Lakeland Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

As Florida residents, we are fortunate to not have to deal with snowy conditions and icy roads.  However, we are subject to severe rain that can cause just as dangerous driving conditions.  This can lead to vehicles hydroplaning.  Many drivers are unsure how to recover from hydroplaning and this can lead to severe car accidents.  This is exactly what happened in Haines City, FL when a tow truck hydroplaned out of control.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, at approximately 7:00 pm in late November, a West Coast Towing truck being driven by Paul Byra, 43, of Auburndale, FL, was driving north on US 27 near Commerce Avenue in Haines City, FL to the scene of another accident when his tow truck his a patch of water and began to hydroplane.  Haines City Police Department reports indicate that Byra’s tow truck crossed over a median and hit four vehicles that were traveling southbound on US 27 in Haines City, FL.

Of the vehicles that were hit, there are three people that were taken to medical facilities to seek treatment.  Dale Burton, 50, of Lake Wales, FL, was driving a 1998 Buick when hit by Byra’s tow truck.  He received several broken bones.  The passenger in Burton’s Buick, Rachel Burton, 73, was seriously injured in the crash.  Both occupants were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.  Dale Burton was treated for his broken bones and was released.  Rachel Burton was admitted to the hospital and remained in serious condition.

Another driver involved in the crash, Albert Williams, 75, of Kissimmee, FL, was driving his 1999 BMW when he was also struck by the tow truck.  He was taken to Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center where he was treated for chest pains as a result of the crash.

Reports indicate that Byra, the driver of the tow truck, did not sustain any injuries.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

We’ve all seen accidents where a chain of events leads to several cars being involved in a single accident.  One car stops, the next one hits that one, and so one causing a mountain of cars and leading to serious injuries.  This is exactly what happened in Hillsborough County, FL involving three cars and a semi-truck in late November.

According to TBO.com, southbound Interstate 275 near Interstate 4 in Tampa, FL was shut down for hours after three cars and a semi-truck were involved in a massive pile-up sending one driver to the hospital.

Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate that Steven Gordon, 37, of Gainesville, FL was driving his 2011 Nissan Altima heading southbound on 1-275 in Tampa, FL when he came upon another car accident.  Gordon, slowed down and came to a stop as he approached the scene.  Carolyn A. Butler, 46, of Clearwater, FL, was following Gordon in her 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser.  She was unable to maintain control of the vehicle and crashed into the back of Gordon’s Nissan.  A third vehicle, a 2003 Ford Taurus being driven by Michelle O’Shaughnessy, 27, of Tampa, FL, was following Butler in the center lane and crashed into her PT Cruiser.  Following O’Shaughnessy was a semi-truck being driven by Richard Arnold Miller, 64, of Tifton, Ga.  Miller crashed into the Ford Taurus sending O’Shaughnessy spinning clockwise several times before coming to a rest.

O’Shaughnessy, the driver of the Taurus that was hit by the semi tractor trailer, was sent to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, FL, where she was treated for serious injuries.  She was listed in serious condition upon arrival at the medical facility.  Luckily, her injuries were non-life threatening.  Reports state that the other drivers involved in the crash were not injured.

Florida’s 2010 Traffic Crash Statistics Report, published by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, indicate that Florida recorded 235,461 total traffic crashes in 2010.  Of those crashes, 124,847 were listed as having injuries.  That was a .66% reduction in the number of injuries listed in 2009.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

We all know how dangerous it is to ride on the back of a motorcycle, let alone, being the passenger on a motorcycle without the use of a helmet.  According to the United States Department of Transportation, the number of fatalities that the state of Florida recorded in the two years after the Florida Helmet Law was repealed has increased by 71%.  The fatality rate in Florida is identified as 75% higher than the national average.  The U.S. Department of Transportation also states that Florida has seen a 21% increase in fatalities per every 10, 000 registered motorcyclists. Regardless of these statistics, motorcyclists still get onto their motorcycle and put their lives in danger everyday.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, this is exactly what happened in early November when a couple was out for a bike ride.

The Lakeland Police Department reports indicated that David Jackson, 55, of Summit, NY, and Karin Nolette, 45, of 1119 South Blvd in Lakeland, FL, set out for a early Saturday morning bike ride heading southbound on S. Florida Avenue in Lakeland, FL.  Reports indicate that as they were attempting to turn left into Lake Miriam Square in Lakeland, FL, then came into the path of a 2003 Honda sedan that was being driven by Michael Symmes, 60, of Lakeland, FL, who was heading northbound on S. Florida Avenue in Lakeland, FL.  Symmes’ Honda struck the motorcycle being driven by Jackson, killing Nolette at the scene.

Jackson, the driver of the motorcycle, was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.  Symmes, the driver of the Honda, was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and experienced non-life threatening injuries.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

Driving under the influence is something that is serious and claims the lives of thousands of people each year.  An accident in Lakeland, FL brought an entirely new meaning to driving under the influence, when a mobile methamphetamine lab crashed killing one occupant of the vehicle.

According to the Lakeland Ledger and ABC Action News, Clifford Ellison, 36, of Lakeland, FL, was driving his vehicle down the 3900 block of Drane Field Road in Lakeland, FL.  The passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash, Jerek L. Evans, 26, of Lakeland, FL, reported to Lakeland Police Department deputies that Ellison was attempting to make a supply of methamphetamine called “shake and bake”.  This new process of creating methamphetamine is becoming more widely popular as it requires less supplies and you simply shake the contents up in a glass container.

Ellison was attempting to mix a dose of the “shake and bake” methamphetamine when the glass liquor bottle that he was using exploded in the car reported Evans, the passenger in the car.  When the bottle exploded, it sent shards of glass soaring through the car and several pieces of the glass penetrated Ellison’s neck.  The shards of glass in Ellison’s neck, consequently, lead to his death.

Witnesses of the incident reported that before the vehicle crashed, there was a commotion in the car.  Apparently, this was when the glass bottle exploded and lead to the vehicle crash.  Evans, the passenger in the car, fled the scene of the accident.  At the time of the report, no charges have been filed on Evans.

According to reports published by the U.S. Department of Justice, the methamphetamine trafficking issues in Florida center around the Central Florida area.  According to the report, there are a total of 193 methamphetamine lab seizures in 2011.  The reports goes on to state that the area between Orlando and Tampa on Interstate 4 seems to be the main strip where the problems exist.  These mobile labs create dangerous conditions on major highways and can lead to death, as reported in this blog.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

We have all been driving down the road and have seen a car sitting on the side of the road as a result of a breakdown.  These cars are pose serious conditions to the drivers on the interstate as we deal more and more with distracted drivers.  Sadly, this same scenario led to the death of one Tampa, FL man early Sunday morning.

According to ABC Action News, at approximately 4:15 a.m. on January 15, Arimus Antwain Marshall Dixon, 32, of Tampa, FL, was driving his Jeep Wrangler heading northbound on Interstate 75 at the Interstate 4 apex in Tampa, FL when he approached a disabled vehicle on the east shoulder of the interstate.  Dixon’s Jeep struck the disabled vehicle, overturning the Jeep and sending it into the center lane of northbound Interstate 75 in Tampa, FL.  Dixon was able to get out of his vehicle.

As he was standing next to the Jeep, Dixon was struck by an Acura Intergra that was also heading northbound on Interstate 75 in  Tampa, FL.  The Intergra was being driven by Chrissy Rodriguez, 34, of Tampa, FL.  The impact of the hit from the Intergra killed Dixon.  He was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders.

Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate that Rodriguez, the driver of the Intergra, was taken to Florida Hospital were she was treated for minor injuries.  The passenger in her vehicle, Alvin T. Travis, 29, of Tampa, was uninjured.  The reports also indicated that the driver of the disabled vehicle, Robert C. Norman, 21 of Dade City, FL, was also uninjured.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

When driving on the Florida highways, you are sure to run into construction zones.   These areas of road can be dangerous for drivers and the workers that are present.  Many times people disregard the reduced speed limits or signs advising of higher speeding fines.  These road signs are meant to create a safer environment for the pedestrians working on the sides of the roads.  Sadly, a worker on Interstate 75 in Sarasota County was hit and killed in an accident the night before Thanksgiving.

According to the Herald Tribune, shortly before 6:45 p.m., Steven Arthur Morgan, 53, of Port Charlotte, FL, who worked for DBI Services LLC, a company contracted to do interstate maintenance, was cleaning up an earlier fender bender in the southbound emergency lane on  Interstate 75 in Sarasota County near the Fruitville Road exit.

Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate that a 2001 Ford Explorer being driven by Brandon Joseph Conti, 18, of Sarasota, FL, was attempting to avoid traffic that had come to a stop due to the earlier accident and lost control of his vehicle.  As a result, Morgan was struck by the Explorer.  The SUV continued towards the median and hit a guide cable, overturning the vehicle and landing upright in the median.

Tyler Lee Cutright, 19, of Sarasota, FL, who was a passenger in Conti’s Explorer, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash.  He was taken for the scene of the accident and flown to Blake Medical Center where he was treated for serious injuries.

Morgan, who was also a retired volunteer firefighter in Phoenix, NY, died at the scene of the accident.  Morgan was honored as Enterprise Fire Company’s Firefighter of the Year in 1991.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2008 recorded a 13 percent drop in the number of workplace fatalities from the previous low in 2007 with approximately 2045 deaths.  They go on to report that the number of workers who were killed after being struck by vehicles or mobile equipment fell from 345 in 2007 to 322 in 2008.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

The winter holidays bring on family traditions and meals to share.  It is becoming more and more commonplace that people experience issues when cooking these meals, as deep frying turkeys and pig roasting are becoming yearly traditions for families.Unfortunately, these traditions can also create dangerous conditions.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, this is exactly what happened to two Lakeland, FL men as they prepared a meal at home.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports indicate that Jorge F. De Pedro Santana, 50, and Luis F. Barrera Perez, 59, both of Lakeland, FL, were at home roasting a pig in mid-December.  The reports state that both men were cooking a whole pig on an open outdoor fire at 1255 Wilkinson Road in Lakeland, FL.  When the fire appeared to have gone out the men poured what they believed to be diesel fuel onto the fire.  Deputies reported that rather than pouring diesel fuel onto the fire, they actually were using gasoline.  The gasoline, which is highly flammable, exploded, badly burning both men.

Both Santana and Perez were taken to Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida, to be treated for the burns.  Santana was placed in critical condition, while Perez was listed in serious condition.

According to the American Burn Association, an estimated 450,000 people were treated for burns in hospitals across the nation.  Of these injuries, 45,000 were hospitalized due to injuries sustained in house fires or other sources.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

An early morning motorcycle ride turned bad when two Lakeland, FL residents ran into the back of a car, ejecting them from their bike and sending them to the hospital.

According to the Lakeland Ledger and the Lakeland Police Department, Victor Paez Jr., 33, and Bethzaida De Jesus, 28, both of Lakeland, FL, where riding on a motorcycle headed northbound on South Florida Avenue in the left lane just north of Hillsboro Avenue in Lakeland, FL when they approached a Ford Taurus being driven by Ryan Ward, 26, of Lake Wales, FL.  Reports indicate that Ward’s car was slowing down in order to change lanes, when the motorcycle struck the vehicle from behind.

The impact of the crash forced the motorcycle to begin to slide into the middle of the road, ejecting both Paez and De Jesus.

Paez and De Jesus were transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, Florida, with life threatening injuries.  It is not known if they were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.

Reports indicate they were not sure if alcohol played a factor in the crash.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, the Motorcycle Industry Council estimates that in 6.8 percent of households, nationally, own at least one motorcycle. The III goes on to state that in 2010, the number of motorcycle fatalities rose .7% in 2010.  In 2009, they reported a 15.9% decline in the number of fatalities reported nationally.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

Any major roadway that you drive down, you are sure to see a pedestrian crossing the road.  The issue lies in that, most of the time, there is not an official crossing and people determine when it is appropriate to cross the road.  Misjudgment can lead to pedestrians placing themselves in harms way and the possibility of traffic accidents.  This is exactly what happened to a Lakeland, FL man in mid December.

According to the Lakeland Ledger and the Lakeland Police Department, Stephen Brackin, 69, of Eagle Lake, FL, was driving his 2008 Chevrolet Avalanche south on US 98 in Lakeland, FL when Marvin P. Black, 49, of Lakeland, FL attempted to cross the road at 3230 US Highway 98 North in Lakeland, FL.  Black ran directly into the path of Brackin’s vehicle and was struck. Black hit Brackin’s left front side of his truck and was thrown approximately 50 feet north of where he was hit.

Black was transported from the scene of the accident to Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland, FL , where he was treated for life threatening injuries.  The medical center listed Black in critical, but stable condition.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), nationally, there are around 4,000 pedestrian fatalities and about 59,000 injuries reported every year.  FHA goes on to report that pedestrian fatalities comprise 12% of all traffic accident fatalities annually.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

Skydiving is an activity that is on many people’s must-do list.  It is exciting, exhilarating, and has a sense of danger that attracts people to jumping out of a airplane and free falling to the ground.  Most often, the adventure ends with your feet planted safely on the ground, however, for one Melbourne, FL man, this would not be the case.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, shortly after 3:30 p.m. on November 12th, Dave Floyd, who was at the Lake Wales Airport, was witness to a skydiver, Greg Hartleb, 61, of Melbourne,FL, making a deep, sharp turn and knew he was going to need some help. Floyd, who is an experienced skydiver, looked up into the sky long enough to see Hartleb make a long turn too close to the ground and realized that he would not have enough time to recover from the turn.  He saw Hartleb get thrown to the ground and immediately called for assistance.

According to the Lake Wales Police Department and eyewitness reports, Hartleb had made a common skydiving turn, however, he was too close to the ground and the wind slammed him to the ground causing severe blunt force trauma.  It was noted that this was Hartleb’s fourth jump of the day and that he had made over 3,500 jumps in his career.

Hartleb was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he was treated and later died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the fall.

The Federal Aviation Administration will conduct a separate investigation, however, it is believed that Hartleb was working with a fully functioning parachute at the time of the accident.

Skydivingfatalities.info reports that in 2008, there were 32 reported skydiving fatalities in the United States.  That is a 88% increase from the previous year that only recorded 17 deaths as a result of skydiving.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

It’s common to see people standing on the side of the road while driving.  Most times, it is a flat tire or a mechanical issue.  Other times, you see people who have been involved in a car accident dealing with the smashed up bumper or other damage suffered in the crash.  This was the case for a young boy and his father in late September in Eustis, FL.

According to the Lakeland Ledger and Channel 13 News, Nathan Hayes, 10 of Eustis, FL, and his father, Steven Hayes, were driving in their pickup truck down County Road 44 near West Eldorado Drive in Eustis, FL, when they came upon a fallen tree in blocking the roadway.  This caused Hayes’ truck to crash into the tree, however, everyone in the vehicle was okay. As  Steven Hayes got out of his vehicle  to check the damage to his truck; Nathan, his son, got out the truck and was standing on the side of the road away from the crash.

As Nathan was standing on the side of the road waiting for his father, a car driven by Richard Sineath, 73, of Mount Dora, FL, was headed towards the fallen tree and the crash site.  Sineath saw the crash and the fallen tree and  swerved his car to missed the tree and the crash and struck Nathan standing on the side of the road.

Nathan was transported to Florida Hospital Waterman where he was later pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.

Florida Highway Patrol, who is investigating the accident, stated that Sineath, who volunteered at the Mount Dora Bible School where Nathan attended, is not expected to be brought up on charges.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

At approximately 4:38 a.m., Broward County Sheriff’s Office and Pompano Beach Fire Rescue received a call that a car had left the roadway and landed in lake behind a bank on the southwest corner of Andrews Avenue Extension and West Sample Road in Pompano Beach, FL.

According to Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the Sun Sentinel,  Tommy Neloms, 24, Victor Durham, 29, and Gregory Holloway, 19, all of Pompano Beach, FL, were driving their 1997 white Mercury Marquis after leaving the 525 Club in Deerfield Beach, FL with a group of other cars.  They were headed west on Sample Road in Pompano Beach, FL turning south onto Andrews Avenue Extension, also in Pompano Beach, FL when, for an undetermined reason, lost control of the vehicle.  Reports indicated that the Mercury hit a westside  guardrail and then jumped the guardrail, landing in the Pompano Beach Lake.

When Broward County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue squad arrived at the scene, the Mercury was fully submerged in the lake in about 15 to 20 feet of water.  Divers belonging to the Pompano Beach Fire Rescue unit were able to locate the three males inside the car and bring them to shore.  The three men were taken to the Broward County Medical Center where they were all pronounced dead.

According to FARS, Fatal Analysis Reporting System, and the National Automotive Sampling System –Crashworthiness Data Systems (NASS-CDS), there are 247 vehicle submersion events annually where at least one fatality occurred. Of these vehicle submersion cases, 49 percent had a major frontal crash, 11 percent had a major side crash, 2 percent experienced a major rear crash, 23 percent involved a vehicle rollover with no collision and 15 percent did not involve a collision or a rollover.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

A late night drive turned serious when a 25-year old Lakeland, FL man flipped his vehicle landing in a ditch sending him to the hospital.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, Lakeland firefighters worked for about an hour trying to free Chandler Schofield, 25, of 3815 Oakwood Circle in Lakeland,FL after his high speed driving forced him to lose control of his truck and landing him upside down in a ditch.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports state that Schofield was driving his 2003 Mazda pickup truck heading west on Old Tampa Highway in Lakeland, FL at approximately 10:20 p.m.  As Schofield attempted to speed around a curve in the highway, his truck spun out of control hitting a light pole.  After striking the pole, Schofield overcorrected his steering, sending him into a ditch.  The Mazda pickup truck was then sent airborne and spinning 180 degrees in the air.  Schofield’s vehicle came to it’s final resting spot in the parking lot of the Winston Baptist Church at 3233 Old Tampa Highway in Lakeland, FL.  The truck landed in the parking lot upside down on it’s roof.

Schofield was confined inside the vehicle for a little less than an hour while rescue workers attempted to free him from the truck.  He was later taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.  Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies believe that Schofield was impaired at the time of the accident.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes.  Florida State Statute 316.193 outlines the requirements of driving under the influence as follows:

(1) A person is guilty of the offense of driving under the influence and is subject to punishment as provided in subsection (2) if the person is driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle within this state and: (a)The person is under the influence of alcoholic beverages, any chemical substance set forth in s. 877.111, or any substance controlled under chapter 893, when affected to the extent that the person’s normal faculties are impaired; (b)The person has a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood; or (c)The person has a breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.

Florida Highway Patrol officers were called to a two car accident involving a motorcycle and a 4-door sedan.  Sadly, it also involved the death of one of the drivers.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, Joseph M. Glover, 70, of Haines City, FL, was driving west on Interstate 4 near Haines City, FL on his 2001 Kawasaki motorcycle when a 2004 Hyundai Sonata driven by Charles L. Lee, 63, from Port Orange, FL, who was also traveling west on Interstate 4 near Haines City, FL, merged into the lane of traffic that Glover was in.  Florida Highway Patrol reports indicate that Lee was attempting to exit off of Interstate 4 and onto Interstate 75 when he cut off Glover.

Unable to slow down to avoid a collision, Glover’s motorcycle hit the rear end of the Hyundai ejecting him from his motorcycle and onto the roadway.  Glover was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lee, the driver of the Hyundai, and  Alex C. Lee, 21, the passenger in the Hyundai, were not injured in the accident and did not require any medical attention.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 4,281 fatalities among motorcyclists in 2009 — more than double the number in 1997. That was the highest number of motorcyclists killed in one year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began collecting fatal motor vehicle crash data in 1975.  The Florida Motorcycle Helmet Law Repel now requires that  helmet use is only required by riders under the age of 21, and by older riders who do not have a minimum of $10,000 medical insurance coverage.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.

In 2003, Zenaido Hernandez-Andreu, 45, and his wife, Petra, of Mulberry, FL moved to the United States with their 10 children from a small town in Guerrero, Mexico.  The family had just moved back to the Mulberry, FL area from Alabama, where they worked as migrant workers picking tomatoes.  Hernandez-Andreu’s children had just returned back to  R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School in Lakeland, FL, where they were welcomed backed from students and teachers that they previously knew.  Everything seemed to be getting back on track.  Sadly, this family would soon experience a traumatic loss to their family unit.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, Zenaido Hernandez-Garcia, 10, of Mulberry, FL, had come home from school and spent time watching cartoons and eating a snack.  At some point during the afternoon, Hernandez-Garcia left the mobile home and went outside to play.  Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports indicate that Sonia Hernandez-Garcia, 13, of Mulberry, FL  and the sister of Zenaido Hernandez-Garcia, had come home from school and was walking up the path to her home.  She came upon the tree where the family had a swing hanging from a branch in the tree.  Unfortunately, Sonia found her younger brother hanging from the tree swing in the tree.  Reports detailed that the rope of the swing was wrapped around Zenaido’s neck.

Hernandez-Andreu, the father of Zenaido Hernandez-Garcia, removed Zenaido from the tree and brought the young child into the home and waited for rescue workers to revive his son.  Zenaido Hernandez-Garcia was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he later died as a result of the accident.

The National Center on Child Fatality Review states that accidental/unintentional injury is the leading cause of death of children age one  through 18 years.  They go on to say that more children between the ages of one and 14 die in the United Sates every year from unintentional injuries than from all childhood diseases combined.

Attorney Tania L. Rivas is a civil attorney with Rivas Law Group, LLC located in Winter Haven, Florida. Attorney Rivas represents injured victims in Polk County, FL. Attorney Rivas is fluent in Spanish and represents only victims, never insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured, call us toll free at 877-299-5539 to schedule a free legal consultation with Attorney Rivas. You are not responsible to pay any legal fees or costs unless you win.