawsuit blames her stroke, permanent paralysis and neurological damage that followed on the doctor’s failure to treat her with a reasonable standard of care.

The Georgia state legislature passed a tort reform law in 2005 to keep doctors from leaving the state for fear of malpractice lawsuits. In doing so, the lawmakers carved out an exception for hospitals, practically eliminating medical negligence claims. Many people who are truly injured have found that they have no recourse and a major insurer of physicians reports that medical malpractice claims have fallen. That is nothing to brag about.

The Georgia Supreme Court is also listening to a challenge to the state’s damage cap in medical malpractice lawsuits. In that case, a 75-year-old woman argued that a $350,000 cap on non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, is unconstitutional and denies her right to a trial by jury.

Continue reading " Stroke Victim Challenges Georgia ER Malpractice Laws " »

Environmental crusader, Erin Brockovich was in Florida this week to meet with residents and health officials and to host a Town Hall meeting Thursday night to talk about the cancer cluster at the South Florida community known as The Acreage.

Brockovich was played by actress, Julia Roberts in a film about her efforts in uncovering toxic water pollution in California.

These days she has formed a company that investigates corporate wrongdoers and advocates for the truth.

She and a New York City law firm are investigating environmental links to brain cancer cases at The Acreage neighborhood in Palm Beach County and offered residents information and options for legal action.

The cause of the suspected cancer cluster remains a mystery. In the rural suburb of West Palm Beach, the state and county have launched a Level II investigation after the first one found an increased rate of total cancers from 2000 to 2007. Girls in particular, had an increased number of brain cancers with The Acreage reporting 1,369 cases of all types of cancer between 1995 and 2007.

So far, the state has found elevated levels of radiation at ten homes that also have residents with brain tumors or cancer.

The state DEP has found four private wells with drinking water that failed to meet state standards for safety because of elevated levels of radium, a measure of radiation. Some residents have blamed heavy pesticide use on orange groves. Pratt & Whitney, the rocket and jet engine company worked nearby on Beeline Highway and is responsible for leaks and spills on its 7,000 acres dating back 30 years.

In the 1980s the company had its own on-site cancer scare. Some Acreage residents believe contaminant leaks into their wells might have contributed to their brain tumor cases.

Continue reading " Erin Brockovich Investigates Florida Toxic Waste " »

With a population of 10,804 as of July 2007, Palatka, Florida is home to slightly more than 2,400 families. Palatka is just about 7 square miles in size, and has a population density of 1,553 people per square mile. A little less than 80% of Palatka residents commute outside of the city limits for work, making roads and highways particularly busy on any given work day.

Public transportation is an important part of any city. For those individuals that do not have their own personal mode of transportation, Palatka buses can mean the difference between getting to work and holding down a job, and not being able to commute anywhere out of walking distance. However, Palatka buses are not always safe, either through the fault of other motorists or Palatka bus drivers themselves. For those individuals that are injured in Palatka bus accidents, it is important to remember that sound legal advice from an experienced Palatka bus accident attorney is essential in seeking compensatory damages from negligent parties responsible for your accident.

Unfortunately, not even pedestrians are immune from the negligence that often leads to vehicular accidents. Pedestrian injuries occur when drivers fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians, and exhibit a general disregard for traffic laws put in place to ensure the safety of everyone, both motorists and pedestrian alike. In instances where an individual is injured in a Palatka pedestrian accident, that individual has the right to seek justice from the person that caused the pedestrian injury in the first place.

Personal injury can occur whether we’re in a vehicle or on foot. At Farah and Farah, our bus accident lawyers and pedestrian injury attorneys will examine the circumstances surrounding your injury and will hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. If you have been injured, contact Farah and Farah at our Palatka office today for a free consultation:

(386) 328-2889
417 St. Johns Avenue
Palatka, Florida 32177


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A couple of accidents this week raise the question – how old is too old to drive? Not to discriminate against our elders, certainly there are young people who don’t drive safety, but a couple of local fatal accidents seem to be focused on that question.

An elderly woman was killed this week in a crash at Timuquana and Eulace roads. The 90-year-old woman was driving south on Eulace around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she turned left onto Timuquana in front of a semi driven by a 33-year-old truck driver. The elderly woman was taken to Shands Hospital and pronounced dead. She was not alone in the car. Her 94-year-old passenger suffered serious injuries according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Everyone was wearing their seat belts and the driver of the truck was not hurt.

In another accident, an 88-year-old motorist veered into the path of an oncoming pickup truck and was killed in St. Johns County Tuesday morning. The woman of St. Augustine tried to turn onto U.S. 1 when the driver’s side of her car was hit. She was wearing a seat belt but died after being taken to Flagler Hospital. The truck driver was wearing his seat belt, as was his passenger, and both were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

We are so sorry for the loss of these two women. This sort of fatal traffic accident can happen to anyone at any age. But sometimes family members will ask how they can get an elderly family member to stop driving.

Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles generally reports that many seniors realize they should not be driving and give up their licenses voluntarily. That is reflected in the statistics. The department reports that the 2008 crash statistics show that the crash rates for people over the age of 65 are lower than for people under the age of 40.

Someone with an unsafe parent driver can confidentially report an unsafe driver to the department. About 39 percent of all reports came from law enforcement and about 34 percent from doctors last year where there were 7,677 referrals in all. The state can ask someone to take an eye exam or a medical exam. Or the person could be asked to retake the driver test. Younger people can be reported too, but generally seniors are the ones reported.

Continue reading " Two Elderly Motorists Killed - How Old Is Too Old To Drive? " »

Two people died Sunday morning in a single car crash in Hilliard in Nassau County. The crash happened about 1:35 a.m. on County Road 108 and Orange Street. Fire and rescue crews arrived to find a car on its driver side near a power pole. One of the occupants had been ejected from the vehicle and emergency rescue workers had to remove the top of the vehicle to extricate the other passenger.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash. The driver has now been identified as a 32-year-old woman of Bryceville, Florida, and her passenger was a 45-year-old woman of Hilliard.

We are so sorry for the loss of this woman to her family and friends, and particularly to her children.

The two occupants were not wearing seat belts, according to law enforcement.

The media reports don’t tell us much about what caused this accident, but it’s fair to say that speed played some role. Generally in a single-vehicle accident, speed is among the first things that accident investigators will look into.

A few things to remember about driving too fast - many of us were taught that for every 10 miles an hour, you need to leave at least one car length between you and the vehicle in front of you to safely stop. That was the good old days- today add distractions, such as texting, that increases the risk of a collision by 23 times, according to a recent study.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says that speed is a factor in about one-third of all fatal crashes that kill more than 1,000 Americans every month. In all of 2007, that accounted for more than 13,000 people. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the cost of speed-related crashes is more than $40 billion each year.

Continue reading " Two Killed in Nassau Car Crash " »

Known as the “Isle of Eight Flags”, Amelia Island is part of the Sea Islands, home to both Amelia City and Fernandina Beach, and houses a population of 68,347 people. Part of Nassau County, Amelia Island is 18.2 square miles in size, and relies heavily on tourism to bolster its economy. Sailing, camping, and beach-going activities abound, which means that a considerable number of people visit Amelia Island each year.

With tourism such an important factor in Amelia Island’s economy, it stands to reason that public transportation is an important factor as well. Bus travel is an efficient way of moving a large group of people from one place to another, particularly in smaller locations where traffic can build up quickly. However, when commuters place their trust in the hands of bus drivers and other public transit authorities, it becomes the obligation of those authorities to ensure that individuals using public transit are safe at all times. In the event that a bus accident does happen, it is important to have a skilled Amelia Island bus accident attorney on your side to help sort through the details surrounding your accident.

In an area like Amelia Island, where foot traffic is a more than appropriate means of getting from one place to another, pedestrian injury can become more and more problematic with each passing day. While safety laws have certainly been put in place to help curb instances of pedestrian injury, negligent behavior often results in injury nevertheless, and negligent driving practice in particular needs to be appropriately dealt with in order to help deter future instances of pedestrian injury from occurring.

Personal injury can take place when we’re in a vehicle or on foot. At Farah and Farah, our bus accident lawyers and pedestrian injury attorneys will examine the circumstances surrounding your injury and will hold negligent parties accountable for their actions. If you have been injured, contact Farah and Farah at our Amelia Island office today for a free consultation:

(904) 261-4440
501 Centre St.
Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034


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Hulk Hogan, professional wrestler and Florida resident, is suing his lawyers over his son’s auto accident. You may recall that Nick Bollea, the son of Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) was involved in a serious car accident when he was 17 years old. Bollea was speeding on State Road 60 through Clearwater when he lost control and hit a raised median. The car flipped and hit a palm tree. Bollea’s passenger and friend were permanently injured. In fact, he just got out of the hospital, but is wheelchair bound.

After the accident, the Hogan family found that their Progressive Insurance had a limit of $250,000 coverage. That is too low. Everyone should carry uninsured motorist coverage and a personal umbrella insurance policy. The cost is very inexpensive. Be aware that not all umbrella policies include Uninsured Motorists/Underinsured Motorists. Carry the limits as high as you can afford. $1 million is not too much to protect you in case you are involved in a catastrophic accident with a third party who has no insurance or insufficient insurance.

Now is the time to learn from this mistake and take a moment to review your own coverage.

In the case of Hogan, he failed to notify Progressive of the accident and instead hired lawyers to protect his family against any civil claim. He didn’t understand that Progressive was on the hook to cover all necessary costs. Instead, he paid the law firm about $550 an hour and ultimately paid the law firm about $1,500,000 in fees and costs. His suit says the firm failed to notify him of that fact, even though Progressive says it tried to communicate with him over the accident, and instead kept charging Hogan excessively high rates.

Continue reading " Do You Have Adequate Uninsured Motorist Coverage? Hulk Hogan Didn't " »

Toyota generally enjoys a good reputation among auto owners. It has had one of the early gas-saving hybrid vehicles, the Highlander. And the car is generally considered reliable. But a lawyer who used to work for the company is putting an entirely different PR spin on Toyota. The 46-year-old man who worked for Toyota from 2003 to 2008 said that his job was to manage electronic records for Toyota litigation. But he quit, or was fired, depending on who you believe, after a breakdown over what the company had him do – destroy engineering and testing evidence in more than 300 Toyota SUV rollover and roof crush cases.

That is very serious, but the allegations are coming out in the man’s lawsuit against the company charging federal racketeering. He says that when he learned that electronic data, such as e-mails, were being withheld by the company, he tried to collect and preserve the information.

Among them was the rollover of a Toyota that left a 6-year-old a quadriplegic and dependent on a ventilator.

Continue reading " Toyota Cases May Be Reopened After Insider Blows the Whistle " »

A recent federal review is not happening fast enough for patients who have been hurt by defective medical devices in Florida and throughout the nation that reports say should never have been put on the market.

A federal study will take the next two years to look at a FDA program that provides an easy fast-tracked method for medical device makers to get their product into the marketplace. The process is known as – 510 (k), and it amounts to an exchange of paperwork seeking approval from the Center for Devices and Radiological Health to market the device.

Note – the device makers claim that the catheter or defibrillator is “substantially equivalent” to another device already on the market. Unfortunately many of these devices are implanted inside patients, some permanently, and they have not undergone pre-market approval for safety.

Besides bandages and wheelchairs, 510 (k) devices can include pacemakers, heart valves, and synthetic surgical mesh.

3,600 products apply for the 510(k) designation every year. About 90 percent are given the okay.

The $1.3 million review by the Institute of Medicine (part of the National Academies) is better late than never. However, for those who have been harmed by medical devices that were never reviewed for safety, waiting another two years for it to be complete, slated for March 2011, opens the door to more abuse of the system.

A Truth in Medicine founder and patient advocate who is suing Ethicon over its synthetic surgical mesh which remains implanted in her, says two years is too late.

“Thousands and thousands will be injured before they complete the review process,” says Miami-based patient advocate. She and thousands who have contacted her Web site, say they never should have been implanted with synthetic surgical mesh for hernia repair and urinary incontinence. Many say their lives have been ruined because the mesh migrates, perforates organs, and is difficult if not impossible to remove.

Continue reading " Federal Review of Dangerous Medical Devices Finally Underway " »

A Westside family is making funeral plans for a 19-year-old woman and her unborn baby who died in a collision between two pickup trucks Tuesday afternoon.

A pregnant 19-year-old was reportedly riding in the bed of the pickup truck traveling east on Normandy Boulevard, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. That’s when a late-model blue truck made an illegal turn into a mobile home park and collided with a red truck going west. The pregnant woman was riding in the back of the blue truck and was ejected when it turned in front of the other at the intersection with Parrish Cemetery Road. She was a quarter mile from their home. Today flowers mark the spot where the accident occurred.

The woman was seven months pregnant but the baby could not be saved. Fortunately, her one-year-old was in the truck in a car seat sitting next to the woman’s brother who threw himself over her during the collision. Neither was seriously hurt.

Our hearts go out to the family of this pregnant woman. There are many questions that go unanswered in media reports such as – was there a glare in the windshield of the truck? What were the road conditions at the time and was there rain? Were they speeding? Even 50 mph in a post 50 mph area in the rain is too fast for the conditions.
The Florida Highway Patrol says charges are pending.

Florida Statute 316.2015 says it is unlawful for a person to ride on the exterior of a vehicle, such as the bumper, fender, hood or truck of a car. And it is unlawful for the operator of a vehicle to allow a minor (under the age of 18) to ride within the open body of a pickup truck, unless the person is wearing a seat belt and sitting in secure seating.

Continue reading " 19 Year Old Pregnant Woman Dies in Wreck " »

Jacksonville Beach, Florida is a popular tourist destination and is the largest town in the Jacksonville Beaches community. “Jax Beach” houses a population of 21,849, as of July 2007 figures, and has seen steady population growth since the year 2000. Part of Duval County, Jacksonville Beach is only about 7.7 square miles in land size, but plays host to a large number of beach-goers and vacationers each and every year.

U.S. Route 90 ends, or begins, in Jacksonville Beach, a mere three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. With both residents and tourists both coming and going, public transportation is an important part of easing traffic congestion in Jacksonville Beach. However, while people place their trust in Jacksonville Beach bus drivers and other public transit authorities, the necessary safety precautions are not always taken, and procedure is not always followed. In the event that commuters are involved in a bus accident in Jacksonville Beach, it is essential that an experienced Jacksonville Beach bus accident attorney is consulted as soon as possible.

Personal injury can strike at any time, particularly in areas where foot traffic is almost as prevalent as vehicular traffic. Particularly because it is a beach community, Jacksonville Beach plays host to a large number of pedestrians regularly making their way from one location of interest to another. Pedestrian injury, unfortunately, is a problem that afflicts far too many individuals each year, particularly in tourist-laden areas like Jacksonville Beach.

Personal injury can be devastating not only physically, but financially as well. At Farah and Farah, our bus accident attorneys are well-versed in traffic law, and prepared to assist you with all aspects of your case. If you have suffered a pedestrian injury, your life may be deemed catastrophic, forever altering the way you live your life. In all instances where an individual is injured in Jacksonville Beach, it is essential to have someone on your side that will fight for your best interests and hold negligent individuals responsible for your accident. If you have been injured, contact Farah and Farah today for a free consultation at our Jacksonville Beach office:

(904) 249-2585
472 Osceola Avenue
Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250


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The makers of Children's Tylenol have announced a voluntary recall of more than 20 children's and infants' liquid products.

The products were made between April and June 2008 and the recall involves 57 lots of children’s products.

The full list and lot numbers of the products are contained on the Web site. Among those recalled:
Varieties of Children’s Tylenol have been voluntarily recalled. The brands include Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 ounce Strawberry, Children’s Tylenol Pediatric Suspension 1 ounce Cherry, and Infant’s Tylenol Suspension Drops ½ ounce Grape.

The company says one of the inactive ingredients tested positive for a gram-negative bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia or B. cepacia. However none of the bacteria was found in the finished product and that the chance of a serious medical event is unlikely.

The bacterium is responsible for some antibiotic resistant hospital infections.

Continue reading " Tylenol Recall " »

By now we’ve all seen the video on YouTube that aired on British television. It shows four girls driving a vehicle and texting, all staring at the screen just before a head-on collision.

The public service announcement should be seen by all teenagers who are close to the driving age, or presently driving. A warning – it is a gruesome, and not for the faint of heart. Parents may want to watch it first. But it is real and everyday drivers distracted by texting are doing exactly what the teens in this video are doing.

Now a group of Florida teens from Parkland, Florida (population 24,000) is taking the public service message and other videos of the dangers of texting and driving and trying to do something about it.

The teens are donning white t-shirts that carry an anti-texting message. And they’ve taken their campaign to city hall to convince the city commissioners to ban texting while driving in their town.

Wisely, the teens know it is kids who influence other kids, so sophomores, who are just getting their driving permits, have had the most influence on other kids in school.

Continue reading " Teens Rally Against Texting and Driving " »

With a population of 805,605 people as of the 2007 U.S. Census, Jacksonville is the most populated city in the state of Florida and the 12th most populous city in the country. Stretching 874.3 square miles in size, Jacksonville is the largest city in the United States based on total land area, and plays host to not only many residents, but also numerous tourists. With such a large amount of people traveling throughout the city, public transportation is particularly important in both cutting down on the overall amount of traffic in Jacksonville and enabling a large number of people to get from one place to another. However, while necessary safety precautions are certainly put into effect, unfortunately, accidents still cause innocent people to suffer serious injuries.

In the event that a Jacksonville commuter is involved in a bus accident, that commuter shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of expenses brought on by the accident, such as medical bills to treat an injury or physical therapy fees to help one recover from a serious injury. With the assistance of a skilled Jacksonville bus accident lawyer from Farah & Farah, such compensation may be obtained.

Similarly, pedestrians occasionally suffer from the reckless driving practice of motorists in Jacksonville. If a pedestrian is injured in Jacksonville, that individual would be well-advised to seek the advice of an experienced Florida pedestrian injury attorney that will examine the circumstances of the accident and help appropriately attribute negligence to parties at fault.
Personal injury, whether sustained in a bus or pedestrian accident, can be devastating not only physically, but financially as well. In all instances where an individual is injured in Jacksonville at the hands of another, it is essential to have someone on your side that will fight for your best interests and hold negligent behavior responsible for your accident. If you have been injured, contact Farah and Farah at our Jacksonville office today for a free consultation:

(904) 396-5555
10 West Adams Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

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An auto accident involving a police car snarled traffic on Interstate 95 southbound at J. Butler Boulevard, closing the road for around two hours Wednesday afternoon during rush hour.
An officer with Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was traveling southbound on I-95 behind two other vehicles around 3:30 p.m. When traffic began to slow, the first car, driven by a woman, slowed down. A car behind her slowed too and pulled to the left. Then the marked JSO car failed to slow quickly enough and struck the two cars.

The officer suffered minor injuries and the two other drivers were not hurt. Luckily all were wearing their seat belts. An investigation could lead to charges against the officer or at least a reprimand.

Complicating matters was an afternoon downpour which may have contributed to the accident.

Certainly in rainy conditions, it is imperative to slow down because rain alters drivers’ perception. It’s not only harder to see, but a car can hydroplane or lose traction. We are thankful that everyone is alright and wore their seat belts.

Florida has its share of afternoon rain storms so it’s important to understand the rules of the road under those conditions. Many drivers believe it is legal, if they slow down in rainy conditions, to put on their hazard blinking lights to alert the cars behind them of their slow speed. Many drivers here come from up north where they can use hazard lights in a snowstorm, but in Florida it is not legal to do so. According to the statute, only vehicles that are disabled or stopped lawfully can have their hazard lights on. The law is designed to avoid the confusion of having drivers think the blinking light indicates the car is stopped. This nonmoving violation in the state is punishable with a fine of about $70.

Continue reading " Three Car Accident Snarls I-95 " »

A 17-year-old was about to graduate from high school when the cheerleader and softball pitcher received the first of the three-shot series of Gardasil, the Merck drug that is supposed to protect young girls from the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that causes two types of cervical cancer and two types of warts.

That was 19 months ago.

"I just didn't know what to think because she was so healthy. I just could not understand why she was dead. No one seemed to know why she was dead,” says her grandmother.

The teen had no health problems, but after the second shot in September 2007 she started to get bad headaches, as well as muscle aches, and joint pain, said her grandmother. The doctor thought it was stress. Her third shot was February 20, 2008. By February 22 she was dead.

Her grandmother said that after the final shot, her granddaughter said she had a headache and went to bed. That next morning her mother found her on the bathroom floor. "Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that Gardasil is what killed her," says her grandmother.
An autopsy was inconclusive.

The grandmother says she is angry with the CDC and the FDA because even today they encourage girls to get the vaccine, even though there have been about 14,000 adverse events reported to the government, including Guillian-Barre Syndrome, where the muscles become paralyzed, in addition to headaches, fainting and even death.

In fact, the CDC says it has either investigated or is currently looking at 43 reports of deaths of those who received the vaccine. Read the reports on the Web site, Judicial Watch, that had to file a FOIA to get the death reports from the government.

"The FDA adverse event reports on the HPV vaccine read like a catalog of horrors. Any state or local government now beset by Merck’s lobbying campaigns to mandate this HPV vaccine for young girls ought to take a look at these adverse health reports."
-Tom Fitton, Judicial Watch

Continue reading " Grandmother Says Gardasil Killed Her Granddaughter " »

Florida driver deaths appear to be substantially down this year according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Seven were killed and the FHP says 136 impaired drivers were arrested during the four day Labor Day weekend. However, the total number of wrongful death auto crashes in Florida has not been released yet. In 2008 during the Labor Day period, 36 people died in crashes.

In addition to the arrests, FHP officers issued over 16,000 citations. That huge number resulted from Labor Day enforcement that was part of a larger effort beginning August 21 and running through September 7th. During that time period, FHP issued more than 57,000 traffic tickets and made 540 arrests for DUI of alcohol or drugs and 20,000 received citations for speeding.
In addition, law enforcement was out in force to watch for violations of the Move Over Law. Troopers issued 2,200 citations for violating that law.

The Move Over Law refers to protecting law enforcement when they are parked on the side of the road to help motorists. It states that:

• On a two-lane roadway, you are required to slow to a speed that is 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit.


• If the speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, you must slow down to five miles per hour.


• If you are driving on an interstate or roadway with multiple lanes of travel in the same direction, and you approach an emergency or law enforcement vehicle parked along the roadway, you must vacate the lane closest to that vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you are not able to safely move over, you must slow down to a speed of 20 MPH below the posted speed limit unless directed otherwise by a law enforcement officer.

Continue reading " Labor Day Deaths on Florida Roads " »

Lake City is located in Columbia County, Florida and is often referred to as the “Gateway To Florida.” With a population of about 12,000 and in a county whose population is on the rise (Columbia County has close to 68,000 inhabitants as of 2006), Lake City has become a highly desired tourist destination as well as a common stop for those on route to Southern Florida. With such a span of visitors and residents passing through various parts of the city using bus transportation, bus accidents are bound to take place as a result of defective bus parts, negligent driving, improper driver training, or for a variety of other reasons.

When innocent passengers are injured in a bus accident in Lake City at no fault of their own, a skilled Lake City bus accident attorney from Farah and Farah can help. We have assisted many injured victims of bus accidents receive compensation to help pay for medical treatment, pain and suffering, hospital bills, and even loss of wages.

In addition to bus accidents, pedestrian accidents within Lake City’s streets are regrettable occurrences that put the well-being of children, the elderly, and adults of all ages at risk. When drivers fail to adhere to speed limits near pedestrian crosswalks, they put innocent pedestrians in danger of suffering severe injuries and even wrongful death. Pedestrian injuries can have some of the most catastrophic consequences due to a pedestrian’s vulnerable exposure to the surrounding area without protection.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, whether it involved a bus, truck, or other auto, the experienced Lake City pedestrian accident lawyers at Farah and Farah can assist you through this challenging time. For more information on how we may be able to help you hold negligent parties responsible for your bus or pedestrian accident injury, contact the Lake City personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah today:

212 N. Marion Ave Suite 208
Lake City, FL 32055
Phone: (386) 754-7534

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