Jacksonville Personal Injury Blog

With the Fourth of July on the horizon, many Florida residents have already started celebrating with fireworks. While a patriotic spirit makes perfect sense, far too many citizens ignore or forget about safety when using these potentially dangerous objects.

A new study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals that fireworks-related incidents were responsible for two deaths in 2009 and approximately 9,000 emergency room visits for injuries. According to the CPSC, throughout the 30 days near last year’s holiday, about 6,000 injuries involving fireworks were reported in which half of the injuries related to firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.

Consumers below the age of 20 are the most prone to fireworks injuries; however, the risk of serious injury or even death still exists for anyone within close proximity of fireworks or other pyrotechnics. The CPSC notes that some common fireworks injuries and hazards include:

• Burns of the face, head and hands


• Lacerations


• Loss of limbs


• Residential fires


• Wrongful death

It is never a good idea to leave children or even young adults alone when fireworks, sparklers, or bottle rockets are within reach. Parental supervision is essential when legal fireworks are being used. Never permit young children to ignite or toy with fireworks. Although it may seem like common sense, some consumers forget that they should never throw or point fireworks at another person.

For more helpful information on how you can help prevent severe injuries related to fireworks this Fourth of July, please refer to the CPSC’s website for consumer fireworks safety tips.

The Florida personal injury attorneys at Farah & Farah hope that consumers stay safe this Independence Day. Use extra caution this weekend to help keep your loved ones out of harm’s way.

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A Sarasota, Florida man has been awarded $14 million after a Miami-Dade jury decided that the asbestos he inhaled caused his abdominal cancer, according to a Miami Herald report. William Aubin, 59, worked in his family’s construction company in Key Biscayne in the 1960s. Asbestos fibers, made by the chemical giant Union Carbide, were used then to make joint compounds. Union Carbide sold the asbestos to Aubin Construction and Aubin’s attorney argued that the product was not adequately labeled as containing asbestos.

The jury found the Union Carbide was negligent for selling the asbestos fibers to Aubin Construction. Aubin eventually developed peritoneal mesothelioma which is a rare and usually fatal cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity and organs. Another Florida man was awarded more than $24 million by a Miami-Dade jury when he contracted the same illness.

Mesothelioma is usually caused by exposure to asbestos and most people who develop mesothelioma have worked in jobs where they were exposed to asbestos particles or dust. You can even increase your risk by being exposed to dust from the washing of clothes of a family member who worked around asbestos. Symptoms include chest pain shortness of breath and fatigue and wheezing.

The jurors also found that the compound manufacturers, among them Georgia-Pacific, shared in some of the responsibility. This verdict will be appealed in that delay and deny is part of the game. Aubin may never see a dime. And for the executives in charge who made decisions for the company at the time, they suffer no personal or civil losses. Instead, shareholders in the company suffer the losses. If you or a loved one has worked around asbestos knowingly or not, it may be necessary to preserve your rights and contact a Jacksonville injury lawyer if you are suffering the symptoms of mesothelioma.

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Tasers have been used by law enforcement across the country but they are controversial. They can result in a bad outcome for the people who are zapped, usually to keep them under control. That is what happened to one man. He has lapses in his conversation and in his memory. Four years ago, the man was hit with a Taser Electronic Control Device or ECD when he refused an order to get off a Watsonville, California city bus. He suffered immediate cardiac arrest and his attorney says he suffered oxygen deprivation. Today he is permanently disabled.

Our hearts go out to the family of this man who must take care of him the rest of his life.

Taser Facts
4,000 law enforcement agencies use Tasers and have delivered more than 1.8 million zaps. Amnesty International, the human rights organization, says that 400 people have died as a result of the strikes.

Medical experts believe that 660-volt is average but the peak voltage can rise to up to 40,000 volts. The man’s family lawyer says he knows because Taser International was funding a study by the American College of Cardiology Foundation, which concluded that Tasers should not be fired near the heart to reduce the chance of inducing ventrical arrhythmias. The researchers also concluded that a Taser is not likely to cause cardiac arrest.

Liability Concerns
The family of this man has filed a lawsuit against the maker of the Taser, Taser International. They say that the weapon is dangerous because when fired at the chest it can cause cardiac arrest and that Taser knew about the danger. Many law enforcement agencies have decided to follow the advice and no longer use a Taser near the chest, but instead aim for the arms, legs or buttocks. Police understand they are less likely to be sued if they follow that advice. Other police departments in San Francisco, Detroit, and Memphis have all decided not to use Tasers. If you or a loved one has been injured by a Taser, you may have rights that need to be preserved and investigated. Call on the help of a Florida personal injury attorney and an investigator to make sure that the at-fault party is held responsible for your injuries.

Source report: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/03/taser.cardiac.arrest/?hpt=C2

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Often called “The Nation’s Oldest City,” St. Augustine, Florida is where the oldest port in the continental United States is located. With an estimated population of 12,157, St. Augustine continues to draw more residents and visitors every year with its gorgeous coast, classic architecture and historical museums. Situated in Northern Florida about 40 miles south of Jacksonville, 60 miles north of Daytona Beach, and 5 miles east of Interstate 95, there is no doubt that St. Augustine is a very busy area. As a consequence of being such a well-traveled and densely populated region, bike accidents that result in bicyclist injury or even death take place in St. Augustine from time to time. When such incidents are caused by a driver that is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or is otherwise distracted, an injured rider or the family of a wrongful death victim may seek legal advice from a skilled St. Augustine bike accident attorney.

According to accident statistics from 2008 Florida Highway Patrol data, 118 bicyclists died in crashes and 4,775 collisions involving bicycles occurred. Although the use of a helmet increases a bicyclist’s protection from injury and fatality, drivers still must maintain the responsibility of following the speed limit and other traffic laws as well as check and double-check blind spots for bicycles before changing lanes.

Bike accidents in St. Augustine and throughout Florida are capable of imposing multiple physical, financial and emotional challenges upon an injured person and their family. An injured bicyclist may suffer bruising, fractures, broken bones, lacerations, permanent scars, disfigurement, paralysis, brain injury, and even wrongful death. Even though these injuries are diverse, several of them may contribute to steep medical bills, emotional trauma, loss of earnings, and other damages.

The St. Augustine personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah have many years of experience assisting bike accident injury victims as they cope with the new circumstances that another person’s negligence has created. We have the legal resources and knowledge that you need to obtain the compensation that you deserve if you have been injured in a bike accident or any other kind of personal injury incident. Get in touch with Farah and Farah today to find out more about how we may be able to help you. Contact us at our St. Augustine office for a free consultation today:

(904) 797-7977
1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080


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A major analysis by the consumer coalition, Americans for Insurance Reform (AIR), finds that a recent claim about the cost of litigation in this country is highly exaggerated and misleading. The estimate, $254.7 billion, was determined by the insurance consulting firm, Towers Perrin, now called Towers Watson.

AIR says the estimate is based on unverifiable and flawed work and is completely inappropriate in evaluating the U.S. tort system. Those who would like to limit the rights of consumers and their access to the civil justice system, frequently exaggerate the cost of the tort system to mislead taxpayers to believe they are paying the inflated cost of litigation in the form of a tort tax or litigation tax. The Towers Perrin report does not provide support for such a contention or for the tort reform agenda pursued by corporations to keep Americans from cutting into their profits in the courtroom.

The criticism of the Towers Perrin report is called “Grade F” For Fantastically Inflated “Tort Cost” Report, and is co-written by actuary J. Robert Hunter, Director of the Insurance for the Consumer Federation of America and Joanne Doroshow, with the Center for Justice & Democracy. She believes that the Towers Perrin report gives no credence to any belief that the tort costs are out of line, in particular, medical malpractice costs. Doroshow points to the fact that Towers Perrin only examined insurance losses, whether or not a lawsuit was filed, plus insurers’ guesses about what future losses could be, plus the bloated overhead of salaries, bonuses, lobbying costs and jet planes. And the actuary does not examine jury verdicts, settlements, court costs or lawyers’ fees. And it tends to exaggerate- for example, it counts as “tort” cost the transfer of money from a wrongdoer to a victim, such as $500 to fix a car door dent.

Even with all of the misreporting, the Towers Perrin report still shows that tort system costs are growing slower than medical inflation and that medical malpractice trends are completely stable. The bottom line is that U.S. tort costs are less today when compared to GDP, than they were in 1983. And without litigation we would not have safer products and saved lives that result when the civil justice system is allowed to work in the way it was intended.

Source reports: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-consumer-group-slams-insurer-tort-cost-report-82970327.html; http://www.insurance-reform.org/pr/100128.html

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Pilot error is blamed for last year’s deadly crash near Buffalo, New York, that killed 50 people onboard and one person on the ground. The head of the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilots’ errors show “complacency and confusion that resulted in catastrophe.”

The Continental Connection Flight 3407 was the subject of a NTSB report issued Tuesday, February 2. Unfortunately the events are something we have seen before.

Safety Issues Raised
The safety issues raised by the Buffalo accident are reported industry-wide and point out the gap between the safety of major carriers and regional ones.

Five of the six major crashes involving air travel have occurred among regional airlines since January 2001, reports the NTSB.

At the regional airports, increasingly used to fill the gaps, lower-paid pilots who must commute long distances to work often fly tired as was the case here. Capt. Martin Renfro was coming in from Florida to Newark and his co-pilot flew in the night before from Seattle, where she lived with her parents. She made less than $20,000 a year and was flying fatigued and sick.

Flight 3407 stalled on approach to the Buffalo airport, and in response to the automatic stall warning, the pilot pulled back on the controls instead of pushing them forward to gain speed. Then he pulled back three more times. The NTSB said it was at a loss to explain that action.
Safety Recommendations

In its report the NTSB Office of Aviation Safety issued 25 recommendations.

Continue reading "Pilot Error Blamed For Buffalo Crash That Killed 51" »

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Posted In: Aviation Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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It is one of the most important things that hospital workers can do to keep patients safe. It is virtually no cost and can be done by anyone in the matter of a minute. The statement, “Wash your hands,” is drummed into hospital personnel during their training, through orientation, and in pamphlets. Washing one’s hands not only stops the spread of bacteria and viruses, but it can also stop deadly MRSA from spreading in a hospital setting.

Hospital Recommendations
Hospitals recommend that doctors and nurses wash their hands before seeing every patient and on their way out, but medical professionals can forget to uphold this important responsibility. In fact, only about 40 percent of health care workers in the U.S. wash their hands as often as it’s recommended. Hospitals are beginning to pay attention to this practice and are even using new surveillance technologies.

Surveillance Technologies
A new device has been installed at Baptist Princeton Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. A special badge tells hospital administrators exactly how often doctors and nurses wash their hands through information that is transmitted wirelessly. Nurses have mixed feeling about the technology. It is sort of a “Big Brother of hand washing” looking over their shoulders. Many do not care for the invasive surveillance and the message of distrust that it sends. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using focus groups to gauge how sensitive healthcare workers are to the surveillance. But the bottom line is that the technology is being used to change behavior, not just to be punitive.

Continue reading "An Emphasis on Hand Washing - Prevent Medical Negligence" »

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It is not the typical type of vehicle that can do harm. But a 62-year-old man has died after being hit by a golf cart over the weekend. The accident occurred at the Queen’s Harbour golf course when the man stepped out of the cart to look for a ball and another car hit him and pinned him between the carts. He then hit his head when he fell.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family of this man for this unfortunate accident.

Liability Issues
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports that no charges will be filed, but if I was the family of this man, I would want to know whether there was alcohol involved. Driving a golf cart while intoxicated could place liability on the second driver. A golf cart is unlike a motor vehicle because they are not supposed to be used on roadways. They are not supposed to travel over 20 mph. However, they can be used on the roads inside certain communities and recreational facilities. What happens if someone is injured by a golf cart? Where does the liability fall?

Florida actually defines a golf cart as a dangerous instrumentality because they can be involved in many different types of accidents that cause injury. Because of that, I would want to research whether the owner of the golf cart was responsible for the damages and harm caused. An investigator could determine who the vehicle belongs to and if he had liability coverage in case there is bodily harm or property damage. It is not uncommon for the owner of the golf cart to be named as a defendant in a lawsuit for damages or death.

Continue reading "Man Dies After Being Hit By Golf Cart" »

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An investigation is uncovering the amount of influence former NHTSA employees may have had over the current Toyota probe. Critics in Congress say that Toyota had help from two former NHTSA employees. Christopher Santucci worked as a defect investigator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator. He then got a job at Toyota, the very company he had been in charge of investigating. He worked for Christopher Tinto, who also used to work for NHTSA. Now with these two together at Toyota they helped to limit probes into Toyota records show. Together, they pointed the NHTSA probe to focus on the brief burst acceleration instead of the runaway vehicles that have led to so many accidents and deaths.

Toyota documents that CBS News obtained from 2006 show that while NHTSA wanted company documents on “a broad testing and analysis question” concerning the Camry and Solara vehicle engine surge, Toyota in negotiations with NHTSA, got the agency to “reduce the response” and essentially provide much less data. A third ex-NHTSA employee also helped Toyota, former NHTSA attorney Kenneth Weinstein. Joan Claybrook, who used to head NHTSA, characterizes it like this. “They maneuvered and manipulated and I think Bamboozled the agency.” Congress is taking the apparent conflict-of-interest question before Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Absolutely not” he said.

Continue reading "Toyota Pulls Strings Within NHTSA To Kill Probes" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Auto Product Liability , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Product Liability

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A three-year-old girl was mauled to death by a Pit Bull tied to a tree. It happened Saturday, February 20, 2010 in Ocala at the home of the girl’s family who owned the dog. The mother was not supervising when the dog attacked the little girl and when the mother came outside and found her, the girl was already dead. The family breeds pit bulls for a living and Marion County Animal Control removed four dogs in all from the home. The three other children who live there and the father were not home at the time of the attack.

Our condolences go out to the family for the death of this little girl. No matter what the circumstance, losing a child is a tragedy that will never be forgotten.

Florida Dog Bite Statistics
Every year it’s estimated there are about 4.7 million dog bites in this country that result in 30 deaths. And the number of canine homicides, as they’re called, seems to be growing from the 80s and 90s. About 800,000 dog bite injuries end up seeking medical treatment. Men are twice as likely to be injured as woman, but often children are the victims of vicious dogs who perceive them as easy prey. Often it is more than one dog, or a pack, that will attack. About two dozen breeds have been linked to fatal dog bites, with Pit Bulls and Rottweilers at the head of the list.

Continue reading "3-Year-Old Killed By Pitt Bull" »

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Also referred to as the “Gateway to Florida,” Lake City is located in Columbia County and is home to approximately 12,000 individuals. Being located within Columbia County’s estimated population of 68,000, Lake City is quite a diverse, popular, and eventful area. Similar to other largely populated cities, Lake City encounters incidents of bike collision in which bicyclists may endure serious injury due to another person’s negligence. When a driver is distracted, under the influence of alcohol, or otherwise negligent and a bicyclist suffers as a result, an injured rider may seek legal counsel from an experienced Lake City bike crash lawyer.

Based on 2008 accident statistics from the Florida Highway Patrol, 118 bicyclists died in collisions and a total of 4,775 crashes involving bicycles took place. While helmet use helps prevent bicyclist injury, drivers must uphold the important responsibility of checking blind spots for bicycles before changing lanes as well as following the posted speed limit.

Whether a bike crash causing death or injury takes place in Lake City, FL or anywhere else in the U.S., these types of accidents may create physical, emotional and financial challenges for an injured individual and their family to overcome. Some of the most frequently occurring bike accident injuries relate to bruising, broken bones, disfigurement, lacerations, permanent scaring, paralysis, brain injury, and even death. Although these injuries vary, many of them can lead to high medical bills, loss of past and future wages, emotional suffering, and other damages.

At Farah and Farah, our Lake City personal injury attorneys have helped several bike accident injury victims in their legal efforts so that they can get their life back on track. In our many years of experience, we have acquired the legal knowledge and resources to take on any personal injury or bike accident case. Contact Farah and Farah today to learn more about your legal rights and to receive a free consultation by calling us at our Lake City office:

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


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A father and son were both injured in their 1974 experimental plane that took off from Williston Florida, Sunday, February 21. The 65-year-old father and his son 40-year-old son had taken off successfully, but when they were returning to the Williston Airport Sunday morning, the plane took a nose dive, landing upside down. Both men were taken to Shands Hospital but reported to be in stable condition. According to the Levy County Sheriff’s department, the two had taken off for a Sunday morning flight in their home- built plane.

Thankfully, this plane crash did not result in deadly consequences. These two men are counting their blessings, I’m sure.

Accident Statistics
There has been a 600 percent increase in the number of homebuilt airplanes since the 1970s, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. They are much less expensive than single-engine general aviation aircraft. But the FAA allows anybody to buy the plans and assemble the parts for an aircraft. There are at least 25,000 experimental aircraft homebuilt in the U.S. though many are based on conventional design. This aircraft can be built and flown by any licensed pilot and the aircraft must be certified for flight by an examiner.

Liability Issues
Experimental aircraft can raise serious liability concerns. Small experimental aircraft don’t have the same FAA requirements as factory-built aircraft and the homemade planes are more dangerous as a result. People literally can build them in their garage. Experimental aircraft can use automotive or motorcycle engines.

Continue reading "Williston, Fl Plane Crash Injures Two" »

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This is a story that no one wants to experience, but medical malpractice in Florida and throughout the U.S. is real and far more common than the public realizes. A woman from Tampa felt there was too much bleeding after her dental surgery, and too much pain. There was a very good reason for that. Her dental surgeon had left a drill bit burr in her right maxillary sinus where it stayed for nearly a year as the 35-year-old held down a job and cared for her kids. The woman has since undergone surgery to have the drill bit removed.

We wish her a speedy recovery and the peace of mind knowing that a foreign object has been removed from her face.

Medical Malpractice
The woman in this incident has hired an attorney to try and get back some of the11-months of her life. This was not only a preventable error, says her attorney, but a simple follow-up X-ray would have detected the metal piece in her jaw. Instead, the woman was sent away and told that her healing process was normal, her lawyer says.

In order to file a medical malpractice lawsuit, a patient has to have suffered some loss and injury, and according to this complaint, the woman was experiencing numbness on her right side where the burr was, as well as dizziness. It was only when she was taken in for emergency treatment at St. Joseph’s Hospital in July, 2009, that a magnetic scan caused the object to move inside her head, something that caused excruciating pain, she says.

Continue reading "Dentist Leaves Drill Bit in Patient's Jaw" »

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Posted In: Health & Information , Law & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury

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Orange Park is located within Northeast Clay County and is a popular town and suburb of Jacksonville, Florida. In addition to attracting a variety of visitors throughout the year, the city of Orange Park is home to more than approximately 9,043 residents and Clay County encompasses over 180,000 individuals. As a major section of such a densely populated area, Orange Park experiences its share of bike accidents, especially with an increase in residents attempting to save money on gas and get more exercise. When a bike injury collision is caused by a negligent or distracted driver, an injured bicyclist may want to get in touch with a skilled Orange Park bike accident attorney.

It is an unfortunate reality that several motorists fail to yield the right-of-way to bicyclists, and even pedestrians and other vehicles. Statistic estimates from the U.S. Department of Transportation reveal that about 2% of all traffic accident deaths and incidents of injury involve bicycles. Whether a bike crash causing death or injury takes place in Orange Park, FL or anywhere else in the U.S., these types of accidents can impose several physical, emotional and financial consequences for an injured individual and their family to surmount. Some common bike accident injuries include broken bones, permanent scaring, disfigurement, lacerations, bruising, paralysis, brain injury, and even death. Although these injuries range in severity, many of them may contribute to steep medical bills, loss of wages, emotional trauma, and other damages.

The experienced Orange Park personal injury attorneys at Farah and Farah have dedicated many years to assisting those injured in bike accidents due to another person’s negligence. We have the legal resources and knowledge to handle any personal injury case, whether it relates to a bike accident, pedestrian injury, or another kind of automobile accident. Get in touch with Farah and Farah for more information regarding your legal rights and to schedule a free consultation by contacting us at our Orange Park, Florida office today:

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

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Posted In: Bike Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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An analysis by USA Today finds that among 15,700 nursing homes nationally, about 20% receive low marks for overall quality, and those with the lowest ratings – one or two stars – are owned by for-profit companies.

There are an estimated 1.4 million Americans in nursing homes. About a quarter-million live in the low-ranked nursing homes. But even they must satisfy the basic Medicare requirements. USA Today examined the federal government's data from the first ratings of the homes' performance. Late in the Bush administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began assigning the Zagat-like ratings based on quality, staffing, and health inspections. The Five-Star Rating System launched at www.medicare.gov.

Among the lowest rating - one star- nursing home, there was an average of about 14 deficiencies per home, including safety violations and quality-of-life measures. Unfortunately, in many states, homes with poor ratings may be the only nursing homes for miles.

Problems include infected bedsores, medication errors, poor food, and abuse and neglect of nursing home patients. About 20 percent of the more than 37,000 complaints inspectors received last year concerned abuse or neglect of patients.

Continue reading "Nursing Home Ratings - Low Overall Quality Found" »

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Posted In: Elder Neglect , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Premises Liability

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A one-year-old girl who was in a car involved in a wreck in Wesley Chapel, Florida, died Saturday, January 9, 2010 according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The young girl was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital, where she had been in critical condition since the wreck.

She was one of three people in a Honda that was struck by an SUV that crossed over the center lane of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, just south of State Road 54. The driver of the 2010 Cadillac SUV was a 67-year-old man from Brando, who died in the collision. He wasn't wearing a seat belt.

There is no word whether the infant was properly restrained in an infant car seat. Our hearts go out to the family of this little girl. There is very little information about whether she was strapped into a child restraint system as is required by law.

Continue reading "Injured Tot Dies in Wesley Chapel Crash" »

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News4 in Jacksonville reports that a St. Augustine pedestrian died after he was hit by a car driving down U. S. Highway 1 near Old Moultrie Road in St. Johns County. Traffic investigators say a 57-year-old man was standing alongside the highway around 4:15 a.m. He was wearing dark clothing. A 24-year-old man was driving down U.S. 1 and didn’t see the pedestrian in time to avoid the accident. The male pedestrian later died at Flagler Hospital. The motorist was not injured and the Florida Highway Patrol reports no charges are pending.
Our condolences go out to family and friends of the deceased pedestrian.

Pedestrian Dangers in Florida
The Florida Department of Transportation reports the state’s pedestrian fatality rate during nighttime hours is double the national average. A recent review of all pedestrian accidents in the state, released in 2008, ranked Florida #2 nationwide for pedestrian fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that between 1997 and 2007, more than 5,000 pedestrians died on the state’s highways, 10.4% of all pedestrian fatalities across the nation for that same period of time. A study conducted by the University of Florida points to a number of reasons for Florida’s high fatality rate: warmer weather which encourages walking during longer winter nights and urban sprawl which creates a reliance on high-speed arterial highways such as U.S. 1. These highways are not always well lighted, adding to the danger.

Continue reading "Pedestrian Killed in Early Morning Auto Accident" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A devastating crash involving a Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy cruiser and a Honda Civic leaves an Oakland Park, Florida teenager dead and two others in the hospital. According to police and witnesses at the scene, the accident happened at the corner of Dixie Highway and Northeast 56th Street. The investigation into just what happened demonstrates how difficult it can be to find the cause of such a tragedy and how important it is to seek legal guidance to make sure justice is done.

According to police and news reports, a 21-year-old girl was driving the Honda, headed north on Dixie Highway. She was attempting to turn left at Northeast 56th Street when the police cruiser, headed south on Dixie, slammed so hard into the Honda that the back end of the car was sheared off. A 14-year-old a passenger in the Honda was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and another passenger, who is 15-year-old, were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The Sheriff’s Deputy driving the cruiser, a 21-year-old man, was also taken to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released. He is new to the Sheriff’s Department and has neither commendations nor reprimands on his record. He has not been placed on leave from his job.

Our hearts go out to all the victims of this terrible accident. The loss of a child is especially difficult and our prayers are with the girl’s family and friends as they try to come to terms with what happened.

Reconstructing An Accident
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office says it may take months to determine who is at fault and as more details come to light, it is easy to see why.

First—one witness at the scene who gave an account of the accident to investigators is now accused of having lied about what happened.

Second—while witnesses claim the cruiser was driving at a high rate of speed, the Sheriff’s Office says it is unclear at this time how fast it was going. Furthermore, officials say Honda had a green light, but not a green turn arrow, which means it should have yielded to oncoming traffic.

Third—witnesses asked why the Sheriff didn’t have his emergency lights or siren on during the crash but officials say he shouldn’t have, since he was responding to a routine call at the time.

Fourth—both drivers have a record of traffic citations, both for speeding, and one for charges of improperly changing lanes and failing to wear a seat belt.

Continue reading "14-Year-Old Killed In Crash Involving Police" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A study by Ohio State University shows the dangers of walking and talking on a cell phone. Hundreds of injuries have been reported from distracted pedestrians. Just over 1,000 pedestrians have visited emergency rooms in 2008 because they tripped or ran into something during a cell phone conversation or texting while walking. The New York Times reports on the case o a 16-year-old boy who walked into a telephone pole and suffered a concussion. A 28-year-old man trapped and fractured a finger while he gripped his cell phone. And 68-year-old man fell off his porch while talking on a cell phone.

We think of the dangers of driving while distracted, but the rate of ER visits has doubled from 2007, which doubled from 2006. And consider this – most people injured while walking and talking would not even thing to call it into a hospital if the injury is minor.

Florida is already the most dangerous state for pedestrians, with nine out of the ten most dangerous metro areas in the south, according to Transportation for America. Far too many pedestrians are killed on an annual basis in Florida. With the explosion of personal communications devices, there is no reason to believe that there will be any improvement in the dangerous practice of distracted walking. To help prevent pedestrian accidents in Jacksonville and throughout the state of Florida, please do not use your cell phone while crossing the street or engage in other distractions when doing so.

Source report: http://www.justicenewsflash.com/2010/01/19/study-talking-walking-injuries-pedestrians_201001193036.html

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Two teenagers were killed in Ocala following a crash, Tuesday, January 12, 2010 when the BMW they were riding in collided with the rear of a dump truck. The driver of the 1987 BMW 325i was traveling at a high rate of speed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, when he topped a hill on Northwest 100th Street, near North U.S. 441, and crashed into the rear of a Mack Granite dump truck. His passenger died an hour after the crash. The driver died on Thursday. Both teens were 18-years-old and both were seniors at North Marion High School. The dump truck driver received minor injuries.

Seat belts were in use at the time of the accident.

Our hearts go out to the families of these two young men who were best friends. The driver’s father says his son never drank or smoked and was a good son. We are sorry for your loss.

An investigation needs to determine just how fast that dump truck was traveling when the collision occurred. The FHP says that the truck was slowing for road work and that there were numerous signs along the hilly street to indicate road work was ahead. An investigation needs to confirm that information.

If there were not adequate warning signs posted behind that working dump truck, the company responsible as well as Marion County could be liable.

Continue reading "18-Year Old Killed Rear Ending Dump Truck in Ocala" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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The beginning first months of any New Year bring some new traffic laws to Florida. One specifically addresses bad drivers, sending them back to school when they are at fault in three crashes with a 36-month period. 322.0261 was enacted during the 2009 legislative session.

"In an effort to make our roads safer, those who display a pattern of poor driving ability or judgment will be required to complete a driver improvement course," says Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director, Julie L. Jones. "The new law is designed to modify the behavior of some of our worst drivers."

As many as 1,000 Florida drivers may be subject to the new requirements during 2010, especially when traffic transgressions go back as far as 2007.

Beginning in early January, those drivers who are among the worst will receive notices that they are subject to the new law. Drivers will be given 90 days to complete the approved course. If they fail to do so, they could lose their driving privileges.

Continue reading "New Law: Three At-Fault Crashes Sends You Back To The Florida Classroom" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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A man from Fort Lauderdale is a former Florida smoker with lung cancer. He, like thousands of other Floridians, have filed lawsuits against Big Tobacco in Florida for hiding the dangers of smoking, and in fact, promoting smoking as something that was good for your health. Years later, when people were addicted and could not stop smoking, the dangers were revealed.

But has dropped his lawsuit against tobacco giant Philip Morris USA. Instead, he has accepted a $1,000 settlement against Big Tobacco. In his case, the fear of having to pay the legal fees of Philip Morris outweighed the risk of going to trial and losing. Two smokers recently had to pay the company $100,000 and $30,000.

When the Engle class action lawsuit against tobacco companies was decertified along with its $145 billion damage award, individuals were free to file their own cases. That meant that about 4,000 cases were filed in state court and about 4,000 in federal court. In the first case filed by the family of a man and a Florida jury awarded $8 million to his widow.

Based on the original Engle findings, the Florida Supreme court decided to reinstate a portion of the decision determined by the class. As a matter of fact these answers have been determined by Engle – that smoking causes certain diseases, that cigarettes are addictive, that cigarettes are defective and unreasonably dangerous, that tobacco companies conspired to conceal or omit information regarding the health effects of cigarette smoking or the addictive nature of smoking cigarettes and that they lied about cigarettes.

Philip Morris USA, a unit of Altria Group Inc. has vowed to fight the cases.

Source article: http://www.wtop.com/?sid=1818194&nid=111

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Posted In: Law & Information , Personal Injury , Tobacco Lawsuits

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The 20-year-old was a good nurse. So when she was told to show up at Jacksonville Naval Hospital’s Mayport clinic in 2005, despite the fact that she had a cold and worsening headaches, she did so. But that decision turned deadly for a young pregnant woman.

An undiagnosed sinus infection became bacterial meningitis taking her life. Monday, December 28, 2009, the government finally settled with the family. Most of the $850,000 will go to her 4-year-old daughter who was delivered seven weeks early by C-section as he mother lay dying. The child will not go without, but she will go without her mother.

Our condolences to the family for their immense loss. It is a complete tragedy, especially considering that the failure-to-diagnose case is the third settled by the family’s attorney with this hospital.

Medical Malpractice
By failing to diagnose this young woman simply by taking her temperature, determining she had a bacterial infection and treating the infection with antibiotics, the hospital committed malpractice. She had shown up at the Mayport clinic with the respiratory infection and a two-to-three day history of headaches, but told to continue taking over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Even the young woman’s mother called the clinic herself to demand they give her daughter a prescription for antibiotics. Instead the daughter received a different OTC medication.

Malpractice occurs when a standard of care is violated and that clearly happened here. By the time the bacterial meningitis was diagnosed, it was too late. She died two days later and her organs were donated. Her mother says her daughter was her best friend.

Continue reading "Navy Settles Medical Malpractice Case" »

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Posted In: Health & Information , Law & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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The Southeast city of Brunswick, GA, is an industrial area known for its city life as well as its seafood and automotive production. Brunswick is home of the eastern United States’ number four largest automobile port and is often called the world’s “shrimp capital” for its ample shrimp and crab supply. Brunswick is also the number twelve most populated metro area in Georgia State and its estimated city population of 16,235 does not include the 101,792 metropolitans that dwell in the central city and surrounding neighborhoods. With such a large number of residents, many opt for public or personal transportation, including the use of a bicycle. Unfortunately, bike accidents and instances of personal injury can occur, and the victim may be in need of a personal injury lawyer.

There are many preventative measures bicycle riders can take to protect themselves from injury. To name a few, a helmet can be worn to protect head damage, and awareness of weather conditions can help a rider to choose a better route or prevent an unnecessary slip and fall from wet or icy ground. Unfortunately, not all bicycle accidents and injuries are the fault of the rider and collisions may arise from third party negligence. A distracted motorist may fail to yield to a bike rider when merging lanes or an intoxicated driver could recklessly strike the biker. In such cases, motorist negligence can cause a bike accident that may result in personal injury, including broken bones, paralysis, or severe body lacerations. Many of these injuries can leave lasting scars on the skin, cause victims to suffer long-term emotional trauma, and create financial debt from intense medical treatment. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident as the result of someone else’s negligence, a Brunswick Georgia bicycle accident lawyer may be able to help you and your family receive due compensation for pain and expenses.

The skilled and dedicated lawyers at Farah and Farah have many years of experience protecting the rights of Brunswick, Georgia personal injury and bike accidents victims. Our experienced personal injury attorneys have the legal knowledge and resources to help you receive compensation for personal injuries, emotional grief, and financial losses. To receive a completely free consultation of your case, please contact Farah and Farah at our Brunswick, Georgia office today:

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

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Posted In: Bike Accident , Personal Injury

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A 20-year-old Fort Myers, Florida, man lost control of his truck on Interstate 75 and lost his life. The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the man was heading south at a high rate of speed when the vehicle hit a curve north of the Bayshore Road exit. Because of the speed, the 20-year-old’s vehicle skidded onto the west side of the highway and then overturned four times. The young driver was ejected when his driver’s door opened. Despite the fact that he was wearing his seat belt, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Our condolences go out to the family of this young driver.

Young Driver Traffic Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, young drivers, ages 15-to-20, represent 9 percent of the U.S. population in 2007, and 6 percent of the licensed drivers. But they also represent 19 percent of the fatalities in the United States in 2007.

Approximately two-thirds of the people killed in fatal young-driver crashes are the young drivers themselves or the passengers (of all ages) of the young drivers.

Of the passengers killed riding in vehicles with young drivers, 67 percent are in the same 15-to-20-year-old age group as the drivers. And 56% of the fatal crashes and 57 % of the fatalities involving young drivers occur on rural road-ways.

Continue reading "Fort Myers Man Ejected From Truck" »

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A 24-year old driver was arrested at Orlando International Airport Tuesday, January 12, 2010 and accused of causing a crash that killed two women in 2008. Authorities had “flagged” his passport after he went to Lebanon last year. The man is facing two counts of DUI manslaughter and two counts of vehicular homicide for a July, 2008 crash that killed a 20-year-old woman and a 19-year-old woman.

The driver was trying to reenter the country when he was arrested on an active warrant. He is being held in jail since FHP considers him a flight risk.

Vehicular Manslaughter
The two young women were traveling north on Dean Road after leaving SR 408 exit, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The man reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .085 when he ran a red light driving his 2008 Infinity south on Dean road. He was speeding according to troopers, going 68 mph in a 45 mph zone. The speed literally split the Acura in two, killing the two women at the scene.

Friends of the male driver say he was not leaving the country to avoid prosecution, but to visit his relatives. Our condolences go out to the families of these two girls who have had to wait for justice for so long.

Florida Accident Statistics
Florida drivers ages 15 to 19, have the highest rate per 10,000 licensed drivers of crash involvement (399.04) and drivers 20-24 have the highest rate in fatal crashes (4.24), according to 2008 statistics from the Florida Highway Patrol.

Continue reading "Driver Arrested at Orlando International for Vehicular Manslaughter" »

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Some budget changes apparently are needed in Miami. But budget cutbacks have also cut back the response time of emergency personnel. In this case, a bicyclist was hit by a car on the busy South Florida causeway into Key Biscayne Sunday, January 17. The car was driven by a man who is facing DUI manslaughter charges. His driving record has previous incidents and he has been accused of battery. But it took rescue personnel 12 minutes to respond. The nearest fire rescue station at Key Biscayne is only opened part time. So Miami-Dade sent rescue personnel from its open station, which is in South Miami, which explains the 12 minute wait.

Unfortunately. that time was too much for the cyclist who did not survive the crash. Both Key Biscayne and the City of Miami Fire Rescue are closer to the scene of the accident. The family issued a statement, “Lives were changed forever, and two families are grieving and going through an extremely difficult time.” The county is launching an investigation.

Our sincere condolences go out to the family of the affected individual. The response time is a strong factor in survivability of a bicycle crash with an automobile.

Florida Bicycle and Passenger Fatalities
While bicycle and passenger fatalities decreased 2.5% from 121 to 118 in 2008, 118 bicyclists were killed in 2008 in Florida. There were also 4,380 injuries during that time period from 4,775 crashes. Unfortunately, car drivers will often tell you they did not see a bicyclist or a motorcycle. That is often because they are not looking.

Continue reading "Emergency Response to Miami Bike Accident Delayed Because of Budget Cuts" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Bike Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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The Chrysler Group is recalling 24,000 Dodge and Jeep automobiles because of a defect that could cause the brakes to fail. The bulk of the recall applies to the Dodge Ram pickup truck, model years 2009-2010 as well as the 2010 Chrysler Sebring, the Dodge Avenger and Nitro, the Jeep Liberty, Commander and Grand Cherokee.

The problem is a rod-retaining clip that has been fitted incorrectly and in some Ram trucks the part has not been fitted at all. No accidents are reported as a result of the brake issue, but Chrysler says the problem with the braking system could result in brake failure without warning, “which could cause a crash.” As auto defect attorneys in Florida and throughout the U.S. are monitoring recall updates, Chrysler is working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the recall.

The auto giant is in the midst of trying to rebuild its image after going through bankruptcy last year and receiving federal bailout money. NHTSA is encouraging consumers to call Chrysler to obtain the fix.

Source report: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703837004575013263719462230.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Product Liability

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A 19-year-old from Atlantic Beach near Jacksonville suffered fatal injuries when the pickup truck in which he was riding got a flat tire and rolled over. The crash happened Thursday afternoon, January 14, 2010 at about 4:15 p.m. on Interstate- 95 and LPGA Boulevard in Daytona Beach.

The teen was one of two passengers ejected from the vehicle, a 2005 Ford, after the driver lost control and the car went into the grass median before overturning twice. He was not wearing a seat belt. The other passenger, a 21-years-old, also of Atlantic Beach, was not wearing his seat belt and was hospitalized. The 29-year-old driver from Atlantic Beach was wearing a seat belt and sustained minor injuries.

Our prayers go out to the family members of the young man who did not survive and the other injured man who was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach and is recovering. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Florida’s New Seat Belt Law
Many people argue that they should not have to wear a seat belt if they do not want to and they refuse to buckle up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 20% of drivers are still not buckling up.

Continue reading "19-Year-Old Killed in Daytona from Flat Tire, Rollover" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Rollover Accident , Wrongful Death

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The city of Palatka rests in the county seat of Putnam County, Florida and currently approximates a population of 10,796 - a significant rise in births since the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2000 count. Many attractions involve Palatka residents, including a bluegrass music festival that occurs biannually, and Ravine Gardens State Park, which students of nearby St. Johns River Community College can visit to enjoy the scenery or study at. With two available Amtrak services and a local public-use airport to accommodate residential travel, the population of Palatka is an educated, busy city that continues to grow. However, from time to time, an accident can occur, such as birth injury or hospital malpractice, and these traumatic incidents can permanently affect the well-being of an individual or a family.

Birth injury will devastate a significant number of families each year, with an estimated six to eight newborns out of 1,000 having difficulty during the birthing procedure and suffering an injury. A certified physician has the responsibility to provide adequate and proper care for a patient about to give birth, including accurate diagnosis, identifying a future child at risk of stroke, and taking measures to prevent premature birth.

An annual estimate of 200,000 patients will experience grief from acts of hospital malpractice by medical professionals who have not given proper treatment or correct dosage of medication to their patients. Mistakes from negligence can be irreversible and drain the earnings of those who have suffered mistreatment. In cases of neglect, a skilled Palatka hospital malpractice attorney is available to help anyone in need of repairing medical damages due to the negligence of a doctor, nurse or employed medical practitioner.

If you or a family member has experienced emotional trauma, physical pain, birth injury or personal loss at the expense of a medical negligence, the skilled and confident Palatka personal injury attorneys at Farah and Farah can help protect your rights. Loved ones and victims of neglect have trusted our lawyers for many years in hospital malpractice and birth injury cases. For a free and confidential consultation of your case, call the Palatka office of Farah and Farah today:

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


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Posted In: Birth Injury , Health & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury

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A new crib recall policy could be part of the newly beefed up crib safety rules initiated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). When consumers find that they own a defective crib that has been recalled, CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum recently told congress that her “Safe Sleep Initiative” would require a crib maker to offer a refund or store credit to the owner of the defective crib. That is, as long as it does not force a company into bankruptcy. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) says what is most shocking about this is that all of the recalled cribs were certified as meeting the industry’s safety standards.

The problem with many recalled cribs is that they continue to resurface in the second-hand market, whether it is through a garage sale or consignment store.

Tenenbaum says she plans to ratchet up the public outreach for baby and toddler products by using multimedia tools, print, radio, television and social media to find the recalled items. Also CPSC is partnering with Safe Kids USA, Keeping Babies Safe, and the National Safety Council.

Recently the CPSC recalled more than 2 million Stock Craft drop-side cribs as well as 600,000 Dorel Asia cribs. Be sure to visit the CPSC Web site if you are planning to purchase a used baby crib or toddler equipment to check that it is not a defective product that has been recalled.

Source report: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/01/cpsc_cribs.html

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Posted In: Personal Injury , Product Liability

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its guidance for people who work late-night in retail establishments due to the number of people killed on the job. According to federal statistics, 167 retail trade workers were killed behind the counter in 2007 with nearly half working in gas stations, liquor and convenience stories. 39 were killed in convenience stores, 32 worked at gasoline stations, and seven worked at liquor stores. And while retail outlets experience a disproportionate amount of violence in the workplace, those premises that made any changes to improve conditions is fewer than 2%.

The only good news to report here is that the number of retail workers who died at workplace violence has declined over the past 10 years from 286 in 1998 to 167 in 2007. OSHA recently updated its guidance report, Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments, which was published in 1998. The updated Recommendations identify risk factors and feasible solutions.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, all employers are required to provide a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. Otherwise, someone injured on the job through no fault of their own, may have a premises liability case against the owner of the place of business.

In terms of other types of dangers on the job, OSHA reports that 5,071 workers died on the job in 2008. Employers under federal law are required to report any work-related deaths or in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees to their OSHA area office or call OSHA toll-free at 1-800-321-6742.

Source report: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=17115

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Posted In: Law & Information , Personal Injury , Workers' Compensation , Wrongful Death

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A 24-year-old Merritt Island, Florida woman was killed when the truck she was riding in was struck by an oncoming truck on South Tropical Trail. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the young woman was pronounced dead after the crash, which happened at 5:36 a.m. near Crooked Mile Road.

Traffic investigators say the woman was riding in a 2001 Toyota truck driven by a 26-year-old man from Orlando. According to troopers, the motorist was speeding north on South Tropical Trail. He overcorrected when he drove onto the shoulder of the road, veering into the path of a southbound 1997 Ford truck. A 45-year-old Merritt Island resident was driving the Ford. Both she and the driver were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The crash is under investigation and charges are pending.

We offer our condolences for family and friends of the young woman and our prayers for a full recovery for the injured parties.

Speeding Vehicles Cause Accidents
We do not know the specific causes of this accident or who will be held responsible. But we do know that speed kills. Federal statistics from 2008 indicate that speeding is one of the most prevalent factors in traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says speeding was involved in about 31% of fatal crashes in 2008, causing 11,674 deaths.

Continue reading "Truck Crash Kills Merritt Island Woman" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A Clewiston, Florida man faces 12 counts of DUI and causing bodily injury as well as possession of marijuana after the car he was driving hit a Palm Tran bus carrying 13 people. The Naples News reports that the 41-year old man was arrested on January 20, 2010 when his car ran a stop sign, slamming into the bus. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy at the scene reported smelling alcohol coming from the man’s car and that the man’s demeanor indicated he was under the influence. According to the deputy, a search of the man’s car uncovered a small bag of marijuana. The bus driver and passengers as well as a passenger in his car were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries.

Our prayers for a speedy recovery go out to all injured in this accident.

Alcohol-Related Accidents in Florida
The Florida Highway Patrol reports that state and local law enforcement agencies in Florida issued almost 65,000 DUI violations in 2008. While alcohol-related fatalities in 2008 were down from 2007 by 6%, 39.5% of all traffic fatalities involved alcohol, the highest it’s been in years. While no one was killed in this accident, one man is accused of driving under the influence and causing the injury of 14 people.

Continue reading "Clewiston Man DUI Hits Bus" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Bus Accident , Drunk Driving Accident , Personal Injury

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The city of Gainesville, Florida, is the largest in Alachua County with an estimated population of 114,375 and also is home to one of the biggest national universities, the University of Florida. Gainesville scenery is highly regarded, according to the 2007 edition of Cities Ranked and Rated, which named it the #1 place to live, and National Geographic Adventure noted it as one of the “best places to live and play.” As a top city and an education landmark, the Gainesville community may be publicly regarded as a safe environment. However, from time to time, incidents of hospital malpractice in Gainesville take place in which birth injury may be a result.

A birth injury is one of the most grief sustaining incidents that no family should every have to experience, especially when a family is under the impression that they can trust professional medical staff to provide adequate hospital care. When a hospital official, physician, or nurse practitioner fails to handle a critical birthing situation, the newly born baby may sustain serious health problems, mental defects, physical disfigurement, or even death under the most traumatic circumstances. In addition to the baby potentially suffering from medical negligence, the mother may also endure serious harm as well. In such conditions of suffering from the improper care of a negligent professional, a family may want to seek the help of a skilled Gainesville birth injury lawyer to find out their legal rights and possible options for compensation.

Not only is birth injury an unfortunate occurrence, but hospital malpractice is a serious form of negligence that causes people seeking treatment unnecessary physical pain and avoidable emotional grief. Common forms of hospital malpractice include improperly prescribed drugs, misdiagnosis, error during surgery, and even ignoring a patient in a desperate condition. Though a doctor or staff member may have caused irreversible errors, these parties may be held liable for any pain, expenses or unfulfilled responsibilities as medical professionals.

Farah and Farah personal injury attorneys have been working with families and the victims of medical malpractice and birth injury for several years and have the experience necessary to help protect the rights of mistreated patients. If you or a family member has experienced financial, emotional, or physical grief or loss due to medical malpractice or birth injury, contact the Gainesville offices of Farah and Farah for a free and confidential consultation:

(352) 375-3393
2233 NW 41st. St.
Suite 700-1
Gainesville, FL 32605

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Posted In: Birth Injury , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A Tallahassee, Florida man died on January 9, 2010, when he crashed into the rear of a semi-tractor-trailer rig on I-10. The 48-year-old man was traveling on I-10 just west of SR 77 near Chipley in Washington County.

The Florida Highway Patrol says he was heading east just before noon when he hit the rear of the tractor-trailer. The driver of the truck said he was on cruise control at 68 mph when he felt a large explosion. When he looked into his rear view mirrors all he saw was dust and debris. The 48-year-old man’s vehicle was actually stuck under the trailer rig. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from Washington County.

Our condolences go out to the family of this motorist.

When a fully loaded tractor-trailer weighing in at over 80,000 pounds collides with an automobile weighing about 3,000 pounds, even if it is a rear-ender, 98 percent of the fatalities occur to people in the passenger vehicles. It sounds as though there was nothing the driver of the big-rig could have done to be safer on the road.

Distracted Driving
Almost weekly we are reporting about people who collide into the back of the vehicles. Dialing a cell phone and texting can contribute to distracted driving. But also, reaching into the back seat, changing the radio, having an argument in the car, and being sleep deprived, may all contribute to a less than safe driver.

According to a study by Virginia Tech last year, dialing a cell phone made the risk of crash or near-crash event 2.8 times as high as non-distracted driving; while talking or listening to a cell phone made the risk of crash or a near-crash event 1.3 times as high as non-distracted driving; and reaching for an object such as an electronic device made the risk of crash or near-crash event 1.4 times as high as non-distracted driving.

In Florida, there were 243,342 traffic crashes in 2008, which averages 665 per day. The type of crash, rear-ending the vehicle in front, tops the list of types of crashes, according to the Florida Highway Patrol in its 2008 statistics. In that year, there were more than 29,000 car accidents in Florida of this nature that resulted in more than 74,000 injuries and 318 deaths.

Nationally, NHTSA finds that at least 25% of police-reported crashes involve some form of driver inattention. That means more than 4,300 crashes each day across the country. And many suspect that estimate is low.

Source article: http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/81075122.html

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Truck Accident , Wrongful Death

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A former patient at University Community Hospital (UCH) in Tampa underwent back surgery but instead of relief he suffered complications.

The patient, male, filed a Florida medical malpractice lawsuit against his surgeon. In order to proceed, records would be needed from the hospital. Florida law gives patients a right to access any adverse incident records of doctors and hospitals. The person requesting the records is supposed to pay a reasonable cost for their retrieval.

The Million Dollar Search
However, the hospital says it will cost the defendant $1 million to retrieve the records. Hospital officials say that searching through years of records for adverse incidents related to the accused surgeon would require manual record searches and names will have to be redacted to protect privacy.

So the patient has sued UCH in an attempt to have the records costs lowered and to determine the actual cost to produce the documents.

His lawyer says the cost is unconscionable and designed to stall and prevent patients from obtaining information on their doctors.

Patients Have Rights to Medical Records
The Agency for Health Care Administration says each hospital is supposed to keep track of how many incidents every doctor has because reporting is mandatory. The health care provider owns a patient’s medical record, but the patient has a right to see it and get a copy.

Continue reading "Medical Malpractice Record Cost Should Be Reasonable" »

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Posted In: Law & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury

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Two big-rigs were involved in a fiery collision the early hours of Tuesday, January 12, 2010, shutting down the Florida Turnpike under the Boggy Creek overpass in Kissimmee, Florida. The crash caused a huge fire when it erupted around 12:30 a.m. filling up the space under the bridge as the flames shot up into the air.

The first vehicle was a Target store delivery big-rig. The driver and passenger in that truck were injured, and are hospitalized with serious injuries. Their survival was amazing considering the cab of the truck was engulfed in fire. Troopers say the fire might have actually started when the refrigeration unit that keeps food cool inside the trailer, was damaged. The food inside the Target truck was a complete loss, along with the cab of the truck.

A Good Samaritan jumped out of his vehicle and helped save the occupants of the first truck. We wish the drivers a swift recovery and are thankful that their injuries were not more serious.

So what happened here? The Florida Highway Patrol says that it appears an 18-wheeler in front of the Target truck blew a tire and was hit in the rear by the Target big-rig. Then a third big-rig hit debris from the initial crash and also sustained damage to its fuel system. Traffic was closed both northbound and southbound and was reopened just after 6 a.m. while crews cleaned up a 200-gallon diesel fuel spill caused by the crash.

The Orlando Sentinel reported the next day that damages to the Boggy Creek Road overpass are estimated to be about $300,000.

The Dangers of Semi Tractor-Trailers
In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that 11,674 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes.

Nearly one-quarter of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 had at least one prior speeding conviction, as did 18 percent of passenger car drivers.

263 people lost their lives in 2008 in Florida collisions with a large truck, a number that has been in decline since 2004.

Continue reading "Fiery Semi-Truck Crash Near Orlando" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Truck Accident

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Eight people were injured Saturday afternoon, January 16, 2010, when three cars collided. The Florida Highway Patrol says a white pickup truck was traveling southbound on I-295 in Jacksonville, when it lost control. An 18-wheeler hit the truck and went into the median, spinning out of control and hitting a Cadillac that was traveling north. A van carrying eight people traveling northbound had to overcorrect to avoid hitting the collision and overturned in the median. It is reported by First Coast News that all of the injuries are non-life threatening. The injured have been taken to various hospitals.

We are very hopeful that those in the van were not seriously injured and thankful that there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported.

Big-Rigs
Large trucks, also known as tractor-trailers and semis, or eighteen-wheelers, make up only about 3% of the vehicles on the road. However, they account for far more traffic fatalities.

National statistics point to poor driver training, driver fatigue, speeding, overloaded and oversized trucks, brake failure, and poor driving conditions, the inexperience of the driver and a failure to yield the right-of-way, as a cause of trucking accidents.

But in fairness, those who drive 18-wheelers or big-rigs often complain that it is people driving in vehicles that cause accidents with big-rigs.

According to a 2002 study by the American Association of Automobiles, 80 percent of fatal truck-involved crashes are caused by passenger vehicles. A 2006 Virginia Tech analysis of two studies conducted for the Department of Transportation found that 78 percent of crashes were caused by passenger car drivers.

Continue reading "Eight Injured in I-295 Crash" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Truck Accident

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Now that the Consumer Electronics Show has come to a close in Las Vegas, NV, promises have been made that additional technology is soon coming to your dashboard, and to the dismay of safety advocates. Talk about distracted – Intel and Google are turning their attention to bringing the power of the PC to your car. Consider 10-inch screens that show high-definition videos, Web pages and 3-D maps. Expect the infotainment systems to hit the showrooms this year. Navigation systems are more likely to be standard equipment. You’ll be able to pull up a restaurant review and click on a music album with the touch of a finger.

But is this safe? Of course not and you can expect laws to follow technology. There is no question that distracted drivers cause car accidents in Florida, but the pursuit of profit over safety is driving this train. Or car.

You have to love what a Ford systems engineer tells the New York Times. “We are trying to make that driving experience one that is very engaging.” Hello! Driving itself is very engaging, especially if it is done safely.

The auto companies are making some concession to safety. Ford’s built-in Web browser works only when the car is parked. Audi says it will restrict access to potentially distracting functions. The Jaguar will allow the front-seat passenger only view the movie. But unless safety advocates become activated now, expect your car to become the most immersive consumer electronic device most of us own.

Source report: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/technology/07distracted.html?hp

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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Amelia Island is located along the southernmost Florida shore belonging to a chain of beaches called the Sea Islands. It spans 13 miles long, 4 miles wide, and is located 15 minutes from Interstate 95. Its scenery has attracted the interest of film makers, event planners and the annual Jazz and Shrimp festivals draw residents and visitors to participate and enjoy the Amelia Island coast. Readers of Conde Nast Traveler ranked the island #4 in North America. As an engaging city, many residents of Amelia Island find it hard to believe that patients deserving of adequate hospital care do not always receive the proper medical attention that they need.

Hospital malpractice will affect an estimated 200,000 patients nationwide each year. Medical mistakes like birth injury can impose unfortunate physical, financial, and emotional strain on patients who deserve to be treated by reliable hospital staff. Birth injury caused by a medical professional who has failed to timely diagnose a problem during the birthing process can severely injure or permanently damage the well-being of the mother and baby. Fortunately, skilled Amelia Island birth injury attorneys are available to support patients and their loved ones when they are negatively affected from hospital negligence.

If you or a family member has experienced suffering, emotional trauma, pain, or loss due to birth injury or hospital malpractice, the skilled personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah can help protect your rights. We have been at the aid of injury victims and their loved ones for many years and have the experience to obtain a positive outcome in your birth injury or hospital malpractice case. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Amelia Island office for a free and confidential consultation:

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


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The Shands Hospital nurse, who was hit by a suspect eluding police, is talking to the media about who may be at fault for her debilitating injuries.It turns out that the suspect who hit her in a crosswalk was being chased by two police officers, who, instead of rendering aid to the nurse, passed by her and continued on their chase. And the Jacksonville Sheriff’s officers did not have on light and sirens that would have alerted her to get out of the crosswalk.

The pedestrian accident in Jacksonville happened last June. Seven months later, the woman has been through ten surgeries. She still uses a walker and is likely she will not be able to return to her former job because of her inability to move, reports First Coast News.

The man who hit her has ready been sentenced to seven years in prison. He apologized to the nurse but claims he didn’t see her in the crosswalk because he was busy watching the police in his rearview mirror. The reason he was being chased – he ran a stop sign in the neighborhood- raising all sorts of questions about the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office chase policy.

We wish a continued recovery for the woman who was injured, perhaps permanently, through no fault of her own.

JSO Chase Policy
The nurse has announced that she is planning to file a lawsuit against JSO for their reckless conduct. Her lawyer has filed notice of claim with the city of Jacksonville. One of the two patrol cars should have stayed with the victim instead of continuing to case a suspect for running a stop sign. It’s called rendering aid and is the number one duty of the office besides protecting the public. JSO failed on both counts.

Fortunately for her case, there is surveillance video that leaves little to the imagination. It shows the nurse being thrown into the road. Then five seconds later, one JSO vehicle cruises past followed by the second car. They did not even slow down to help her, but one of the officers did send a radio transmission into dispatch calling units to Shands.

“There is someone that has just been fun over by a blue Hyundai sedan I’m trying to get caught up [to it] now,” said the officer.

The nurse wants something other than money – a clarification of the JSO police chase policy. Sheriff John Rutherford is calling for an internal investigation of the incident. Ultimately, the investigation will help clarify what exactly is the JSO pursuit policy, and then whether the officers followed it.

Continue reading "Woman Hit by Driver in Jacksonville Police Chase Will File Suit" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury

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This may come as a surprise to many but it appears that rural roads have more traffic fatalities than the nation’s highway system.

This information comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With about 23 % of the population living in rural areas, 56% of the nation’s 37,261 traffic deaths occurred on rural roads, according to NHTSA. That is almost six in 10.

The difference may be explained by the fact that while there are more crashes in urban areas, fewer of them result in fatalities.

Why do more crashes in the country lead to fatalities? One reason may be that drivers are traveling faster on rural roads. They are not as well-engineered as urban highways. And an emergency responder may take longer to get to you, decreasing the chances of survival. For example in Montana, the average response time is about 80 minutes.

37% of car accident fatalities in Florida occurred on rural roads or 1,113 fatalities, compared with 2,978 statewide in 2008.

Continue reading "More Fatal Auto Accidents on Florida's Rural Roads" »

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Spanning an estimated 22 square miles, with an approximate population of 21,673, Jacksonville Beach is considered the largest town in the northern Florida cluster of San Pablo Island’s suburban communities. Jacksonville Beach, or “Jax Beach”, if you’re a local, is a busy city with a full schedule of events for its residents and many tourists. Familiar activities include food festivals, live music at night, and a Winter Beach Run that registers over one thousand participating athletes. With its developing population and as a noted travel spot, many Jacksonville Beach residents and visitors do not want to admit that incidents of hospital malpractice and birth injury take place from time to time.

Birth injury can affect families in devastating ways. Not only can the emotional challenges of a birth injury be traumatic but such forms of medical malpractice may also cause financial strain. When a medical professional fails to uphold their responsibility to provide professional care, a family may qualify to seek compensation from negligent parties. An experienced Jacksonville Beach birth injury attorney can assist a family in making a full recovery from incidents of hospital recklessness.

The severe consequences of medical mistakes unfortunately cause suffering to an estimated 200,000 patients each year throughout the United States. The emotional trauma and physical damage from hospital malpractice may negatively affect a patient for many years following treatment. If you or a family member has experienced grief, loss, or birth injury due to hospital negligence, the experienced personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah can help protect your legal rights. We have been at the aid of injury victims and their loved ones for many years and have the skills to obtain a positive outcome in your birth injury or hospital malpractice case. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Jacksonville Beach office for a free and confidential consultation:

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


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A report from the American Automobile Association is giving us a clear picture of just how many of us are texting while behind the wheel. Nearly one out of five U.S. drivers admit they have read or sent a text message while driving, even though nearly everyone in the survey considered that unacceptable behavior. And among those surveyed by the Ford Motor Co., more than 93% of 1,000 licensed drivers say they support a nationwide ban.

It’s these findings that make a ban on texting while driving a key legislative priority for AAA in state capitals.

But so far, only about a dozen states have imposed prohibitions and Florida is not among them, at least not yet. Every year, legislators try to promote some sort of legislation that would restrict wireless communication while behind the wheel, and 2010 promises to be no different. I would predict that this year will make the difference.

Behind the push are recent federal statistics that 58,790 people were killed and 515,000 injured last year in vehicle crashes connected to distracted driving. That may not be an accurate picture as the Florida Highway Patrol is just beginning to include that as a cause of car crashes in Jacksonville and throughout the state on their accident reports.

Source report: http://www.aaafoundation.org/home/

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The tragic death of a 6-year-old Jacksonville girl, hit by a car while she was in a pedestrian crosswalk, has sparked calls for justice. The attorney for the family of this young child wants to know why the driver of the truck that killed the girl wasn’t charged in the accident. And he wants changes in the law to correct what he calls dangerous, but common, misperceptions about crosswalks.

Reconstructing the Accident
According to the Florida Times Union, on December 21, 2009, the young girl, her mother and her 5-year-old brother were crossing San Jose at Kori Road and were only halfway to the median when the light at the intersection changed. All three were hit by a truck whose driver was not cited in the accident. The 6-year-old girl was killed; her brother was not injured, but her mother’s leg and some ribs were broken. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has declined comment on this story.

This is a sad story about the senseless death of a small child. Our prayers and sympathy go out to the family as they try to recover from this tragedy.

The Law Protects Pedestrians
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 16.8% of all traffic fatalities in 2008 were pedestrians. 500 pedestrians were killed in pedestrian accidents on Florida highways in 2008. More than half (308) were killed while crossing a street. While not all those fatalities involved pedestrians in crosswalks, the law is clear that all motorists must yield to pedestrians regardless. According to the Florida Driver’s Handbook, it is “the motorist’s responsibility to do everything possible to avoid colliding with pedestrians” (Section 3.6).

The family’s attorney says pedestrians in crosswalks are in danger because of confusion not only about right-of-way but also of how crosswalk buttons function. He says most people think pushing the button at a crosswalk causes the traffic lights to cycle. This is wrong. He says pushing the button instead serves to extend the cycle, giving pedestrians more time to cross the street. In the case of this young girl, the button was not pushed, so the green light was much shorter and the family got caught in the middle of the street.

Continue reading "Attorney Calls for Charges and Changes in Crosswalk Laws" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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A 55-year-old Kissimmee man died Sunday afternoon when he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving. The St. Petersburg Times reports the accident happened just west of Brooksville near B.W. Stevenson Road. According to the Florida High Patrol, the man was traveling east on Cortez Boulevard. He lost control of his 2000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle on a curve, hitting a concrete median and a reflective pole before the bike left the highway. The man was thrown from the motorcycle. Hernando County Fire Rescue pronounced him dead at the scene. The FHP said the man was not wearing a helmet. It’s unknown whether alcohol was a factor in the accident.

Our condolences for the loss of this man go out to his family and friends.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics
According to Florida Highway Patrol statistics from 2008, there were 9,618 motorcycle crashes that year. 17.8% of all traffic fatalities affected motorcycle drivers and their passengers. While the number of these fatalities was down from 2007 by 3.3%, 532 motorcyclists and passengers were killed in 2008. 45% of those victims were not wearing helmets.

Helmets Save Lives
In July, 2000, the State of Florida passed a law exempting adult motorcyclists (21 and older) from wearing helmets as long as they had medical insurance in the amount of $10,000. According to a study published in 2004 in the American Journal of Public Health, motorcycle occupant fatalities increased by more than 20% the year after the law was changed. Study author, Andreas Muller, PhD, concludes that “exempting adult motorcycle riders from wearing motorcycle helmets is counterproductive for motorcyclists’ health and unnecessarily increases insurance and medical care expenses.”

Continue reading "Motorcyclist Killed in Brooksville" »

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Law & Information , Motorcycle Accident , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Jacksonville, Florida has an estimated population well-over 805,605 people and is the largest city in the state and the 12th largest in the U.S. of any other city with a population of at least 100,000. Situated in the First Coast region of northeast Florida, Jacksonville is about 340 miles north of Miami. As a popular tourist destination for its wonderful weather and scenic beaches, Jacksonville attracts several new residents every year. As the population increases, the need for adequate medical care, especially for women giving birth, is in high demand. Unfortunately, medical professionals are not immune to negligence or failing to act in a timely manner, thus causing birth injury and other forms of hospital malpractice to take place.

Birth injuries are some of the most devastating incidents that no family should ever have to overcome. When a nurse, doctor, or hospital staff member does not properly handle a timely situation during the birthing process, a newborn baby may endure severe health problems, disfigurement, scarring, and even death under the most tragic of circumstances. The mother may also be at risk of suffering injury or harm if a medical professional is negligent in some way. During such tough times, some families may want to consult with an experienced Jacksonville birth injury attorney so they can learn more about what potential legal options may be available to them.

When a hospital technician, pharmacist, staff member, nurse, or doctor causes a patient to suffer injury through improper or negligent care or treatment, hospital malpractice may have taken place. Some of the most frequently occurring forms of hospital malpractice include abuse, surgical error, misdiagnosis, incorrect administration of drugs or treatment, and failure to treat a patient. Those responsible for such negligence may be held liable for a patient’s pain and suffering as well as the financial expenses associated with their injuries.

The skilled Florida personal injury attorneys at Farah and Farah can help you and your family if a birth injury or another kind of hospital malpractice has imposed negative consequences. At Farah and Farah, we have dedicated several years to protecting the rights of injury victims and their families. In the many clients that we’ve helped, we have obtained successful outcomes in their birth injury or hospital malpractice case. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Jacksonville office for a free and confidential consultation:

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


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Drug maker, Merck, has given the FDA new data to win approval to market its HPV vaccine, Gardasil, to women between the ages of 27 and 45. The drug is already approved to protect girls and younger women, ages 9 through 26, from four strains of the human papillomavirus, which can lead to cervical cancer and warts. The vaccine also won approval to prevent genital warts in young males.

The drug has not been the blockbuster that Merck wanted so it has been trying for some time to win further FDA approval. In June 2008, the FDA rejected Merck’s application to expand use of the drug. And early last year, the FDA again withheld approval, asking Merck for more data on a 48-month study.

After a much heralded approval in 2006, Merck pushed and almost received approval for mandatory vaccinations for young girls. But there was a backlash when it was found that lobbyists were targeting female legislators to introduce new laws in their states. Gardasil sales slowed and now Merck faces competition from its rival, Cervarix, made by GSK.

Continue reading "Merck Trying to Expand Gardasil Use" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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Two women were killed Wednesday, January 6, 2010 in Hobe Sound Florida near Stuart, Florida in a two-car collision. The accident occurred around 1 p.m. involving a northbound silver Saturn, driven by a 52-year-old woman and a southbound red Mercury van driven by 73-year-old woman.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports the Saturn overcorrected after veering off of the side of the divided highway of U.S. 1. The car then careened over the center median and into the southbound traffic lanes where the Saturn was struck by the oncoming van. Both vehicles reportedly came to a stop in the middle of the southbound lanes. One of the drivers was pronounced dead at the scene and the other motorist died a short time later.

Our condolences are extended to the families of these two women. In just a moment their lives were extinguished. We are very sorry for your loss.

Construction Hazards on our Roads
We have no more on this accident such as the road condition and whether the individuals involved were wearing seat belts. We do know there is a great deal of road work underway on U.S. highways which contribute to highway deaths. The fact that one driver overcorrected indicates she experienced a drop off the side of the road.

In a recent article in the New York Times, entitled “Efforts Lag to Improve Safety at Work Zones,” reporters note that pavement edge drop-offs are a real hazard that result from so-called road improvements.

Accidents involving road drop-offs kill about 160 people every year and injure 11,000. The edge of a road is supposed to gradually decline into the dirt, but numerous studies have shown that steep drop offs occur when a roadway has not been finished properly or is in the process of being improved. That presents a danger to motorists who tend to overcorrect when they suddenly drop off the edge of a roadway.

In Texas in 2002, seven people were killed when the driver overcorrected into the path of a minivan. It turns out contractors had failed to smooth out the edge of a newly paved lane.

Continue reading "Over Correcting Leads to Two Dead on U.S. 1" »

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St. Augustine, Florida is sometimes referred to as the “nation’s oldest city” since it is home to the oldest port in the continental United States. With an estimated population well over 12,157, St. Augustine is widely known for its lovely beaches, classic architecture, and museums that reflect the life and culture of early Spanish explorers who settled in the area. St. Augustine is also a popular tourist spot in Northern Florida. Considering all that St. Augustine has to offer and its continuous growth in population, it is an unfortunate reality that birth injury takes place from time to time due to medical negligence or hospital malpractice.

A birth injury can have overwhelming consequences for a family to endure. If a medical professional fails to act efficiently and in a timely manner during the birthing process, a newborn baby may suffer serious health problems, scarring, disfigurement, and even death. The mother may also be at risk of suffering harm or injury if a doctor or nurse acts negligently. After a birth injury, a family has a lot on their mind and only wants what is best for their baby. During such challenging times, some families may find it beneficial to seek legal counsel from a skilled St. Augustine birth injury attorney who can help fully explain their legal rights and options if that is what a family decides is best for them.

Hospital malpractice may occur when a doctor, nurse, staff member, pharmacist, or technician causes a patient to suffer injury through negligent or improper treatment or care. Misdiagnosis, surgical error, abuse, and failure to treat a patient, and incorrect administration of drugs or treatment are a few examples of frequent incidents of hospital malpractice. If hospital malpractice or negligence causes an innocent patient to suffer injury, illness, or death, those responsible for such action and poor treatment may be held legally and financially accountable.

If you and your family have experienced a birth injury or another form of hospital malpractice in St. Augustine, please contact the experienced Florida personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah. We have worked vigilantly for many years protecting the rights of injury victims and their families. Farah and Farah has achieved successful outcomes for our clients in birth injury and hospital malpractice litigation. We can help you. Get in touch with Farah and Farah today at our St. Augustine office for a free and confidential consultation:

(904) 797-7977
1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080

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A 30-year-old man from Fort Walton Beach is in serious condition after an argument Sunday night, January 10, led to a car accident in Florida. The 31-year-old driver from Fort Walton Beach, was heading west on SR 188 when she got into an argument with the front passenger. He reportedly grabbed the steering wheel while the car was in motion. The 2004 Nissan ran into the north shoulder and hit a tree. The passenger in the rear of the vehicle was not wearing his seat belt and flew into the front of the vehicle. The car suffered an estimated $7,000 in damages. Charges are pending.

We certainly hope the best for the recovery of the injured individuals. When one is not belted in, they can become a human cannonball thrown inside the vehicle, through a window, or into a windshield. Head injuries are the most common, devastating, and long-lasting effects from an auto accident.

Seat Belt Law
In 2008, Florida had 1,795 traffic deaths of drivers and passengers in Seat belt equipped vehicles. 60% or 1,085 of these people were not wearing their seat belts, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

And consider that air bags will generally not be able to do their job if you are not belted in.
While many argue that individuals should be able to determine whether or not they want to buckle up, the Florida Department of Transportation estimates 3 out of 5 motor vehicle fatalities are directly due to the failure to wear seat belts. That is why Florida joined 28 other states plus the District of Columbia in passing a primary seat belt law last June. An officer can now pull you over and fine you if your only offense is not wearing a seat belt.

Continue reading "Argument Led to Auto Accident" »

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A patient goes to a doctor for a medical procedure. Unfortunately, sometimes the outcome of that procedure is less than ideal. In an even smaller number of cases, the doctor may be guilty of medical malpractice, and failing to deliver the standard of care of a professional medical doctor. Patients may find themselves permanently injured and many decide to file a claim against the doctor.

In Georgia, the CEO of a Georgia medical services company, in an opinion piece in the newspaper, suggest those already injured should have to jump through one more hoop. It is a hoop that benefits the medical profession and insurance companies, not the injured. Instead of allowing victims of medical malpractice in Georgia their Constitutional right to a trial by jury, this author suggest that victims should have to appear before a “screening panel” comprised of members of the medical and insurance industries. Reminder- those are the same industries trying to avoid compensating injured patients.

Time for a dose of reality - only a fraction of those individuals injured by medical mishap ever see a trial. First, many people do not want to be involved in litigation. Secondly, the injury must be tremendous in order to find a lawyer willing to take your case. There is another special hoop in Georgia, the patient must find a medical professional willing to publicly criticize their colleague. That person must be credentialed and willing to sign a document swearing to the malpractice. Then there is another hoop – a judge must screen the case as well.

Continue reading "Injured by Medical Malpractice in Georgia? Jump through Hoops" »

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A 27-year-old woman was critically injured after driving her Toyota sedan into the rear of a semi truck on Interstate 75 early Monday morning January 11. The Florida auto injury accident happened about 1 a.m. near Big Bend Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The injured woman is in Tampa General Hospital in critical condition, while the truck driver of Palm Bay Florida was not injured. We send her our prayers for a swift recovery.

After the woman hit the truck from behind, she spun into the grass median. The FHP will have to determine if she ever applied the brakes. If not, it is likely she was distracted or too tired to be behind the wheel.

Distracted Drivers
An investigator should begin by checking the cell phone records of this driver to see whether she was on the phone before hitting the back of the tractor-trailer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates at least one quarter of crashes involves some form of driver inattention. Distraction is just one form of inattention and is a factor in more than half of these crashes. And distracted driving can include tuning the radio, reaching into the back seat, picking up something from the floor, drinking and smoking, texting, and putting on makeup, among other things.

Following Too Closely
Following a vehicle too closely is called tailgating and it is a form of aggressive driving that gives you few options if you need to stop suddenly.

Want to figure out how closely to follow the vehicle in front? Try the three-second rule. Select a fixed object such as a sign or tree. When the vehicle ahead passed the object slowly count ‘one-one-thousand” “two one-thousand” “three one-thousand” - making sure there is at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front.

Continue reading "Tampa Woman Tailgating Semi in Critical Condition" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Truck Accident

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Situated in Columbia County, Lake City is often called the “Gateway to Florida.” Taking Columbia County’s staggering population of about 68,000 into consideration along with the estimated 12,000 inhabitants of Lake City, the “Gateway to Florida” is a popular and busy region. Although residents and visitors of Lake City do not want to admit that birth injuries or incidents of hospital malpractice take place in Florida and throughout the U.S., these tragic occurrences are an unfortunate reality that may impose devastating consequences for a family to endure.

Even though birth complication and injury is relatively uncommon, such incidents happen more often than many patients would like to admit. If a medical professional, doctor, or nurse fails to act in a timely and efficient manner in diagnosing and treating a mother or a baby during the birthing process, the mother and/or the baby can be harmed or seriously injured. Some of the most commonly seen birth injuries relate to scarring, disfigurement, and other serious health problems. When a medical professional’s negligence contributes to a birth injury taking place, an experienced Lake City birth injury attorney may assist a family in seeking compensation to help pay for expenses associated with the injury.

Hospital malpractice can take many forms and can tragically affect patients of all ages and with several different kinds of medical conditions. Nevertheless, a patient deserves to receive quality medical attention and proper care from doctors and nurses who are required by law to be accurately trained. If hospital negligence or malpractice makes a vulnerable patient develop a new illness or condition, suffer injury, or even death, those responsible may be held financially and legally accountable.

If you or a loved one has been afflicted by a birth injury or any other kind of hospital malpractice in Lake City, there are potential legal options available. Please get in touch with the skilled personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah to learn more about how we can help protect your rights. We have been assisting injury victims and their families for many years and have the knowledge to obtain successful outcomes in hospital malpractice and birth injury cases. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Lake City office for a free and confidential consultation:

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

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The 2010 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws report is out.

Published by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a coalition of insurance, consumer, health, safety and law enforcement organizations that promote safer roads and highways, it shows that promoting 15 model laws could save lives on our highways and roads. States are graded on their performance in adopting and maintaining model traffic safety laws. The report concludes that not one state has enacted all of the recommended laws. They include:

• Adult Occupant Protection – Seat belt enforcement and all-ride motorcycle helmet laws.


• Child Passenger Safety – Child booster seat law requiring children ages 4 through 7 be placed in a booster seat.


• Teen Driving Graduated Driver Licensing – This phases in full driving privileges in a three-state process and allows for primary enforcement of the law.


• Impaired Driving - Drunk drivers would face an ignition interlock device if they have violated the law in the past. There would be mandatory blood alcohol testing in fatal crashes and an open container ban.


• Distracted Driving – A ban on text messaging for all drivers unless there is an emergency.

There are almost 40,000 fatalities and 2.3 million injuries at a cost of $230 billion every year.

Every day 102 people were killed on the streets and highways while more than 6,000 are injured.

Continue reading "2010 Highway Safety Report" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Situated in Northeast Clay County, the city of Orange Park is a suburb of Jacksonville, Florida. Orange Park has an estimated population of over 180,000 and has a high population density. In attracting visitors and new residents to its thriving community which is rich in history, Orange Park is a bustling region of Florida.

When taking Orange Park’s large population into consideration, birth injury has been known to occur due to the negligence of medical professionals or as the result of a different form of hospital malpractice. During such challenging times, families may find it helpful to seek legal guidance from experienced Orange Park birth injury attorneys who can help explain their legal rights and options.

Although birth complications and injuries are typically rare, they unfortunately occur more often than most Orange Park residents would like to believe. If a medical professional does not act in a timely manner or if a doctor fails to detect a problem or condition that they are supposed to be able to identify, a newborn baby may suffer severe health problems, scarring, disfigurement, or even death.

Birth injury is not the only form of hospital malpractice, but it can cause some of the most devastating consequences for a family to endure. However, no matter what an individual’s age or medical condition, he or she expects to be given quality medical care from a doctor, nurse, or other professional who is required by law to be adequately trained. If hospital malpractice or negligence causes an innocent patient to suffer harm, injury, or death, those responsible for such action and poor treatment may be held legally and financially accountable.

If you and your family have experienced a birth injury or another form of hospital malpractice in Orange Park, please contact the skilled personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah. We have been protecting the rights of injury victims and their families for many years and know what it takes to reach a successful outcome in birth injury and hospital malpractice litigation. Get in touch with Farah and Farah today at our Orange Park office for a free and confidential consultation:

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


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You go to the airport already a little tense about flying. Then comes the humiliation of a full-body scan - which essentially shows airport security personnel from the Transportation Security Administration or TSA most of the details of your body under your clothing. They are looking for any explosives or plastics so most people are willing to undergo the humiliation for the greater good.

TSA has insisted that there is no way to store or send these images and that the personnel will be secured out of sight of everyday passengers, so your dignity is maintained.

Now there is news from the Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a public interest group focused on privacy that TSA can store and send your images. The group has obtained documents that TSA specified in 2008 that full-body scanners at airports must have the capability to store and send images. That opens up the possibility for abuse by TSA employees, EPIC’s director says. EPIC says the ability to store and send exists when the machines are in the test mode.

The TSA should suspend further deployment of the machines until the privacy questions are resolves, says EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg, reports CNN. EPIC is pursuing a lawsuit to obtain additional documents about the machines.

40 machines are currently being used at 19 airports domestically and an additional 300 machines should be used in airports by 2011.

Continue reading "Body Scanners Can Store and Send Images" »

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After news surfaced that Chinese manufacturers allowed dangerous levels of lead to be present in children’s toys and jewelry, a different substance – cadmium – was used instead. However, a recent associated press investigation has revealed that the heavy metal cadmium which has replaced lead in children’s jewelry is no substitute at all. Cadmium poses many dangers to children as well. Lab tests conducted by the associated press discovered that the most contaminated piece contained 91% cadmium. Bought on a national level, other pieces of jewelry amounted to a weight of 84% to 89% cadmium.

It is no secret that cadmium is a carcinogen and can easily come off of objects, thus contaminating the hands and other body parts of users. As additional concern arose regarding the exposure of this dangerous chemical substance to children, the Associated Press bought 103 items from store locations throughout Texas, New York, California, and Ohio, all during the months of November and December. What they found in the purchased items was that 12% of the jewelry items had at least 10% of cadmium present.

One of the worst offenders sold a contaminated bracelet charm- Wal-Mart, Claire’s, and the dollar stores:

• Three flip flop bracelet charms sold at Wal-Mart – 84 to 86 percent cadmium. The company that imported the items - Sulyn Industries of Florida says the charms were subject to lead testing not cadmium.


• Four charms from two “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” bracelets sold at Dollar N More store in Rochester, NY – 82 to 91 percent cadmium.


• Two charms on a “Best Friends” bracelet bought at Claire’s – 89 to 91 percent cadmium.


• Pendants from four “The Princess and The Frog” necklaces purchased at Wal-Mart – ranged between 25 to 35 percent cadmium.

“There’s nothing positive that you can say about this metal. It’s a poison,” said Bruce A. Fowler with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who is a cadmium specialist and toxicologist.

Many parents and consumers may be wondering why the substance cadmium has become a problem. The answer relates to the fact that federal protection has not involved banning cadmium being in jewelry. However, lead is prevented from being present in and on children’s toys.

Continue reading "Toxic Metal in Kid's Jewelry from China" »

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Two men riding in a truck in Northeast Florida accidentally flipped over Thursday night and one man lost his life.

A 38-year-old Elkton, Florida man was a passenger in the Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by his friend of St. Augustine. The man who was ejected was not wearing his seat belt when the vehicle traveled into the grass median and overcorrected before it flipped around 9 p.m. There is no word on why the vehicle drifted off the road except that that’s where the road curved. The driver, also not wearing his seat belt, was seriously injured and taken to Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol report, alcohol was involved in the auto accident which occurred on State Road 207 in St. Johns County, south of Meadowbrook Road.

Our condolences go out to the family of the men involved.

Personal injury attorneys in Florida will tell you that wearing a seat belt is essential to saving lives. Whenever we hear a vehicle occupant was ejected, the first question we ask is, was he wearing a seat belt? More often than not, an ejected passenger will suffer a head injury which could ultimately be fatal.

A new survey shows that seatbelt use in Florida is at an all-time high - 85 percent - exceeding the national average of 84 percent. That may be due to the primary seat belt law that went into effect in June. It allows law enforcement to pull drivers over solely for not wearing a seat belt.

Back in 1998, only 57 percent of drivers buckled up.

Continue reading "North Florida Man Killed After SUV Flips" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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It was an unbelievable fall at a Jacksonville Beach strip mall.

A 7-year-old boy plunged through a skylight on the roof, falling 14-feet to the ground. A witness said she heard the child cry and the boy’s mother and sister were also on the roof.

The child was transported by air ambulance to Shands Jacksonville and is reported to be in serious condition. The skylight was a dome made out of soft plastic and not glass and it is reported to be flexible, which likely prevented the boy from severe lacerations.

The property owner says no one is supposed to be on the roof. Our prayers go out to the little boy for a swift recovery.

Under Florida law, the first step is to understand the specific legal category the injured person occupies. Unless the mother owns the building or had some reason to be there, she could be cited for illegally trespassing. Did the landlord want them up there? Was there some good reason they might be on the roof, such as easy access and an attraction?

Under normal Florida premises liability law, the owner of a building has the responsibility to make sure that it is in good working condition for everyday use, which in this case might be shopping.

When he boy fell, he complained of back and arm pain. Some people complain (rather cynically) that the mother will likely find a personal injury attorney to represent her for financial gain. What’s interesting here is that unless this woman had a reason to be on the roof – there may be a limited application of premises liability law here.

In order for this mother to file a premises liability case, her attorney must prove that the property owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition, that a person could likely encounter the condition, whether invited or not, and then failed to correct this condition.

The duty to a trespasser is a lot less, but trespassers too are owed a duty to prevent injury, especially if they are children. Generally that applies to attractive nuisances such as swimming pools, deserted car, trampolines, or refrigerators.

Continue reading "7-Year-Old Falls Through Mall Skylight" »

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Posted In: Law & Information , Personal Injury , Premises Liability

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A single-car wreck in Jacksonville has left one person dead and three injured, including a baby. None of the automobile occupants was wearing a seat belt. The accident happened on Edgewood Avenue and Valley Forge Road Monday morning.

Police report that the three people were heading west when their vehicle suddenly hit a sign and a telephone pole about 6 a.m. and then went airborne, during which time all three occupants were ejected. A 20-year-old woman was taken to Shands Jacksonville where she was pronounced dead.

We know there was fog on the road at the time of the accident and the roads were wet. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is asking for any witnesses to help with information on the case by calling 904-630-0500, or call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS and you can remain anonymous.
In an accident, the insurance company for the other side will argue that there should be little or no liability because the individuals were not wearing a seat belt. The driver’s attorney can argue that wearing a seat belt in this case would not have increased the chance for survival or avoiding injury.

In 2008, The Florida Highway Patrol reports that there were 1,795 traffic deaths of drivers and passengers in the state, 60% or 1,085 of these people were not wearing their seat belts.

And 68 % of the children up to age 17 killed in auto accidents in Florida last year were not using safety equipment such as seat belts or child restraint systems.

Continue reading "Young Woman Killed in Single-Car Wreck" »

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The city of Brunswick is located about 30 miles north of Florida and encompasses part of southeastern Georgia. Sometimes referred to as the “shrimp capital of the world,” Brunswick is home to Georgia’s main shrimp and crab industries. Brunswick’s approximate metropolitan population of 101,792 and city proper population of 16,235 make it the twelfth-largest metropolitan area in the state of Georgia.

With the large population of Brunswick in mind, it is an unfortunate reality that birth injury takes place from time to time as the result of hospital malpractice or the negligence of medical professionals. However, with the legal assistance of a Brunswick birth injury attorney, families may be able to hold negligent parties legally responsible for their wrongdoing. Although birth injuries or complications are rare, they take place more than most people would like to admit. If a doctor fails to act in a timely manner or if medical professionals overlook a problem or condition that they are supposed to be able to identify, a newborn baby may endure serious health problems, scarring, disfigurement, or even death.

Hospital malpractice can come in a variety of forms and negatively impact a wide range of individuals. No matter what a person’s age or medical condition, he or she has the right to receive adequate medical care from a doctor, nurse, or other professional who has been properly trained. If hospital malpractice causes an innocent patient to suffer, those responsible for such negligent action and treatment may be held accountable.

If you and your family have experienced a birth injury or another form of hospital malpractice in Brunswick, please contact the skilled personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah. We have been protecting the rights of injury victims and their families for many years and know what it takes to reach a successful outcome in birth injury and hospital malpractice litigation. Get in touch with Farah and Farah today at our Brunswick, Georgia office for a free and confidential consultation:

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

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A trucker is dead after an early morning accident on I-95 in northern Flagler County, two miles south of the St. Johns County line in North Florida.

The accident happened after the driver of a tractor-trailer rig was trying to pull back onto I-95 from the emergency lane where he was stopped to check for a problem. Heading south, he was struck from behind by another semi pulling onto the highway. The Florida Highway Patrol says the second truck was pulling onto the highway and the first vehicle just pulled in front of him.

Damage to the first rig was estimated at $100,000. The driver who died was wearing a seat belt. No tickets have been issued in the accident.

Continue reading "I-95 Trucking Death in Flagler County " »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Truck Accident

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Two Floridians both had colonoscopies and both have kidney disease. Both have also filed Florida pharmaceutical lawsuits against the drug makers of the drugs used to cleanse the bowels. Both Floridians took drugs that contain sodium phosphate. Doctors often refer to it as the “killer of kidneys” and their lawyer argues the drugs caused their kidney damage.

The drugs are known as over-the-counter drugs Fleet Phospho-soda and OsmoPrep pills.
One of the individuals is 63 and relies on dialysis after suffering kidney failure, reports Health News Florida. The other individual is 80, is a retired airline pilot, and is not on dialysis, but he cannot enjoy a normal active lifestyle.

OsmoPrep now carries a black box warning about the possible link between the preparation and kidney damage. Fleet Phospho-soda has been taken off the market.

While a single dose of the product for bowel cleansing is considered safe, Fleet allegedly recommended a double dose without FDA approval. Publix, where Schlichting bought his product was also named in the lawsuit.

Continue reading "Floridians File Lawsuit Against Drug Makers" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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As a part of Putnam County, the city of Palatka is home to approximately 10,804 residents and is 7.5 square miles in size. Palatka has a population density of about 1,543 individuals per square mile and has witnessed a 7.5% increase in population since 2000. Despite a little over 20% of Palatka inhabitants living and working within the city limits, work-related accidents are an unfortunate reality.

When illness or injury is caused by a work accident or unsafe working environment, an employee’s physical, mental, and financial well-being may suffer greatly. These types of occurrences are never easy and may pose many challenges for an injured worker and his or her family to endure. However, with an experienced Palatka workers’ compensation lawyer on your side, you may be able to hold negligent parties legally accountable for your pain and suffering as well as expenses associated with your injury and medical needs.

It is a personal injury attorney’s job to inform an injured worker of their legal options and provide them the quality legal advice and representation that they need. At Farah and Farah, our skilled Personal Injury Law Firm has helped several injured individuals in Florida receive compensation to cover past and future lost wages, hospital bills, medical treatment, and much more. Get in touch with Farah and Farah today at our Palatka office for a free and confidential consultation of your workers’ compensation or personal injury case:

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

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A six-year-old Jacksonville girl didn’t stand a chance when she was hit by an SUV in a Jacksonville crosswalk Saturday morning. Her mother was pushing a stroller with her five-year-old disabled brother crossing San Jose Boulevard near Kori Road. The three were in the furthest southbound lane when the light turned green and a SUV pulled ahead and hit the little girl, killing her at the scene. Her 38-year-old mother was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries including a few broken ribs and a crushed ankle. The brother was not injured.

First Coast News reports that teddy bears and candles have been placed in the area of the traffic pole marking the accident scene.

The family attorney says the family didn’t have enough time to get across the busy San Jose Boulevard Saturday when she was hit. When Channel 4 tried the crosswalk, they found that if you hit the cross button, it gave you 45 seconds before the light turns green. If you don’t hit the button, it gave you 30 seconds - far too short for the busy road. While it is unclear when the family entered the crosswalk, that really doesn’t matter. State law says the pedestrian has the right of way the entire time they are in the crosswalk, as long as they enter the crosswalk with the walk light. An attorney for the family says it is clear that the family didn’t have enough time to cross the six-lane street.

That puts the burden of proof on the family attorney to prove that the city was not following the mandate for crosswalks and pedestrian safety.

Continue reading "Jacksonville Child Killed in Crosswalk" »

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Amelia Island is positioned right off the coast of Florida and has an estimated population of 68,347. Also referred to as the “Isle of Eight Flags,” Amelia Island is home to Amelia City and Fernandina Beach. Despite encompassing a relatively small 18.2 square miles in size, Amelia Island is overflowing with diverse culture and vibrant activity. The city hosts the Amelia Island Jazz Festival, the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, and the Amelia Island Film Festival.

In having various job positions and businesses providing workers and residents of Amelia Island the means to provide for their families, it is an unfortunate reality that unsafe working environments or improper training may cause injury or illness while on-the-job. Employers, contractors, or managers who fail to uphold their responsibility of creating and maintaining secure working surroundings may place employees in harm’s way. If a worker suffers an injury, whether minor or severe, his or her physical, emotional, and financial well-being may be compromised.

When an employee is injured due to an employer’s negligence, a hurt worker may need more than what workers’ compensation benefits supply. In order to ensure that your effort in seeking compensation for your injuries or damages is successful, you may want to contact a skilled Amelia Island workers’ compensation lawyer. At Farah and Farah, our attorneys have devoted many years to assisting injured employees obtain the compensation that the need to cover medical bills, past and future lost wages, and other expenses associated with their injury. Contact the Florida Personal Injury Law Firm of Farah and Farah today for a free consultation of your workers’ compensation or personal injury claim at our Amelia Island office:

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

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Jacksonville has had its first serious drug side effect of paralysis to report, apparently a result of receiving the swine flu vaccine.

Shortly after receiving the H1N1or swine flu shot, a Jacksonville firefighter has become paralyzed with the condition called Guillain- Barre syndrome or GBS. He is in Baptist Hospital and appears to be recovering.

GBS affects the nervous system causing paralysis and it has rarely been seen in the 2009 version of the swine flu vaccine; however, in 1976, during the last round of swine flu, the vaccine created at that time was known to cause GBS as a side effect.

With millions of vaccines given across the U.S., the head of the Duval County Health Department says there are about 10 cases of GBS across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 3,000 to 6,000 cases of GBS are contracted in the U.S. every year with the flu vaccine, adding another one for every one million. Most people are expected to eventually recover.

Continue reading "H1N1 Strikes Jacksonville Man" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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A mother says in an interview that she's been waiting for this day to come ever since her one-year-old daughter was strangled by a home window blind cord in June 2002. That’s when she tucked twins into baby blankets in their cribs. One of the twins accidentally strangled herself by looping an inner cord within the window blinds around her neck.

Since the twin’s death, the mother has formed Parents for Window Blind Safety, lobbying the federal government for a recall of the dangerous blinds.

This week, the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced one of the biggest product recalls in U.S. history, working with industry to recall all Roman-style shades and roll-up blinds with cords because of the risk of strangulation.

That includes more than 50 million blinds and shades from multiple manufacturers. The CPSC Web site has pictures of the various blinds that are involved in the recall. Basically whether a roll-up shade or a Roman shade, both have visible cords that can be pulled out from inside the folds on the blinds. For some toddlers, that is too much temptation to resist.

The CPSC has received reports of five deaths among children and 16 near-strangulations from fabric-looped Roman shades since 2006. Three deaths associated with roll-up blinds have been reported since 2001.

Continue reading "Roman Shades Recall" »

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Jacksonville Beach has an estimated population of 21,849 and is the largest town in the Jacksonville Beaches community in Florida. Also referred to as “Jax Beach,” Jacksonville Beach’s population has increased by 4% and is a major part of Duval County. As a bustling coastal town, Jacksonville Beach brings in several tourists and draws more and more residents every year. With tourism being a huge part of the economy in Jacksonville Beach, tons of other jobs contribute as well.

Many employees working in Jacksonville Beach do not like to admit that injury or illness does arise out of or in the course of different types of employment. When federal and state rules of procedures and safety regulations are ignored by employers, contractors, or managers, a working environment can become dangerous, thus putting workers at risk of injury or even death.

When an employee develops an illness or suffers an injury due to an unsafe working space, a wide range of factors not only influence their physical and mental health, but also their financial security. If an employer is negligent and permits safety risks to go unnoticed or if employees are not property trained and personal injury or wrongful death occurs as a result, workers’ compensation benefits may not be enough to fully compensate injured victims and their families.

At Farah and Farah, our skilled Jacksonville Beach workers’ compensation lawyers have helped many injured workers hold negligent employers legally responsible for their injuries and suffering. When challenging employers for a work-related injury or illness, you need an attorney who is highly skilled and knowledgeable in Florida workers’ compensation law and personal injury litigation. Contact Farah and Farah today to learn more about how we may be able to help you receive compensation to pay for past and future lost earnings, pain and suffering, and medical bills. Get in touch with us at our Jacksonville Beach office today:

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

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Two pedestrians were hit by cars in two separate accidents Monday night. Both are now recovering at Shands Hospital.

The first pedestrian, a 70-year-old man, was hit just before 8 p.m. Monday as he was trying to cross Beach Blvd. near the intersection of St. Johns Bluff. The Florida Highway Patrol says the man stepped out in front a car driven by a 25-year-old. The pedestrian is reported to be in serious condition. Then about an hour later, another pedestrian was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of Timiquana and Brent Street and is reported to be in serious condition.

We offer our condolences to the family and friends of these seriously injured victims. Please keep them in your prayers.

While there is no word yet on whether any charges will be filed, it is not clear whether the drivers stopped on their own. According to Florida Statute Section 316.027 , the driver of any vehicle involved in a crash on public or private property that results in injury must immediately stop the vehicle at the scene and render aid. When a death is involved and the person leaves the scene, they are guilty of a felony in the first degree, punishable by 30 years in state prison.

Jacksonville is the fourth most deadly city for pedestrians, according to a national study released in November. The top three dangerous areas for pedestrians were Orlando-Kissimmee; Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater; and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach. The advocacy group, Transportation for America, measures the “pedestrian danger index,” taking into account the number of fatalities per 100,000 population.

Continue reading "Two Jacksonville Pedestrians in Serious Condition in Separate Car Collisions" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury

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This news comes from the highly credible nonprofit organization, The Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG finds there are over 300 pollutants in U.S. tap water. After analyzing almost 20 million records, EWG finds that more than half of those chemicals are not even subject to health or safety regulations. That means they can legally be there in any amount, regardless of their safety. Sometimes it takes a nonprofit to do the work that our federal government should be doing. For example, no new regulations for drinking water standards have been established for the last eight years.

For those chemicals that are regulated, 49 have been found at levels above the guidelines, meaning that tap water is polluted for more than 3 million Americans.

EWG is encouraging the government to do a national assessment of drinking water quality and set new safety standards.

So how did Jacksonville fare? How about 91 out of 100? JEA serves 800,000 in Jacksonville and the quality of the water is overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Over the legal limit are 12 chemicals, Total trihalomethanes or TTHMs, among them and 23 contaminants were detected, many of them agricultural pollutants.

See the report here: http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/whatsinyourwater/FL/JEA/2161328/

Continue reading "Jacksonville Water Among the Worst, Says Environmental Group" »

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A 20-month old little Florida boy was attacked and killed by a Rottweiler after dropping his cookie on the floor, according to law enforcement authorities in New Port Richey, Florida. The baby was visiting his aunt’s home during a party Saturday night. The boy went to grab the cookie when the dog went for him.

Panicking, family members tried to pry the dog off the child, but it was too late. He died in the hospital. Animal control took the dog, which under law they have to keep for 10 days during which time the owner may request a hearing.

When a dog is in the hands of animal control and they are considering putting him up for adoption, one of the tests is to see if he is food aggressive. They try and remove the food while the dog is eating. If the dog goes for the person, he is considered unable to be put up for adoption.

Surely the owners of this dog would have known they had a problem with a large animal that had food aggression. Nonetheless, our hearts go out to this family for their tragic loss.

Generally, the owner of an aggressive dog that bites a person is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten. However, if there is any negligence or contribution by the person bitten, it reduces the liability of the owner. For example, if you are trespassing and are bitten by the dog that is there to protect the property, the liability of the owner is reduced. If a child provokes the dog, it could be considered the cause of the accident, reducing his recovery of damages.

However, if the child is under the age of six, it is presumed he is incapable of committing such negligence. Parents still have the responsibility of controlling and adequately supervising their child. If they fail to do so, it too could reduce the compensation payable by the dog owner if there is a bite.

Continue reading "Rottweiler Kills Toddler" »

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Jacksonville, Florida is one of the more desirable points of interest in the Sunshine State. As the 12th most populated city in the United States, Jacksonville has a population of approximately over 800,000. Covering a span of 874.3 square miles, Jacksonville is home to a diverse collection of vacationers, tourist-attractions, cultural spots, residents, and businesses. When considering the busy population of Jacksonville and its sizable amount of commuters, several businesses and employees contribute to the city’s financial stability. Multiple employees working in Jacksonville would like to think that illness or injury never arises out of or in the course of different kinds of employment; however, the reality is that work accidents and injuries do happen.

Sadly, even though safety regulations and rules of procedure are initiated by federal and state entities, some employers, managers, or contractors fail to create and maintain a hazard-free work setting. This type of negligence may contribute to workers suffering severe illness, injury, and even death. If an employee endures an injury or develops an illness due to an unsafe working environment, their physical and emotional health, as well as their financial security, may be jeopardized. Workers’ compensation benefits may not be substantial enough to fully compensate injured victims and their families. However, a personal injury attorney may be able to help an injured worker file for other viable claims while holding negligent employers legally responsible.

When taking on an employer or a large group responsible for a work-related injury or illness, the legal knowledge and skill of a Jacksonville workers’ compensation attorney may be required. At Farah and Farah, we have assisted many injured individuals obtain compensation to help pay for past and future lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and much more. Contact Farah and Farah today for a free and confidential consultation at our Jacksonville office:

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

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Talc is the world’s softest rock but the minute fibers contained in talc are very similar to asbestos. For years, environmental scientists have been saying that talcum powder can cause cancer. Now that issue will be going to court.

A 52-year-old woman from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is suing Johnson & Johnson and two mining companies for failing to warn consumers about the possibility of contracting ovarian cancer from talcum power.

She was diagnosed in 2006 after using the powder in her genital area every day after showering from 1975 to 2007.

The Argus Leader reports that the federal complaint says the talc caused her cancer and the mines and health care company failed to warn the public, making them guilty of negligence.

A Harvard University study from 2008, suggests women who use talc once a week might be increasing their risk of cancer by 36 percent. Daily users’ risk of ovarian cancer jumped by 41 percent.

You are urged by The American Cancer Society to replace talc with a cornstarch-based powder.

Consumer Help
Consumers can look on the Web site of the National Cancer Institute which has additional information about the risk of using talc near the vaginal area. Ovarian cancer strikes more than 21,000 women a year and leads to about 14,000 deaths annually. Often it is without symptoms.

Continue reading "Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer" »

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A woman driving in the Middleburg community near Jacksonville was fatally injured Sunday after being involved in a two-vehicle accident, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 67-year-old woman from Venice, Florida was initially hospitalized in critical condition. The accident occurred on Blanding Boulevard at County Road 215. Investigators believe that she drove her Toyota Prius into the path of a southbound Ford SUV, failing to stop at both a stop sign and a flashing red light. The accident happened about 5:15 p.m. so it was still light enough to see. The SUV was driven by a Jacksonville man who suffered minor injuries.

Both individuals were wearing their seat belts. The woman died at Shands Jacksonville hospital.

The Toyota Prius has had its problems with unintentional acceleration.

While the story here does not say if that was a problem it certainly should be considered as part of any investigation. Other drivers have found themselves behind the wheel of the accelerating Prius they have no control over and have reported the incidents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Continue reading "Woman Dies From Runaway Prius" »

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Often referred to as the “Gateway to Florida”, Lake City is located in Columbia County and is a common stop for travelers headed towards Southern Florida. As a popular tourist destination itself, Lake City is home to approximately 12,000 residents and Columbia County has about 68,000 inhabitants. Considering the booming population of Lake City and its large quantity of commuters, multiple job positions exist and many businesses contribute to the city’s economy. Many employees in Lake City would like to think that illness or injury does not occur out of or in the course of various types of employment. However, work-related accidents do take place even though rules of procedure and safety regulations are implemented by state and federal entities.

Employers, managers, or contractors who fail to maintain a danger-free working environment are doing a huge disservice to employees. This kind of negligence on the part of an individual or group in command can lead to workers suffering serious injury, illness, and even death. When an employee endures an injury or develops an illness due to an unsafe working space, a wide range of factors not only influence their physical and emotional well-being, but also their financial stability. If an employer is negligent and allows safety risks to go overlooked, or if employees are not accurately trained and personal injury or wrongful death occurs as a result, workers’ compensation benefits may not be enough to fully assist injured victims and their families.

Injured workers taking on employers for a work injury or illness may want to consider contacting a skilled Lake City workers’ compensation attorney who has many years of experience handling Florida workers’ compensation claims and personal injury litigation. The lawyers at Farah and Farah may be able to help you obtain full compensation for your injuries to help pay for pain and suffering, past and future lost wages, and medical bills. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation at our Lake City office:

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

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Toyota has had its share of problems recently with the sudden, unexplained acceleration in some of its vehicles that led to a recall of 4 million vehicles. While the floor mat was initially blamed, Toyota will add additional safety features to prevent the accelerator and brake from applying at the same time as part of the fix.

The company is facing another federal safety probe. Now regulators are trying to understand why Corolla and Matrix cars from model year 2006 are experiencing engine stalling problems. That can occur even at highway speeds and intersections. The 1ZZ-FE engines are named specifically.

The Corolla is a top seller for Toyota, ranking fifth among all vehicle sales this year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched the investigation November 30 after it received 26 complaints from drivers. Neither model is included in the previous recall of 4.2 million cars.

Continue reading "Toyota's New Problem - Stalling" »

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After failing to enact legislation for many years, Florida will finally require pain practitioners to register with the state by early January.

Part of the new law requires the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a monitoring database. It gives pharmacies 15 days to report in after dispensing a prescription narcotic.

The goal is to prevent “doctor shopping” by monitoring the prescribing and dispensing of controlled drugs, making it difficult for addicts to collect large quantities of pills, and allowing doctors, pharmacists, and even law enforcement to identify those who are “doctor shopping” for prescription pills.

Some legislators were concerned about privacy issues that we were forming a “Big Brother” to monitor citizens in the state. One legislator even suggested a fingerprint be used to track prescriptions rather than a name.

Florida will become the 39th state to establish a state-run prescription drug database. Doctor shopping is reported to be a cottage industry in Florida even drawing people from nearby states to look for easy access to prescription pills. Broward County is known as the nation’s capital of illegal prescription drug trafficking with 100 storefront pain clinics and Florida leads in oxycodone sales, mainly due to the clinics, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel wrote last March that among 100 pain clinics, 18 who had doctors who had been disciplined by the state for professional violations or convicted of crimes. The law will require that that the prescribing physicians actually be present on the premises of the pain clinic.

Continue reading "Florida Cracks Down On Doctor Shopping" »

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As a major suburb of Jacksonville, the city of Orange Park is located within Florida’s Northeast Clay County. Just south of Jacksonville, Orange Park has a diverse community that offers much history and culture. Along with a population over approximately 180,000, Orange Park boasts a high population density as well. Orange Park has a wide range of job positions and businesses that provide workers and residents with the ability to provide for their families. However, many individuals do not realize that the risk of injury and illness arising out of and in the course of different kinds of employment does in fact exist.

When employers, managers, or contractors fail to create and monitor safe working environments, they are not only doing a serious disservice to devoted employees, but they are also violating both state and federal safety regulations and rules of procedure. If a worker endures minor or tragic injury while on the job, his or her physical, mental, and financial welfare may be greatly jeopardized. When an employer is negligent in allowing safety hazards to go unnoticed or does not properly train employees and personal injury or wrongful death takes place as a result, an injured worker or surviving family members of a deceased worker may require more than what workers’ compensation benefits provide.

To ensure that you are fully compensated for your work-related personal injury, you may want to consider contacting an experienced Orange Park workers’ compensation attorney. At Farah and Farah, our lawyers are dedicated to helping injured workers hold negligent employers accountable for work accidents and subsequent injuries. Contact Farah and Farah today for a free consultation of your workers’ compensation or personal injury claim at our Orange Park office:

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

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Cheerleaders didn’t feel much like cheering Saturday but members of the River City Rockets team did so anyway for their late team mate.

The 14-year-old and her mother were both killed in a family accident this week. The young girl was trying to park the family GMC Yukon in an Orlando parking lot when the large SUV suddenly lurched forward and fell into a retention pond landing on its roof. Her mother was killed instantly, the girl after the accident. Three other family members got out alive.

“The driver didn’t stop or the vehicle’s brakes didn’t work,” said Trooper Jorge Dedlahoz at the time.

The 14-year-old had been on life support as well at an Orlando hospital but she never recovered. The ninth-grader at Darnell-Cookman Middle /Senior High is being remembered by friends as sweet and smart. The cheerleaders wore bright colored socks in her honor.

The 14-year old girl’s mother never made it out of the vehicle. Divers found her some time later. But the girl’s sister, who is 3-years-old, remains on life support. The mother’s fiancé and his teenage child managed to get out of the vehicle suffering minor injuries.

Continue reading "Teen Driver Dies after Family Drives Into Pond" »

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News is beginning to emerge in the popular media that the plant, St. John’s wort may, while being a cure for mild depression, not be good for our eyesight.

Research out of Fordham University finds that in the lab, hypericin, which is the active ingredient in St. John’s wort, may also make the eye susceptible to sunburn, even in visible light, which can cause a cloudy lens, leading to cataracts, and a damaged retina, which can mean irreversible macular degeneration which can lead to blindness.

In other words, the herb is phototoxic to the ocular lens.

If that is true we would expect to see the effects in a large population…and that is exactly what we are seeing.

Using data from the 2002 National Health Interview survey, epidemiologists from the University of Alabama cross-compared St. John's wort use and cataracts and came away with a statistically significant result - participants with cataracts were 59 percent more likely to report SJW use for at least a year.

This is intriguing at the very least and should serve as a red flag for anyone turning to “Nature’s Prozac.”

Unlike medications, the FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) allows dietary supplements to be regulated like food and requires the manufacturers to be responsible for ensuring the product is safe before it’s marketed.

The FDA’s role is to monitor any adverse events that may crop up AFTER the supplement is on the market.

Continue reading "St. John's Wort and the Cataract Connection" »

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A Jacksonville woman died when her SUV plunged into a pond in Orlando Saturday afternoon.
She has now been identified as a 35-year-old. Her fiancée was in the car as were two girls. The girls were both hospitalized in critical condition, the fiancée and a 13-year-old suffered minor injuries.

It’s still a mystery how this accident happened. The 2004 GMC Yukon was in the parking lot at the Floridays Resort off South International Drive. For some reason it jumped a curb, went through a fence and overturned after plunging nine feet into the pond.

Orange County deputies rescued the two girls while the others got out of the vehicle themselves. The woman, however, was found hours after the crash. Police have not yet determined who was behind the wheel of the Yukon when it went into the retention pond.

A terrible accident this time of year - the family is in our prayers and we will think of the girls still hospitalized. Police say alcohol was not a factor in this crash and no charges have been filed. There is no word whether anyone was wearing their seat belts.

With all of the water around Florida, the worst nightmare of many is to lose control of your vehicle and plunge into the water. It rarely happens, but if you are wearing your seat belt you, increase your chances of survival. Without a seat belt, you increase your chances of being knocked unconscious, hitting your head on a dashboard for example.

Continue reading "Family Crashes SUV into Orlando Pond" »

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The popular weight loss liquid drink, Slim-Fast ready-to-drink cans are being recalled because of a possible bacterial contamination. Unilever issued the voluntary recall in cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration Friday.

The New Jersey based company found a bacterial contamination - Bacillus cereus, a micro-organism, which may cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. The products were sold in stores nationwide the company says in a statement.

Unilever says the possibility of getting sick is remote. The recall covers the 11 ounce ready-to drink products and does not affect powdered shakes, meal or snack bars. The list of products includes Slimfast Ready to Drink 3-2-1- French Vanilla, Rich Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Unilever says it is issuing the recall in an “abundance of caution.”

Look for individual or packaged cans in cardboard cartons containing four, six, or 12-cans.
The recall was initiated after the company conducted quality testing on Slim-Fast RTD products in cans. The company says it is in the process of identifying and correcting the production issue and is alerting distribution centers, and retail outlets. Production will be resumed when the issue is corrected, the company says.

Call the company for a full refund at 800-896-9479, opened M-F until 6 p.m. EST.

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A Sarasota man has died after a motorcycle wreck in Jacksonville this week.

The 40-year-old was hospitalized after the wreck on New Berlin Road in Jacksonville on Tuesday.

The man reportedly lost control of his Kawasaki, while traveling north around 2:15 p.m. He was wearing a helmet say police and there were no other vehicles involved in the crash. The man hit a guard rail and was thrown from the bike. He was pronounced dead at the hospital Thursday night.

In another motorcycle accident in Jacksonville a motorcycle and car collided Thursday night. A 59-year old man was on his Harley when it collided with a Honda Civic at New Kings Road and I-295. Police report the vehicle turned in front of the motorcycle as it was attempting to enter I-295. The rider was thrown from the motorcycle. He was not wearing his helmet. He is listed in critical condition at Shands. The driver and passenger in the Civic were wearing their seat belts and were not injured.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Crash" »

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A young woman was lucky to have survived a Ford Explorer SUV rollover that killed four of her classmates last June.

The teenager was one of nine inside the Explorer on the last day of school all heading to the beach when the car blew a rear tire and rolled. None of the occupants was wearing a seat belt and all were thrown from the car, except the driver, the only one wearing a seat belt.

That happened six months ago.

Tuesday, another SUV injured this woman, this time crashing through the wall of her bedroom narrowly missing the teen as she slept in her bed. The girl says she felt the ceiling fall in on her. Her father found her under four feet of debris after the SUV plowed into the house.

Luckily, a mattress shielded the girl who suffered a broken pelvis, broken ribs, cuts and bruises. It’s fair to say that she is lucky twice, or unlucky twice, depending on how you look at it.

Continue reading "Teen Critically Injured By SUV, Injured Again" »

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St. Augustine, Florida contains the longest-standing port in the continental United States and is frequently referred to as “the nation’s oldest city.” With about 12,157 residents making up St. Augustine’s population, the area also receives tons of visitors passing through Northern Florida. With convenient access to several beaches and museums, St. Augustine is a highly navigated area and is located only 5 miles east of Interstate 95, and 40 miles south of Jacksonville.

Taking into account the bustling population of St. Augustine and its large amount of commuters, several job positions and businesses contribute to the city’s economy. Many employees working in St. Augustine would like to believe that injury or illness does not ever arise out of or in the course of various kinds of employment. However, although rules of procedure and safety regulations are issued by state and federal entities, some employers, managers, or contractors fail to maintain a danger-free working environment. This kind of negligence on the part of an individual or group in-charge often leads to workers suffering serious illness, injury, and even death.

When an employee endures an injury or develops an illness due to an unsafe working space, a wide range of factors not only influence their physical and mental health, but also their financial constancy. If an employer is negligent and allows safety risks to go unnoticed or if employees are not property trained and personal injury or wrongful death occurs as a result, workers’ compensation benefits may not be enough to fully compensate injured victims and their families.

When taking on employers or any other individual or large group responsible for a work-related injury or illness, the legal knowledge and skill of a St. Augustine workers’ compensation lawyer may be obtained. Do not allow the chance to receive just compensation pass you by. Instead, seek adequate legal counsel from the experienced personal injury attorneys at Farah and Farah. We may be able to help you receive compensation to help pay for past and future lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and much more. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation at our St. Augustine office:

(904) 797-7977
1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080


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A San Diego woman lost her ability to walk after her Ford Explorer rolled over and its roof collapsed on her spine, crushing it. She was awarded $369 million by jurors who sat and listened to the evidence against Ford. That amount was later whittled down to $83 million by an appellate judge.

The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the punitive judgment to stand Monday rejecting an appeal from lawyers for Ford Motor Co. They had argued that punitive damages were unfair and unconstitutional since the design of the Ford Explorer met all safety standards set by the government and industry.

It seems that almost weekly we are reporting on Ford Explorer rollovers.

It was an Explorer filled with high school students who rolled on a Jacksonville road killing four of the teens in the Florida SUV rollover accident on the last day of school in June.

Notoriously unstable, until stability control was added, and with a high center of gravity, the Ford Explorer also had an insufficient roof strength that allowed it to collapse. In hearing the case, the jury heard that Ford could have strengthened the roof and avoided catastrophic head injuring for about $20 per vehicle.

Ford was joined by its friends at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the appeal. The Chamber usually sides with big business no matter what the issue and no matter how morally questionable the product made by the industry (asbestos, cigarettes etc).

Continue reading "$83 Million Judgment Against Ford for Rollover" »

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She was just 18-years old. A young woman from St. Augustine and another teenager were killed Sunday night when the truck they were riding in collided with an ambulance.

It all happened on U.S. 1 near The Avenues Mall. At about 8:20 p.m., the 18-year old woman was riding in the middle of the front seat in a friend’s Chevy Silverado. The former Bartram Trail High School student was not wearing her seat belt, probably because there is not a belt for three people in the front.

Suddenly their truck collided with an ambulance. Law enforcement on the scene was not sure who had the right of way.

The young woman was pronounced dead at Shands Jacksonville. The driver of the truck, a 19-year-old, was also pronounced dead at the hospital Monday night. The other front seat passenger, a 17-year-old from Jacksonville was in critical condition at Shands. The two passengers in the rear were in serious condition. The four others in the pickup truck were not wearing their seat belts either, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Our prayers go out to the families of the two young people killed. The 18-year-old had left high school in 2006 and was in school to become a nurse. Her Facebook and MySpace shows that this beautiful young woman was full of life and loved by many. Many people say they felt blessed to have known her.

Continue reading "18-year-old Dies in St. Augustine Collision" »

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents and caregivers about the dangers to young children from furniture in the home that is not properly secured and leads to tip-over deaths. It happened in Jacksonville this year when a young girl reached for a toy on the top of a television just resting on a stand. It toppled over onto her killing her. She was just one of about 134 tip-over deaths reported to the CPSC in recent years. More than 16,300 children under the age of five were treated in emergency rooms in 2006 because of tip-over hazards.

Some parents may not think that an unsecured television, furniture, or appliances could be a hidden hazard, but they are and they exist in almost every room.

“The most devastating injuries resulting from furniture tipping on children are injuries to the brain and when a child is trapped under a heavy piece of furniture and suffocates,” according
to Dr. Gary Smith, who is Director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Continue reading "Tip-Over Injury Warning - CPSC" »

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Brunswick, Georgia is situated just 30 miles north of Florida and is home to the fourth-largest automobile port in the eastern U.S. The city proper has an approximate population of 16,235 and an estimated metropolitan population of 101,792. Dubbed “the shrimp capital of the world,” Brunswick is the center of Georgia’s shrimp and crab industries. The economy in Brunswick also relies upon agricultural processing, bulk cargoes, and manufacturing.

Considering that Brunswick’s metropolitan area is the twelfth-largest in the state of Georgia, one can only imagine the vast array of businesses and various job positions that contribute to the city’s economy. Many residents of Brunswick do not want to admit that injury or illness may arise out of and in the course of different kinds of employment throughout the bustling city. Despite safety regulations and rules of procedure being implemented by state and federal entities, some employers, managers, or contractors fail to maintain a risk-free working environment.

When an employee suffers an injury while on the job, whether minor or catastrophic, a variety of factors not only influence their physical and mental well-being, but also their financial stability. When an employer proves negligent in letting safety hazards go unnoticed or if employees are not properly trained and personal injury or wrongful death result as a consequence, workers’ compensation benefits may not be substantial enough to fully compensate injured victims or surviving family members of wrongful death victims.

The knowledge and skill of a Brunswick, Georgia workers’ compensation attorney is needed when taking on employers or any other individual or large group responsible for a work-related accident. Don’t let the compensation that you deserve to slip away. Allow the experienced personal injury lawyers at Farah and Farah to assist you with your work injury case. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation at our Brunswick, Georgia office:

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


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A petite 35-year old woman was a doctor’s office receptionist with a problem.

After purchasing nearly 4,500 doses of painkillers in one year, she got behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango on June 4, 2004 and weaved in and out of traffic before plowing into a man who had helped repair a flat tire on the side of a highway. The 21-year-old young man was killed at the scene. She also hit a 33-year-old man who was helping the other individual. He was injured. The female driver was not.

A lawsuit filed by the families of these afflicted men is pending in the Nevada Supreme Court. It charges that Wal-Mart Stores, CVS, and Walgreen Co. need to be held liable when they do nothing to curb prescription drug abuse.

It’s a precedent setting case that puts all pharmacies on alert. Typically pharmacies have been sued for providing the wrong prescription drug. The pharmacy industry predicts higher prices for all if litigation is allowed to hold them responsible for filling valid prescriptions.

It’s not unlike the situation with bartenders. They too can be held liable if a customer is served too much alcohol and doctors have been sued for failing to warn patients not to drive after taking certain medications.

Under Nevada law, pharmacies share prescription information among doctors, other pharmacists and law-enforcement officials in a database that is reported each month. It’s all intended to track potential drug abuse, such as that by Copening. It is reported to a Prescription Controller Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force which is supposed to send a form letter to the pharmacies the patient has visited to help get the patient into treatment after encouragement by the pharmacist. It sounds like a good intention, but has put pharmacists on the hot seat.

Continue reading "Pharmacies Fear Lawsuits Over Drug Abuse" »

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110,000 Toyota Tundra pickup trucks are being recalled. The announcement was made the day before Thanksgiving, a good time to hope something goes unnoticed.

The problem according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is that road salt used in the winter can cause the underside of the Toyota Tundra’s frame to corrode.
That is the area where the spare tire is mounted and a falling spare tire can cause road hazards. That is also the area where the rear brake lines are located and corrosion can lead to a brake system failure, according to NHTSA.

Tundra trucks from model years 2000 through 2003 can be brought back to the dealer. 20 states are affected where they use chemical de-icers or road salt including: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

Tundra trucks, model years 2000 through 2003, can be brought back to the dealers to be repaired.

Toyota says it will contact owners.

However, the bigger story is Toyota’s announcement that it will reconfigure the accelerator pedal in 4 million recalled vehicles in the U.S. to avoid the pedal from becoming stuck under the floor mats causing unintended acceleration. The pedal will conform with the floor mat and in some models the shape of the floor surface will also be reconfigured.

In addition, the company plans to install a brake override system in the Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models as “an extra measure of confidence.”

Continue reading "Toyota Recall of 110,00 Tundra Trucks" »

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A 14-year-old from Mississippi was killed Saturday in Laurel Hill, Florida while racing at a motocross park in an all-terrain-vehicle, or ATV. The accident happened at the West Florida Motocross Park in Walton County. Witnesses say that the ATV flew into the air after the driver topped a hill, throwing him over the handlebars and onto the ground. At that point, the ATVcrashed on top of him with such force that it split his helmet in half. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

As Christmas approaches, many parents might think getting an ATV for the kids is a good idea. Think again. Recently a five-year-old was killed in South Carolina, a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina, and a three-year-old boy in central Wisconsin. A 15-year-old from Georgia was killed when he lost control of an ATV and crashed in rural Chattooga County. While ATVs were developed as a fun sporting three-wheel vehicle for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, the next generation - the four-wheel version – includes the Yamaha Rhino side-by-side or SXS.

It has two bucket seats, an open cage with roll bar and no doors. The Rhino is a particularly dangerous type of ATV. Described as a “golf cart on steroids,” and a width of 54 inches and a high center of gravity, it is particularly prone to tip, even on flat surfaces or turning at slow speeds.

It’s fair to say this is an example of the tail wagging the dog. The Rhino SXS is new to the market and government regulations have not caught up with design. Classified as a recreational off-highway vehicle, or ROV, it is in a largely unregulated category of vehicle, not low speed, and not cars, and not exactly ATVs because it can go up to 40 mph.

CBS News tells the story of a young mother who went for a ride in the Yamaha Rhino in November 2005. Her husband sat next to her and their 2-year-old was in the back. Traveling down a rocky road in Arizona, the woman tried to turn left and flipped the Rhino causing it to roll onto the driver’s side. The woman hit her head on the roll cage and died instantly. Her husband suffered three skull fractures, while their boy was okay.

Continue reading "Rhinos, Rollovers and Death" »

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The city of Palatka is home to approximately 10,804 and has seen a 7.5% jump in population since 2000. As a popular city in Florida, Palatka only has a population density of 1553 people per square mile in its stretch of 6.96 square miles in size, which is fairly low compared to other cities comparable in size. Situated in Putnam County, a little over 20% of Palatka residents both live and work in the city. With such a large amount of people commuting within and outside of Palatka’s area limits, the reliance on privately owned vehicles is evident.

With the amount of vehicles on the road in Palatka in mind, an unfortunate occurrence of accidents, injuries, and death have been known to occur due to defective vehicles. Whether these catastrophic incidents are brought on by disjointed auto manufacturing standards or the negligence of a particular auto maker, the failure of auto parts can have damaging repercussions for drivers and passengers to endure.

One of the most controversial vehicles when it comes to auto product liability is the 15-passenger van. Despite continuous warnings about the risk and inadequacy of 15-passenger vans provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation, consumers still buy and use these vehicles. Defective in their design, 15-passenger vans possess a high center of gravity that creates a vulnerability of “fishtailing” and overturning. Tire inflation which can cause a rollover accident is also a major issue of concern with 15-passenger vans.

When a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part causes innocent people to suffer serious injury, compensation may be sought on their behalf from negligent parties responsible for manufacturing the vehicle or its parts. The experienced Palatka auto product liability attorneys at Farah and Farah have many years of experience helping defective vehicle injury victims in receiving just restitution. Whether you think that your auto accident and resulting injuries were brought on by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our Florida personal injury lawyers can help. Please contact Farah and Farah today at our Palatka office for a free consultation:

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


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A bicyclist has been in the hospital and recovering for the last six weeks after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed him while riding on his bicycle.

He was on his bike on McCormick Road in Jacksonville, training for a charity ride, the MS 150, in Daytona. But on October 1, two days before the event, he was hit by a truck, pinning his bike against the railing and throwing him in the air. He says he has no recollection of being hit or of the driver speeding off leaving him behind in the road.

Five broken ribs and a broken shoulder blade, three weeks in the hospital, a drug-induced coma, and 40 pounds lighter, the injured bicyclist is happy to be alive. His wife can’t believe someone left her husband in the road to die.

"I was floored by the disregard that someone had for him. As he said, there was ample bicycle lanes, no reason for this to have happened," she said.

McCormick Road has just received its own bike lane just so accidents like this don’t happen. But they do.

Continue reading "Hit and Run Bicyclist Survives to Tell His Story" »

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Because of Florida’s weather, we are a perfect place for off-road vehicles.

There are two-passenger motorized vehicles designed for drivers 16 and older that look like a golf cart, go a lot faster, and with a roll cage, resemble a miniature Jeep. Known as ROVs or off-road recreational vehicles, the consumer Product Safety Commission has decided that these vehicles have so many potential problems that mandatory rules will be written to oversee the vehicles.

This comes after more than 100 deaths since 2003, many of them teenagers and young children.

The makers of ROVs proposed their own voluntary regulations, but the CPSC says they fell short. The Consumer Federation of America believes that the industry has been dragging its feet even when facing well-documented hazards caused by these products.

Continue reading "Off-Road Vehicle Increased Oversight" »

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Amelia Island, Florida is situated just off the coast of Florida and is a bustling part of Nassau County. Also referred to as the “Isle of Eight Flags”, Amelia Island has a population of approximately 68,437 within 18.2 square miles. As visitors continue to flock to Amelia Island, tourism thrives and many are drawn to desirable camping sites, sailing spots, and the several festivals hosted by the island every year.

Considering the vast number of visitors and residents throughout Amelia Island, accidents, injuries, and even wrongful death take place as a consequence of vehicles that are defective in some way. Whether these incidents occur because of inefficient auto manufacturing standards or the pure negligence of a particular auto maker, the failure of auto components can inflict several harmful circumstances for drivers and passengers to overcome.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has continuously warned consumers against the potential dangers linked to the inefficiency of 15-passenger vans. However, these vehicles are still purchased and used. 15-passenger vans are poorly designed and create a significantly high center of gravity. Thus, the vehicles have a tendency to “fishtail” and overturn. Tire inflation problems also pose serious issues and can cause a rollover accident to take place.

As an auto product liability injury victim, you may be able to receive compensation from negligent parties to help pay for expenses associated with your grievances. The skilled Amelia Island auto product liability attorneys at Farah and Farah have devoted many years to helping defective vehicle injury victims obtain the restitution that they deserve. Whether you think your auto collision and subsequent injuries were caused by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury lawyers can help. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Amelia Island office for a free and confidential consultation of your case:

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


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The consumer group, Public Citizen, is recommending that patients wait until at least the year 2012 before taking the prescription diabetes drug, Byetta.

Public Citizen issued the warning in the November 2009 issue of its Worst Pills, Best Pills report.

As is true with many drugs, we don’t really know the side effects until a drug has been used on a population for at least five to seven years.

In the case of Byetta (exenatide), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently announced that additional information will be added to the drug’s label warning of a risk of kidney failure among users, including reports of acute renal failure. Reportedly 80 adverse events have been linked to Byetta concerning kidney function.

In 2007 and again in 2008, the FDA issued safety alerts about Byetta and pancreas problems, including severe hemorrhagic pancreatitis and necrotizing pancreatitis, which can be fatal.

Public Citizen launched its own independent analysis of a longer reporting period of 47 months concerning Byetta, and found a total of 181 reports of acute pancreatitis between April 2005 and March 2009, including 142 serious cases that required hospitalization.

Continue reading "Byetta Ranks Among Worst Pills - Public Citizen" »

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An 18-year-old who struck and killed a pedestrian drove off Monday night only to be caught by the Florida Highway Patrol three hours later. The male teen was taken into custody for leaving the scene of an accident.

The 65-year-old pedestrian from Jacksonville was found unresponsive at the scene of Timuquana Road and Seaboard Avenue where he had been walking on the side of the road. He died at the scene.

Law enforcement had a good clue where to look for the hit-and-run driver because troopers found a portion of a headlight and side-view mirror from a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

No word on how they found the male driver, but it was good work on their part. The teen driver is now jailed with bond set at $100,000.

If hit by a car going 40 mph, a pedestrian has an 85 percent chance of dying, so when striking someone with a car, it is almost certain there is some injury. To leave that pedestrian in the street with no idea of the extent of injuries or to potentially leave a fatally injured person on the road, turns an accident into a crime and in the eyes of the law is very serious. A conviction of a hit-and-run can bring a 15-year prison term.

His lawyer pled to the judge that the teen is a good kid and was planning to attend college and facing a felony charge and years in prison is extreme punishment. That argument may have fallen on deaf ears. Arguing that the teen is not a flight risk appears to be nonsense when describing someone who left the scene of an accident.

Continue reading "Teen Found and Charged in Hit and Run" »

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As the largest town within the Jacksonville Beach community, Jacksonville Beach has an estimated population of 21,849. The population of Jacksonville Beach has grown by 4% since the year 2000. Often called “Jax Beach”, the popular area is a major section of Duval County. In being called home by thousands, Jacksonville Beach also attracts several tourists throughout the year to its beautiful beaches and vast cultural attractions.

With its immense population and large amount of visitors taking to the road and local highways, it is an ill-fated reality that accidents, injuries, and even death take place in Jacksonville Beach due to defective vehicles. Whether these tragic incidents are caused by the negligence of a particular auto maker or auto manufacturing standards that are unorganized, the breakdown of auto components often create detrimental circumstances for drivers and passengers to endure.

At the head of auto product liability concern, the U.S. Department of Transportation has constantly cautioned consumers about the threat and inadequacy of 15-passenger vans. These vehicles are defectively designed due to possessing a high center of gravity which creates a tendency to “fishtail” and overturn. Additionally, 15-passenger vans have demonstrated serious problems with tire inflation which can cause a rollover collision. These accidents may sometimes lead to a roof caving in and seriously injuring anyone within the van.

Those who have been injured by a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part have legal rights and deserve to receive compensation from negligent parties. The skilled Jacksonville Beach auto product liability lawyers at Farah and Farah have years of experience helping defective vehicle injury victims obtain the restitution that is owed to them. Whether you believe your auto accident and resulting injuries were brought on by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury lawyers may be of assistance. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Jacksonville Beach office for a free consultation of your case:

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


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Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has come out with a Legislative wish list for 2010. He clearly stated he is in favor of a ban on texting while driving this upcoming year, adding new momentum for the state Legislature to finally adopt some bill in 2010 after repeated tries in recent years.

At a Cabinet meeting the governor even prodded the head of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to also support a ban.

“We support limiting texting and driving,” Julie Jones said.

The Department of Transportation estimates 6,000 died on the roads last year in part because of distraction from cell phones. It may be a generational issue.

A study by Vingo Corp. of Massachusetts finds that 60 percent of teens admit to at least reading an incoming message while driving. It’s now the primary way teens send messages. An unbelievable 54 percent say they send more than 500 text messages every month, much more use than making a phone call.

In a recent AAA survey, over two-thirds of respondents admitted they had talked on a cell phone and 21 percent admitted to reading or sending a text while driving.

Continue reading "Crist Supports Texting Ban this Leg Session" »

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is recalling one million of the popular Maclaren strollers after 12 children had their fingertips amputated in the stroller hinges.
The recalled strollers have been sold in the usual retail outlets since 1999 up until November of this year. They are made in China and sell from $100 to $360. People generally love the strollers.

The CPSC stated in an announcement on its Web site that, “The stroller’s hinge mechanism poses a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is unfolding/opening the stroller.”

So far 15 reports have been made of children placing their finger in the stroller’s hinge, with 12 children losing fingertips. Maclaren will send parents protective covers for the hinges.
This recall involves all Maclaren single and double umbrella strollers. The word “Maclaren” is printed on the stroller. The affected models included Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.

Continue reading "Popular Baby Stroller Recall After Babies Lose Fingers in Hinge" »

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The city of Jacksonville has a population of about 805,605 and is the most populated city in the state of Florida. Jacksonville is also the 12th most populous city in the U.S. Covering 874.3 square miles in size, Jacksonville is the biggest city in the country for total land area. As more and more people are drawn to the vast culture and lively nature of Jacksonville, the area’s popularity for tourism also increases. Taking the large amount of inhabitants and visitors throughout Jacksonville into consideration, accidents, injuries, and even wrongful death occur as a result of defective vehicles. Some of these incidents take place due to shoddy auto manufacturing standards or the negligence of a specific auto maker. Nevertheless, the failure of auto components can create numerous life-altering effects for drivers and passengers to endure.

One major point of concern for auto product liability and auto defects pertains to 15-passenger vans. Even with the U.S. Department of Transportation issuing warnings for consumers regarding potential dangers associated with the inefficiency of 15-passenger vans, these vehicles are still purchased and used. 15-passenger vans are defectively designed with a notable high center of gravity which creates a propensity to “fishtail” and overturn. Issues with tire inflation are also a serious problem with 15-passenger vans because this can contribute to a rollover collision.

Individuals who have suffered property damage, physical injury, or emotional trauma from an accident involving a poorly designed auto part or defective vehicle have legitimate legal rights. As an auto product liability injury victim, you may be able to receive compensation from negligent parties to help pay for expenses associated with your grievances. The skilled Jacksonville auto product liability lawyers at Farah and Farah have dedicated many years to assisting defective vehicle injury victims in obtaining the restitution that they deserve. Whether you believe your auto collision and resulting injuries were brought on by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury attorneys can help. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Jacksonville office for a free and confidential consultation of your case:

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


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A St. Johns Circuit Judge has refused to dismiss manslaughter charges against a 51-year-old woman accused of letting teens drink in her house and doing nothing to stop it.

The Judge said that the woman’s actions “set in motion a chain of events” that ended with the January 11 deaths of an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old.

The two St. Johns County teens were leaving a party at the woman’s home. Friends say they were too drunk to get behind the wheel of a 1991 Ford Thunderbird. The car veered off State Road 13 near Orangedale and hit some trees, bursting into flames. Both teens died. The driver’s blood alcohol level was 0.18, more than twice the legal limit.

The woman’s attorney says that allowing someone to leave your home intoxicated does not merit a manslaughter charge and her defense will be that the kids arrived at her house already intoxicated.

But prosecutors say the woman allowed, provided, or encouraged minors to drink alcohol at the house party and smoke marijuana. And they say this was not the first party hosted by this particular woman, according to prosecutors. She is alleged to have hosted parties in September, two in December 2008, as well as the one in January.

Continue reading "Party-House Mom Facing Manslaughter Charges" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , DRAM Shop Law , Drunk Driving Accident , Personal Injury

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Situated within Columbia County, Florida, Lake City is also known as the “Gateway to Florida.” Lake City is a typical stop for travelers on their way to Southern Florida and is a popular tourist destination. The population in Lake City continues to increase and was recently estimated to be about 12,000. Columbia County, where Lake City is located, has approximately 68,000 inhabitants as of 2006. With such an array of residents and visitors taking to the road, it is an unfortunate actuality that accidents, injuries, and even death take place in Lake City as a result of defective vehicles. Some of these tragic incidents are caused by the negligence of a specific auto maker or are caused by inefficient auto manufacturing standards. No matter what the exact cause, the failure of auto parts can inflict serious ramifications on drivers and passengers.

15-passenger vans are a big concern when it comes to auto product liability and defective auto parts. Despite constant warnings from the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the inefficiently and danger of 15-passenger vans, consumers continue to purchase and travel in these vehicles. One of the issues associated with the vans connects to tire inflation which can contribute to a rollover crash. In addition, these vans are defectively designed and have a high center of gravity which can lead to the van “fishtailing” and/or overturning.

Those who have suffered from a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part in Lake City have valid legal rights and may be able to obtain compensation from negligent groups. The experienced Lake City auto product liability attorneys at Farah and Farah have many years of experience helping defective vehicle injury victims. Whether you believe your auto accident and subsequent injuries were caused by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury lawyers can help. Please contact Farah and Farah today at our Lake City office for a free consultation of your case:

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


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Married for 33 years, a couple, both 67-years-old, were looking forward to spending their retirement in the Palm Coast area of Florida between Daytona and Jacksonville. But that was not to be. On November 13, 2009, a Circuit Court jury in Flagler County granted the husband $5.1 million in the wrongful death of his wife. Back in 2006, she was killed instantly in a wreck between her Honda minivan and a fully loaded tractor-trailer. Her husband suffered a pelvic fracture.

The lawyer for the husband presented evidence that the tired trucker ran a stop sign at a well-known, isolated intersection in the southwest part of the county known as Cody’s Corner. The driver of Palatka was driving for McMaster Sod LLC of Bunnell, Florida.

An attorney argued that the county shared part of the fault for the accident because there was poor signage at the intersection, and there were worn rumble strips just before the stop sign. But the jury didn’t agree, placing 60 percent of the blame on the trucker, and 40 percent on McMaster and no blame on the county.

Some of the most compelling evidence included a Valentine’s card from the first year of the the couple’s marriage that said, “Our happiness is our wealth.”

Our hearts go out to the widower for his loss. No amount of money will replace his wife, whom he obviously adored.

Unfortunately, we are hearing more often about tired truck drivers. With the cost of fuel going up, and jobs scarce, many drivers are pushing beyond the legal limits on time behind the wheel and hiding those hours by keeping a second set of books so they are not fined. Then there are the added distractions on the road today. To stay in touch with their dispatchers and family, the cab of a truck is often filled with electronics so the driver doesn’t have to stop.

Continue reading "Widower Awarded $5 Million for Trucking Accident" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Truck Accident , Wrongful Death

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Police said a work truck struck a private ambulance on the exit ramp of Interstate 95 to the Main Street Bridge on Tuesday morning, snarling traffic to downtown for more than four hours and starting a chain-reaction involving five vehicles that resulted in five injuries.

Initially, a three-car crash in Florida happened around 10:20 a.m. Then, according to police, a paint company truck exiting I-95 struck an ambulance at the site.

"That caused the Century Ambulance to go out of control," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. R.A. Hartville said. "The pickup truck and the ambulance then, both out of control, struck the rear of the police car as well as one of the occupants of the prior crash."

It was bad news for the patient inside the ambulance when it turned over onto its side. The driver, patient, and two paramedics had to be transported to the hospital with injuries. The driver of the ambulance had to be cut from the cab by Jacksonville Fire-Rescue.

Continue reading "Five Vehicle Wreck" »

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A 42-year-old St. Augustine, Florida woman was killed Friday night after authorities say she walked in front of a moving car. She was crossing Florida 207 when she was hit by a Honda sedan about 6:20 p.m. The driver was identified as a 55-year-old female from St. Augustine by the Florida Highway Patrol.

In a separate pedestrian accident in Florida about an hour later, a man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries Friday night after he was hit by a car in Northwest Jacksonville. The unidentified man was standing near the center of West Moncrief Road near Raines Avenue waiting for the traffic to clear, said the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Then the driver said the man just darted into traffic about 7:30 p.m. where he was hit. The man was taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital. Charges will not be filed against the driver.

On Tuesday, a pedestrian was struck and killed by an SUV at the rain-drenched intersection of North Main Street near 53rd Street. Police say the man was trying to cross the street when he walked in front of the vehicle.

The Times-Union reports the man’s relative identified him and that he didn’t have a car and walked everywhere he went. He later died at the hospital. No charges have been filed in that case.

Our condolences go out to the family members of these pedestrians, who have every right to cross a street as a car does to drive down one. We are sorry for your loss.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, in 2005 there were 576 pedestrians killed in the state, nearly 8,000 crashes that injured pedestrians and 8,626 pedestrian crashes.

Continue reading "Three Pedestrians Hit in Separate Accidents" »

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A Waycross Georgia mother thought a pellet gun was just a toy until her son was killed. An 11-year-old boy was at a sleep-over Friday night with two other boys at the football coach’s home when he was shot in the chest with a .177-caliber pellet gun. He was transported to Satilla Regional Medical Center where he died about an hour later. Our deepest condolences go out to the young boy’s family at this time. So many think that what is essentially a toy can do no harm. So unfortunately we have all found out otherwise.

The boys were reportedly playing PlayStation 3 video game when one of the boys picked up the loaded pellet gun and pretended to shoot it. Then the next boy, a12-year-old, took over the rifle and pointed it at the 11-year-old, shooting him point blank range in the chest.

As of Tuesday, District Attorney Rick Currie says no criminal charges will be filed in the death of the boy. That’s because no child under the age of 13 can be charged with a crime in Georgia, they can only be charged with committing a delinquent act.

Police report that the boys first tried to stop the bleeding themselves before calling the two adults watching television in the next room. They then called 911 while the adult tried to stop the bleeding and performed CPR. The paramedics had no idea the boy was shot. All they had been told was, “He can’t breathe,” and took that to mean that the boy was having an asthma attack.

In fact, the paramedics didn’t know that the boy was bleeding and had been shot until they got him to the hospital, which is incredible considering the amount of blood that must have been present.

The young boy’s mother says she can’t believe her son is gone and that she had so looked forward to him growing into a man: “I worked really hard on him.”

The boy’s father said he's dealing with pain and frustration, still trying to come to grips with what happened to his son, an honor roll student at Ware Magnet School where he played on the youth football team.

Continue reading "Georgia Youth Dies from Pellet Gun Blast to Chest" »

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Orange Park, Florida is a prominent suburb of Jacksonville situated in Northeast Clay County. Located south of Jacksonville, Orange Park possesses a dynamic community full of culture and history. Orange Park’s population exceeds 180,000 and has a high population density. In addition to those who call Orange Park home, several visitors and passerby traverse along the local streets and highways in Orange Park.

Within its vast region, residents of Orange Park greatly depend on privately owned autos to get around. With its large population taking to the road, it is an ill-fated reality that accidents, injuries, and even death occur in Orange Park as a consequence of defective vehicles. Some of these catastrophic accidents are brought on by the negligence of a specific auto maker or are caused by disjointed auto manufacturing standards. No matter what the cause, the failure of auto parts can impose life-altering repercussions on drivers and passengers.

One of the most questionable modes of transportation when it comes to auto product liability is the 15-passenger van. Despite continuous words of caution from the U.S. Department of Transportation warning about the inefficiently and danger of 15-passenger vans, consumers continue to purchase and travel in these vehicles. One of the problems associated with the vans relates to tire inflation which can lead to a rollover accident. Also, these vans are defectively designed with a high center of gravity that can lead to the van “fishtailing” and/or overturning.

Those who have suffered from a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part have legal rights and may be able to acquire compensation from negligent groups. The skilled Orange Park auto product liability lawyers at Farah and Farah have many years of experience helping defective vehicle injury victims. Whether you believe your auto accident and consequent injuries were brought on by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury lawyers can assist you. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Orange Park office for a free consultation of your case:

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


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There is a very bad proposal coming from Georgia’s Republican U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss as a way to keep health care costs down. Chambliss is known to be a friend to big business and his proposal shows it.

Chambliss is co-sponsoring legislation he says would cut down on so-called “frivolous” malpractice lawsuits.

Instead of capping the jury awards to the injured, cruel in itself if a truly injured person wins their case before a jury and is then told, “Sorry, state law caps what the jury wanted you to have.” Equally cruel, Chambliss has been joined by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, in supporting a so-called “loser pays” legislation that would require those involved in a medical malpractice claim to enter nonbinding arbitration to try and resolve their differences.

Only if that did not resolve the dispute could they go to court, but if the injured loses, he or she would be on the hook to pay the opponents’ legal fees which easily could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Chambliss defends the proposal, called the Fair Resolution of Medical Liability Disputes Act of 2009.

Now remember this would apply, even if the person is successful before a jury but has their case turned over on appeal. That means all a deep-pocketed corporation has to do is keep filing appeals to higher courts and eventually the injured will run out of funds or their lawyer will. That’s how corporations use the courts to stomp on people and make them go away.

So ultimately the physically injured can become fiscally injured. The end effect will be no lawsuits are filed because no one wants to take the chance on what an unpredictable jury will do. And that’s the point.

In a statement Chambliss said, "While no one with a valid claim for medical malpractice should be denied his day in court, those who bring frivolous lawsuits raise the cost of health care for everyone, ‘Loser pays' should go a long way toward discouraging such junk lawsuits and lowering the cost of practicing medicine."

Folks - there are no frivolous lawsuits that I’m aware of filed by most big law firms. No one wants to put out the couple of hundred of thousands in lawyer time and hiring expert witnesses unless there is a case. Period. It just doesn’t make financial sense.

Continue reading "Loser Pays is a Bad Idea" »

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Posted In: Health & Information , Law & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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If you are driving a Toyota, I hope you are aware of what is going on.

Last month, Toyota announced it was planning its largest recall ever of nearly four million vehicles over the issue of loose floor mats that may be interfering with the accelerator pedal, causing the car to speed out of control.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has conducted an investigation into a high profile crash in California and is raising questions as to whether the floor mats are the only culprit in Toyota and Lexus models.

Last August, a Lexus ES 350, speeding out of control, killed an off-duty California Highway Patrol Officer, his wife, their daughter, and brother-in-law. All four died when the 2009 Lexus in which they were riding, a loaner car from the dealer, plummeted over an embankment in suburban San Diego at more than 100 mph before it burst into flames. The family was able to contact a 9-1-1- operator to say they couldn’t stop the ES 350. The brother-in-law, said the Lexus had no brakes.

Bob Carter, Toyota’s U.S. brand chief told the annual Reuters Summit recently said that speculation about a troubled fuel delivery system, braking, or runaway accelerator system is inaccurate.

"There's no evidence to support any of that," Carter said, adding that the automaker was working closely with the U.S. government to address the planned recall of up to 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles reports Reuters.

Since then, Toyota has warned consumers to remove the driver-side floor mats from eight Toyota models as a safety precaution, including the Prius.

These models are affected by this consumer alert:

• 2007-2010 Camry


• 2005-2010 Avalon


• 2004-2009 Prius


• 2005-2010 Tacoma


• 2007-2010 Tundra


• 2007-2010 ES 350


• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

Continue reading "Toyota's Ongoing Problems" »

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Home to the longest-standing port in the continental U.S., the city of St. Augustine is often called “the nation’s oldest city.” Surrounded by beautiful beaches and museums, St. Augustine is home to approximately 12,157 residents and caters to many visitors passing through Northern Florida. As a well traversed area, St. Augustine is situated 60 miles north of Daytona Beach just 5 miles east of Interstate 95, and 40 miles south of Jacksonville.

With the immense population of St. Augustine taking to the road and local highways, it is an unfortunate reality that accidents, injuries, and even death take place due to defective vehicles. Whether these catastrophic incidents are brought on by incompetent auto manufacturing standards or the negligence of a particular auto maker, the failure of auto components can impose many negative consequences on drivers and passengers.

15-passenger vans are one of the most controversial vehicles when it comes to auto product liability issues. The U.S. Department of Transportation has repeatedly warned consumers about potential dangers associated with the inefficiency of 15-passenger vans. These vehicles are improperly designed in that they have a particularly high center of gravity which creates a propensity to “fishtail” and overturn. Problems with tire inflation are also an issue of concern with 15-passenger vans because this can contribute to a rollover accident.

Anyone who has endured injury due to a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part has legal rights and may be able to obtain recompense from negligent parties based on auto product obligations under the law. The experienced St. Augustine auto product liability attorneys at Farah and Farah have devoted many years to helping defective vehicle injury victims receive the restitution that they deserve. Whether you believe your auto accident and subsequent injuries were caused by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury attorneys can help. Contact Farah and Farah today at our St. Augustine office for a free and confidential consultation of your case:

(904) 797-7977
1301 Plantation Island Drive
Suite 206A
St. Augustine, Florida 32080


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In 2007, a 39-year old woman from San Francisco was the happy mother of 3-year-old twins.
Doctors put her on the Yaz birth control pill. Four weeks and one day later, she suffered a stroke.

Today it’s obvious to see part of her skull has been removed. Doctors had to operate to accommodate the brain swelling following her stroke. Her IQ is 77. She has chronic pain and has no short-term memory. She can no longer drive.

The injured woman was in the hospital for six months and returned to her twins a different person. They are getting help coping with the condition of their new mother, who walks, talks and looks different, with the help of a counselor.

Her doctors told her it was Yaz that caused her stroke and she has filed suit against drug maker Bayer HealthCare.

In addition, a 34-year-old history teacher and mother of two is also suing. She developed blood clots in both lungs in 2007 after starting Yaz. That resulted in partial loss of her right lung.
Yaz and Yasmin are made by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. Yaz is the newest sister to drug Yasmin and Yaz contains less estrogen. Ocella birth control is the generic version that is sold by Teva Pharmaceuticals.

All three oral contraceptives are among the most widely used and involve a combination of ethinyl estradiol with a new type of progestin, drospirenone. It has been linked to health problems including strokes, heart attacks, deep vein thrombosis, gallbladder disease, pulmonary embolisms, and death. The drug label says that the presence of drospirenone can increase potassium levels and may present a risk for heart problems for women who have liver or kidney problems.

Courthouse News Service reports that Bayer is facing more than 125 lawsuits over Yaz, and up to six new cases a day are being filed around the country, claiming that Bayer didn’t thoroughly research the new progesterone ingredient, drospirenone before marketing it.
Class actions are forming in New Jersey, where Bayer is headquartered, in East St. Louis, and in Pennsylvania state court.

Amazingly the drug is still on the market. Bayer may have failed to warn about side effects, but it does know how to market.

Yaz is the top-selling birth control pill in the U.S. partially due to the multimillion- dollar ad campaign by Bayer that promotes the pill as a quality-of-life treatment that improves acne and severe premenstrual depression.

The go-to drugs for women under the age of 35 generated sales of about $1.8 billion for Bayer last year.

Continue reading "Yaz Yasmin Oral Contraceptives Lawsuits Growing" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Health & Information , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability

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One important element of health care reform that’s often not mentioned is the cost of medical errors and specifically errors involving prescriptions.

Medication interactions, a pharmacy mix-up, or the inability to read the doctor’s handwriting, can all lead to drug dosage errors which cost us all about $4 billion a year, not to mention lives and injuries.

Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is trying to identify how 1.5 million prescription errors happen every year, according to the Institute of Medicine.

It is astonishing and even FDA commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, who is a doctor was stunned by the numbers. She announced a new plan called “Safe Use Initiative” by saying it “doesn’t require a new scientific discovery or a budget appropriation.”

The FDA will be holding public hearings and gathering information from the public.

Every week we hear of the adverse events from prescription medications, even when they are used as directed or prescribed. Consider Tylenol that can cause liver damage when taken in excess, and the current controversy about oral contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin, still on the market, but likely to eventually be pulled off because of the links to heart attack, strokes and blood clots.

Public Citizen’s Dr. Sidney Wolfe says part of the problem is that information is missing from warning labels about 99.5 percent of the time.

Continue reading "FDA Will Probe Medication Errors" »

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A 25-year-old Orange park woman lost her life on I-95 Saturday and it was a scene we’ve seen all too often.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the woman was heading south on Interstate 95 in Flagler County when she lost control of her 1999 Ford Explorer SUV and crashed Saturday afternoon around 3:15 p.m. The FHP report says that the woman changed lanes to pass slow traffic and that’s when she moved to the shoulder of the road and lost control of the vehicle rolling it several times. The woman was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the Explorer and taken to Halifax Hospital where she was pronounced dead. No one else was reported to be in the SUV and no other vehicles were involved in the auto accident in Florida.

Our hearts go out to the family of this young woman whose life was cut short too soon. This accident never should have happened and I wish we could turn back time for the woman who lost her life.

When I read about this accident I was reminded of the Ford Explorer SUV that was overloaded with young people on the last day of school in June 2009. When a tire blew as the kids from Ed White High School were on their way to the beach, the driver lost control of the Explorer and with none of his passengers wearing their seat belts; all were ejected. Four teens lost their lives that day. That horrific accident is being blamed, at least partially, on the tire which blew out.

An accident investigator is going to want to check the tires on the vehicle involved in the Flagler County accident. There may be a cause of legal action if indeed the tire is determined to be the reason the woman lost control of her vehicle.

The second problem is the earlier model of Ford Explorer.

Continue reading "I-95 Accident Kills Young Woman" »

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The city of Brunswick is situated in southeastern Georgia approximately 30 miles north of Florida. Brunswick is well-known for a variety of reasons, a few of which include being home to the fourth-largest automobile port in the eastern United States and being the center of Georgia’s shrimp and crab industries. Brunswick’s estimated population was 16,235 in 2007 and it had a metropolitan population of 101,792.

In encompassing the twelfth-largest metropolitan area in the state of Georgia, Brunswick residents rely heavily on personally owned automobiles as transport throughout the vast counties of Glynn, Brantley, and McIntosh. With its immense population taking to the road and local highways, it is an unfortunate actuality that accidents, injuries, and even death take place in Brunswick due to defective vehicles. Whether these tragic incidents are caused by incoherent auto manufacturing standards or the negligence of a specific auto maker, the failure of auto components can have detrimental consequences on drivers and passengers.

At the forefront of auto product liability problems, the U.S. Department of Transportation has continually warned consumers about the danger and inefficiency of 15-passenger vans. These vehicles are defectively designed in that they have a high center of gravity which provides a propensity to “fishtail” and overturn. 15-passenger vans also have shown issues with tire inflation which can lead to a rollover accident.

Individuals who have suffered injury due to a defective vehicle or poorly designed auto part have rights and may be able to seek compensation from negligent parties based on auto product obligations under the law. The skilled Brunswick Georgia auto product liability lawyers at Farah and Farah have acquired many years of experience assisting defective vehicle injury victims in obtaining the restitution that they deserve. Whether you believe your auto accident and subsequent injuries were caused by a defect in a small passenger vehicle, truck, or 15-passenger van, our personal injury attorneys can help. Contact Farah and Farah today at our Brunswick, Georgia office for a free consultation of your case:

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

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A 17-year-old lost his life early Sunday morning in a three-car accident involving two other teen drivers.

The teen was traveling eastbound on Butler Boulevard at San Pablo Road near the beaches when his car swiped the side of another car that had hit a concrete barrier and was stopped on the side of the road. The driver’s passenger suffered serious injuries and the condition of another passenger was not reported.

Our condolences go out to the teen’s family. Motor vehicle accidents continue to be the leading cause of death among the young. We wish the surviving passengers a speedy recovery.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the teen was not wearing a seat belt, while his other passenger was. The third it is uncertain.

All of this happened after an 18-year-old of Jacksonville lost control of her eastbound car and struck the concrete barrier. She and her passenger luckily got out of the car and ran to the side of the road before the car was hit by the oncoming car. They were wearing seat belts and were not injured. A third car, also driven by a teen a 19-year-old of Jacksonville, struck the 18-year-old’s car. It was the two car pile-up into which the 17-year-old drove into at 1:30 Sunday morning.

Young and inexperienced drivers, out late, not wearing seat belts, and likely traveling at excessive speed. Is it any wonder that automobile accidents in Jacksonville and throughout the State of Florida are the leading cause of death for young drivers?

Continue reading "17-Year-Old Dies in Sunday Morning Crash" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Nine deaths are now blamed on highly flammable women’s robe sold by Blair LLC and the company is expanding its recall. Made by a Pakistani manufacturer, Blair LLC of Warren, Pennsylvania has been working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to widen the recall.

So far about 300,000 chenille robes have been recalled including a full-length robe, a chenille jacket, lounge jackets, and chenille tops. Earlier this year there were five reports of death linked to the robes.

What generally happens is that women wear the chenille robe in the kitchen near the stove where they catch fire. The garment has failed to meet federal flammability standards so are particularly dangerous if near an open flame.

Most of the victims have been in the 70s and 80s, according to the CPSC.

This robe from Pakistan is the not the only product under a federal probe. Other chenille robes and chenille products also made by A-One Textile & Towel of Karachi, Pakistan are being looked at.

"This robe is highly flammable, flames travel quickly up the robe," said Scott Wolfson of the CPSC. "It's a deadly risk to women."

The recalled products were sold in Blair catalogs, online and at Blair stores in Warren, Pa.; Grove City, Pa.; and Wilmington, Del., from July 2000 through April 2007.

Continue reading "Recall of Flammable Robes" »

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With a population of about 10,800 as of July 2007 estimates, Palatka, Florida has a population density of about 1,553 people located within its 6.96 square mile, city limits. Located in Putnam County, Palatka is a city of commuter residents, with only about 20% of its residents both living and working within the city limits. As such, traffic in Palatka is an issue that all residents have to deal with. Unfortunately, with such an influx of traffic entering and exiting Palatka, vehicular accidents are bound to occur. Motorcycle accidents are one type of accident in particular that afflicts a large number of motorists each year. Fortunately though, a skilled Palatka motorcycle accident attorney can assist an injured individual with all aspects of their personal injury case.

More often than they do in passenger car accidents, catastrophic injuries can render motorcycle accident victims forever impaired. When catastrophic accidents result in brain injury, injured motorists can experience significant setbacks. Hospital fees, physical therapy costs, and even wages lost, both past and future, may be sought from negligent parties that caused the accident. In such instances, it is critical that experienced Palatka brain injury attorneys are consulted so as to protect the rights of injured motorists in a court of law.

If you have been injured in a Palatka motorcycle accident, legal help is available. Don’t hesitate to contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah. Our skilled motorcycle accident attorneys will examine the circumstances of your accident, and will see to it that your rights are not trampled upon in a court of law. If your injuries are catastrophic, our Palatka brain injury lawyers will seek compensatory damages on your behalf to help assist with the costs associated with your accident. If you are injured in Palatka, please contact Farah and Farah for a free consultation of your injury case:

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


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A 12-year-old boy lost his life last Saturday afternoon in Palm Bay, Florida in a tragic accident.
The boy was riding as a passenger in a go-kart that was traveling about 30 miles per hour down a dirt road when he was ejected. The go-kart was being driven by a 16-year-old who apparently lost control after avoiding a hole in the road. Another passenger was injured when the go-kart flipped.

A witness called 911 but on the way to the hospital the 12-year-old boy went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived, according to an investigator who arrived at the scene.

Our prayers go out to the family of this young boy who lost his life in a senseless accident. His classmates report that he was in fourth grade and will be greatly missed.

We so often see young people who lose their lives when involved in accidents involving wheels. Scooters, ATVs, and mini-bikes all have the power to go at a high rate of speed and cause permanent traumatic brain injury to a child when he falls off. There is little training to drive a go-kart and helmets are rarely used.

Just this month, a 9-year-old suffered severe burns and lost all ten fingers in a go-kart accident at Palm Beach International Raceway in Jupiter, Florida. His go-kart flipped over and burst into flames after it allegedly hit some uneven pavement. In that case, the boy’s family has filed a negligence suit against the track for failing to maintain its surface and have fire extinguishers or emergency phones on hand. The boy is lucky to be alive as he was pulled from the burning wreckage.

In August, a 13-year-old also lost his life in a Miami accident when his go-kart was hit by an SUV on a public roadway.

Motorized go-karts are not licensed or equipped to be used on public roadways in Florida. The driver was not cited.

Continue reading "Florida Go-Cart Accident Kills Fourth Grader" »

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Posted In: ATV Accidents , Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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The push is on to ban texting while driving in Florida, one of 32 states where it is still legal to do so. AAA Auto Club is calling for a nationwide ban so that Florida can join 18 states where the practice is illegal.

Expect the 2010 legislative session to have at least two bills introduced by Florida lawmakers. Once again for the third year, Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton plans to push for a prohibition on texting while driving when the legislature convenes in March. And Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota has filed HB 41 for the 2010 session to address the practice.

So far a ban has been unsuccessful and it’s beginning to be not only embarrassing for Florida, but more important, deadly. Five bills to ban the practice were filed in 2007 and in 2009, 11 bills were sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, but thanks to some pretty heavy lobbying, none passed. The Miami Herald calls the Florida Legislature the handmaiden to the telecommunications industry.

You would think after what happened to Heather Hurd, Florida would wake up. Heather’s Law, as it’s been proposed, is named after one of two Polk County women who was killed in an eight-car pileup caused by a tractor-trailer driver who was texting.

While the Florida Highway Patrol does not have a way to tally up those who die in the state from texting thought the state is beginning to reformat its crash reports to include that information. The best estimate was that in 2008, 15 people were killed in Florida and 1,400 were injured by distracted drivers.

Continue reading "Texting Ban in Florida Finally Considered" »

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A crash Tuesday night has left one 20-year-old dead and hospitalized two others in the San Jose area of Jacksonville. A man was riding in a sedan when his vehicle was T-boned by a van about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Old Kings Road and St. Augustine Road.

The man died at Shands-Jacksonville. Our condolences and prayers go out to his family.

T-bone crashes occur fairly often. In this case, the vehicle had turned left and into the path of the van. The van’s driver had minor injuries as did the vehicle driver.

Generally in a t-bone accident someone has run a light or stop sign at a fairy good speed. These can be the most devastating accidents. More often than not there are fatalities involved because the side of the vehicle has less protection than the front or rear.

The moving violation brings a $204 fine.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says of the 13 crash types identified, running traffic control accounts for 22 percent of all crashes that led to occupant injuries in 45 percent of red-light running crashes, compared to 30 percent in other types of crashes.

Continue reading "San Jose Fatal Crash" »

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The “Isle of Eight Flags” is home to Amelia City and Fernandina Beach, and is more commonly known as Amelia Island. Housing a population of a little more than 68,000 people, Amelia Island, Florida is part of the Sea Islands and is 18.2 square miles in land size. With tourism as the island’s main economic source, a large number of tourists and beach-goers visit Amelia Island each year.

Those unfamiliar with Amelia Island’s roads may not exercise the most cautious driving practices while visiting. While all vehicular accidents are dangerous, those involving motorcycles pose an even greater chance of injury occurring, particularly to a motorcyclist that does not have the luxury of being confined within the framework of a car to protect against impact. When such accidents occur, it is essential that an Amelia Island motorcycle accident lawyer is promptly consulted in order to ensure that the rights of the motorcyclist are not infringed upon as an accident victim.

Injuries resulting from vehicular accidents can range from minor bruises to catastrophic brain injury. While it is the hope that no one is injured during an accident, catastrophic injury afflicts motorists all too often, particularly motorcyclists. Such injuries can be life altering, especially brain injuries, and can seriously impair an individual’s ability to lead the life he or she had become accustomed to prior to the incident. When brain injury or any other catastrophic injury does occur, it is critical that an Amelia Island brain injury attorney is consulted to ensure that the negligent party responsible for the accident is held accountable for playing a detrimental role in causing injury.

If you have been injured in an Amelia Island accident while riding your motorcycle, don’t hesitate to contact the motorcycle accident attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah. Our skilled attorneys will examine the circumstances of your accident, and will see to it that your rights are not trampled upon in a court of law. If your injuries are catastrophic, our Amelia Island brain injury lawyers will seek compensatory damages on your behalf to help assist with the costs associated with your accident. If injured, please contact Farah and Farah at our Amelia Island office today for a free consultation of your injury case:

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


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He was wearing a headset and was walking on the railroad tracks. That is a very bad combination. An 18-year-old high school student was walking along Amtrak train tracks in Auburndale, Florida and apparently didn’t hear an approaching Amtrak train. He was hit and killed immediately.

The conductor says he tried to alert the teen with no response, until the train got within 20 feet of him. That’s when the teen finally heard or saw the train and tried to jump off the tracks, but it was too late.

The 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Our condolences go out to his family for this very tragic accident.

This is not an isolated incident.

A man was struck and killed by a train last Monday at Winona State University in Minnesota. It was the third train-pedestrian fatality in the area since August. He was wearing headphones.
The train operator says he sounded his whistle for more than a mile.

In February, a 17-year-old teen was hit and killed by an Amtrak train near his Comstock Township home in Michigan. He was crossing the tracks diagonally with his back to the eastbound train and was also wearing headphones.

Nationwide it is the 18-34 age group and overwhelmingly male that is walking on the railroad right-of-way tracks illegally.

Continue reading "Teen Wearing Headphones Killed By Train" »

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The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has a new Web site to focus on the state’s most at-risk drivers – teenagers.

Gov. Crist attended a Teen Driver Safety Summit this week where teen drivers and law enforcement exchanged ideas on how to create the safest possible driving environment for your young drivers.

Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the number one killer of teens. While teens make up six percent of drivers, they are involved in 14 percent of fatal crashes.

The Department has development a driving guide and Web site for parents and teens to use as a resource. The new web site is www.flhsmv.gov/teens.

It describes the state’s graduated license law and offers a log where drivers can add up their minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving before they get their license. TakeTheWheel.net is a Web site by teens that talks to teenagers in an interactive forum for teens to share their driving experiences.

Inexperience behind the wheel, a feeling of invincibility, alcohol, not wearing seat belts – all contribute to the high teen death rate behind the wheel.

The Department reports that the crash rate for teenagers 15 to 19 is 399 per 10,000 drivers, twice as high as their parents, and three to four times higher than their grandparents.That may surprise some.

Continue reading "Teen Driver Safety Week" »

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Like most coastal locales, Jacksonville Beach, Florida is a popular tourist location that attracts a large number of visitors each year. With a year-round population just shy of 22,000 as of July 2007, Jax Beach has seen a steady increase in its number of residents each year. Only 7.7 miles in land size, Jax Beach can quickly become congested with residents and visitors, particularly its roadways.

With so many people visiting Jacksonville Beach each year, multiple modes of transportation are often incorporated by motorists. Motorcycle travel is especially popular, especially while traveling along a picturesque coast. However, many motorists may not grant some motorcyclists the roadway respect that they rightfully deserve. Furthermore, with dangerous driving practices, such as illegal lane sharing, motorists absolutely have to be vigilant while operating their larger motor vehicles. When motorcycle accidents take place as a result of another driver’s negligence, a skilled Jacksonville Beach motorcycle accident lawyer can help injured victims seek compensation for property damage, medical bills, treatment, and many other expenses brought on by a serious injury.

When motorcycle accidents occur, the potential for catastrophic injury is generally much greater for the motorcyclist than it is for the driver of a passenger car or other larger vehicle. Accidents can be devastating to a motorcyclist, resulting in severe consequences such as a brain injury. With nothing more than a helmet protecting a motorcyclist, the likelihood of such an injury occurring is significant, and the probability that a motorcyclist’s life will be forever altered is likely.

Personal injury sustained during vehicular accidents can be overwhelming, regardless of the type of vehicles involved. Luckily, the motorcycle accident attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah will examine the circumstances of your accident, and will hold negligent parties responsible for your accident accountable for their actions. If you have sustained catastrophic injuries, our brain injury lawyers will see to it that your rights are not infringed upon in a court of law. If you have been injured, please contact Farah and Farah at our Jacksonville Beach office for a free evaluation of your injury case:

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


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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Brain Injury , Motorcycle Accident , Personal Injury

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You’re driving down the road and suddenly something flies off the truck giving you a split second to avoid hitting it.That’s what happened Monday afternoon in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 295.

One vehicle was heading north when it failed to avoid hitting a ladder in the roadway. It then veered toward and across the median near Duval Road, striking two cars, one of them head-on. The driver, a 30-year-old man, was taken to Shands Hospital and is in critical condition. Our thoughts and prayers are with this injured man and his family.

It takes less than five minutes to strap down and double check a ladder, but for this man, it may take a lifetime for him to recover from his injuries. As is the case for any auto accident victim, this man and his family may want to consult with an auto accident lawyer in Jacksonville to see if they qualify to obtain the compensation they may need to help pay for expenses brought on by the accident.

A very similar incident occurred on the Buckman Bridge several years ago when a ladder fell from a truck causing a collision that left one person dead. In that case, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the owner of the vehicle that failed to secure the ladder properly.

It is not uncommon to see debris on our roadways – everything from furniture to construction to garbage. This is almost always due to a failure to properly secure loads on flat-bed or pickup trucks. It can cause you to take evasive action or even smash through a windshield or flatten tires.

Nationally, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that there were 25,217 crashes in the United States directly related to road debris. Of those crashes, 8,012 involved injury to the occupants and 76 were fatal.

Continue reading "Debris Causes Multi-Car Collision on I-295" »

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Even tobacco executives acknowledge these days that smoking is an environmental risk for cancer. According to the American Lung Association, more than 400,000 American lives are lost each year due to smoking or from secondhand smoke shared with babies and spouses.
Chantix sounded like a lifesaver when it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in May 2006.

Also known as Varenicline Tartrate, Chantix is made by Pfizer and given to end smoking addiction. The FDA reportedly reduced its usual review time from 10 to six months.

Here’s how it works. Instead of using nicotine, which many smoking cessation therapies include, Chantix reduces cravings and decreases the pleasurable effects of smoking. But side effects reported include nausea, headaches, abnormal sleep, and Chantix dreams, vivid wild dreams.

It’s estimated about 5 million prescription have been written.

In November 2007, the FDA began investigating reports of suicidal behavior among users. 37 reports had come in of suicides and hundreds with suicidal behavior. Pfizer was forced to add a stronger warning on the drug’s label.

Pfizer has suggested that Chantix-induced psychotic episodes are actually due to nicotine withdrawal, but the FDA notes that even people who keep smoking and are taking Chantix have the same episodes.

After ABC News published the story of Carter Albrecht, who, after taking his first 1 milligram Chantix tablet, assaulted his girlfriend, and was shot and killed by a neighbor who thought he was a burglar. ABC received over 200 comments from people describing similar erratic behavior.

By November 2007, the FDA issued a release about Chantix confirming there were an increasing number of reports about radical changes in behavior and suicidal thoughts among users of Chantix. As a result the FDA recommended that healthcare workers monitor Chantix users for behavior and mood changes. Pfizer continues to say that Chantix is a real breakthrough medicine even though by February, 2008, the FDA was saying that after a continuous review of adverse event reports there was likely an association between Chantix and serious neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Continue reading "Chantix Reports of Suicide Keep Coming In" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Health & Information , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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We put computer chips on dogs to find them when they are lost. Your new Blackberry may have a Global Positioning Satellite or GPS. Why do we not have some tracking devices attached to our most precious gift – our children?

The need was made painfully clear in Orange Park near Jacksonville this week when the body of a little 7-year-old was found discarded in a Georgia landfill. The girl had disappeared while walking home from her Orange Park, Florida elementary school.

The young child and her family are in our prayers. No one can rest until this monster is found.
There are about 115 children kidnapped by strangers every year in the U.S. and entrepreneurs have been frantically working to come up with devices that allow us to track our children.

Many people think that microchips, put under the skin, help you find a child. But when put into our pets, they allow shelters to run a scanner and obtain information on the owner. They are not tracking devices.

The VeriChip Company makes a version called VeriKid, which is used in Mexico. VeriKid can only find children when scanners are put in public places kidnapped children may travel.

Wherify GPS Personal Locator combines GPS and digital wireless technologies to pinpoint a wearers position within a few feet. Parents can view satellite or street map or call an 800 number. Cost is $800 and more each month for monitoring. Parents lock the bracelet onto the child’s wrist.

Amber/AlertGPS is a small gadget that tells parents where their child is at all times. It features a button your child can push when they are in trouble sending out an SOS signal to five preselected people on their mobile phones and email addresses and can be placed in their pocket or backpack. You can set areas like a quarter mile around home or school you automatically gets an alarm, can also be used for speeding teenagers. At a cost of $379 with tracking plans ranging from $10 to $60 a month, it’s a little too costly for most parents.

Continue reading "Abducted Child's Body Found - What Can Parents Do?" »

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Jacksonville, Florida is the 12th most populated city in the United States. Housing a little more than 800,000 people at the time of the 2007 U.S. Census, Jacksonville is one of the more popular points of interest in Florida. With a total area of 874.3 square miles, Jacksonville hosts a nice mix of residents, vacationers, and passers-through each and every year.

Commuting in Jacksonville is essential for a variety of reasons. Residents may find themselves commuting to work, vacationers may find themselves commuting to a tourist spot, and passers-through may simply travel over Jacksonville roads while on the way to another location. Regardless, Jacksonville’s roads and highways can be congested places, and alternative methods to traditional automobile travel are often adopted by numerous individuals. Motorcycle travel is one such method of alternative transportation in Jacksonville, and when motorcyclists are injured due to another motorist’s negligence, the cyclist may need the legal advice and assistance of a skilled Jacksonville motorcycle accident lawyer.

At Farah and Farah, we understand that the results of a vehicular accident involving a motorcycle can be catastrophic. Motorcyclists do not have the luxury of being surrounded by the reinforced confines of a car, and their direct exposure to impact can lead to grave injury, such as a brain injury, that may leave the individual forever impaired. This is why our experienced Jacksonville brain injury attorneys are also available to assist any brain injury victim who was injured by another person’s negligence, whether in a motorcycle accident or in another type of accident.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Jacksonville or have suffered a brain injury, don’t hesitate to contact the personal injury law firm of Farah and Farah. If your injuries are catastrophic, our brain injury lawyers will examine the circumstances surrounding your accident to determine where negligent action played a contributing role towards your injury. Please contact Farah and Farah at our Jacksonville office for a free consultation of your motorcycle accident or brain injury case:

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


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The Ford Motor Company is issuing a recall for 4.5 million vehicles because of a faulty switch that can overheat and catch fire.

The action comes after an 18-month federal investigation that has Ford recalling more than 14 million vehicles in eight recalls over a decade over the faulty switch and the potential for fires.

The problem switch is made by Texas Instruments and sold for about $21. The cruise control deactivation switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat and then burn risking fire, even when the car is parked in your garage. The Windstar vans have an elevated risk, said a Ford spokesman.
The Detroit News, reports that Ford stopped using the switches in early 2003, but not before they were linked to at least 1,500 complaints and 550 vehicle fires.

At least one person died when the vehicle caught fire in their garage.

A 76-year-old man died August 14, 2007 when a fire started in his 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis parked in an attached garage in San Antonio, the Detroit News reports. Police reported it as an electrical malfunction in the engine compartment of the car.

You are advised to park your vehicle outside until it can be serviced.

Ford drivers should look for anything that appears to signal a fire danger such as malfunctioning cruise control and brake lights, antilock braking systems and brake light warnings on the dash. Another warning sign is difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode.

Continue reading "Ford Recall Involving Faulty Switch and Fire Danger" »

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Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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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" »

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Posted In: Law & Information , Personal Injury , Premises Liability , Wrongful Death

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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" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Drunk Driving Accident , Hit-and-Run Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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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" »

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Posted In: Defective Drug , Defective Medical Device , Health & Information , Law & Information , Personal Injury , Pharmaceutical Litigation , Product Liability , Wrongful Death

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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" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Drunk Driving Accident , Law & Information , Personal Injury

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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" »

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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.

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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" »

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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" »

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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" »

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Posted In: Auto Accidents , Personal Injury , Rollover Accident , Wrongful Death

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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" »

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Posted In: Health & Information , Medical Malpractice , Personal Injury

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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" »

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Posted In: Class Action , Environmental Litigation , Health & Information , Personal Injury

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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?" »

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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" »

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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" »

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