Car Accidents

June 18, 2018

Miami Resident Hilda Garcia Killed in Hit and Run

Hilda Garcia was crossing Northwest 37^th Avenue and Northwest 9^th Street around 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, when she was struck by a vehicle. She was walking home from the grocery store and using a walker at the time of the crash. Garcia was 77 years old, and just shy of her 78^th birthday. When emergency responders arrived, she was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The police have confirmed the vehicle must have been moving at a high rate of speed, Garcia was dragged a significant distance, and at least one of Garcia’s limbs was severed. The driver of the vehicle did not stop and wait for authorities. City of Miami Police are investigating the crash and searching for the hit-and-run driver. The family is asking the driver to come forward.

When the driver is identified, they will face criminal charges. The surviving family members, including Garcia’s son, may choose to file a civil wrongful death claim. This claim is separate and distinct from any criminal charges the hit-and-run driver may face. If you lost a loved one in a hit-and-run crash, contact a Miami car accident lawyer at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. right away.

Hit-and-Run Crashes Becoming More Common

May 22, 2018

Florida Resident Jarrod M. Branscum, Killed on Seven Mile Bridge

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Jarrod M. Branscum, 22, was killed on Seven Mile Bridge after being struck head on in his vehicle. Branscum was driving north in a 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer around 1:45 a.m. Emily Andrefsky, 33, was driving south in her 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe when she crossed into on-coming traffic. The head-on crash caused Branscum to die at the scene. Andrefsky was flown to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and charges are pending against Andrefsky.

Unfortunately, head-on collisions such as this are all too common, and they often cause serious injuries and fatalities. If you lost a loved one in a front collision, contact a Miami car accident lawyer at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. at (877) 475-2905.

Head-On Crashes

May 16, 2018

South Miami Car Crash Leads to Multiple Injuries and 1 Fatality

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

In early May, a two-vehicle accident in South Miami caused four individuals injuries and one person’s tragic death. The collision took place on U.S. 1 near 62^nd and 57^th avenues. The initial reports following the crash stated two pedestrians had been struck, one person had been seriously injured, and four others had been taken to nearby hospitals with unknown injuries. Later reports stated one person was killed in the crash, which took place at an intersection locals know to be dangerous.

The cause of the crash is under investigation by the Miami-Dade Police Department. Their findings will influence potential criminal and civil proceedings. One or both vehicle drivers may be found to have violated traffic laws, which could lead to tickets or traffic offense charges. Also, the at-fault driver may face civil personal injury or wrongful death claims for compensation from the injured parties and their families.If you were injured or lost a loved one in a car accident, you should speak with a Miami car accident lawyer at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. as soon as possible. Call us at 305-371-6000 or toll free at (877) 475-2905 to schedule a free consultation.

Liability for Car Accidents

March 15, 2018

Alligator Alley Car Crash Leads to Fatality

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Multi-Vehicle Crash in Alligator Alley Leads to Fatality

In early March, an accident on I-75, locally known as Alligator Alley, led to one fatality and numerous injuries. A van carrying 15 people was travelling east in the left lane when it was rear-ended by a truck. The van was carrying individuals from Minnesota as young as 4 years old, visiting for a spring training game in Ft. Myers. When the van was struck by the pickup truck, the driver lost control. The van flipped, several passengers were ejected, and it landed on the other side of the highway. The truck also rolled over. Numerous reports state a third vehicle was involved in the crash, though specifics were not given. One van passenger was killed, Lauren Vanreese. Numerous passengers were airlifted to a hospital due to serious injuries while other van passengers and the driver of the truck were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

Liability for the Accident

January 12, 2018

Quantico Actress Sues over Uber Car Accident

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

According to various sources, an actress who is known for playing a character in the television series “Quantico,” has filed a lawsuit against two drivers and two California state agencies over a three car accident that happened last February in Los Angeles. One of the cars involved in the wreck was a state emergency vehicle.

The actress reportedly claims that she lost a significant amount in potential compensation due to the ordeal while she was riding in an Uber driven car. According to the suit, the actress is not suing the driver of the Uber vehicle that she was riding in.

According to the California Highway Patrol accident report, one of the officers at the scene found the driver of the non-emergency vehicle to be at fault. The report stated the determination was made that the first driver made an improper lane change which then forced the ambulance to swerve into the lane that the actress was riding in.

December 1, 2017

Uber in the News in Three Separate Car Accidents

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

With the rapid growth of the ride-sharing app Uber, the business has been in headlines across the country as witnesses have claimed to see the notorious Uber logo sticker in the windows of vehicles involved in crashes. It is not clear whether all of the drivers involved in the following three accidents were in fact Uber drivers, but it is clear that at least one of them was, although the individual was not “on the clock” at the time of the crash. Additionally, as a general matter, just because a driver was working for Uber, does not necessarily mean that the company is responsible for the behavior of the individual driver.

Scottsdale Pedestrian

The first accident that had Uber in the news occurred early in the morning last Thursday in Scottsdale. According to police, the accident happened at around 1:30 a.m., when a pickup truck hit a pedestrian. Officials stated that they did not believe speed or any sort of impairment were factors in the crash, and that the driver was a driver for Uber.

While the company had not made a statement at the time the story was published, a spokesperson stated that the driver had been removed from the app while the accident was being investigated, and that the company intended to cooperate with police on the investigation.

November 28, 2017

Three Separate Fatal Car Accidents over Thanksgiving Weekend end in Florida Canals

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

This past Thanksgiving weekend, was unfortunately fatal for several drivers in the Miami area. According to a spokesperson for the Florida Highway Patrol, “Thanksgiving is the most dangerous holiday in the United States.” Additionally, “The day before Thanksgiving, fatal accidents increase by 15 percent. That’s why the Florida Highway Patrol is out here, committed to have a high presence and make sure that motorists that are driving to visit their families get there safe.” Highway patrols across the nation made similar pronouncements about increased patrols in an attempt to prevent car accidents.

Curiously, among the serious accidents that happened, there were three where a vehicle crashed and ended up in a canal of some sort, resulting in the death of five individuals.

Thursday

November 16, 2017

Self Driving Vehicles Raise Crash Concerns Following Las Vegas Collision

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Various news outlets reported that a driver-less vehicle crashed into a semi truck following its launch at an event in Las Vegas earlier this month. The crash occurred just two hours after the introduction and promotion event for the first self-driving shuttle in the United States aimed at serving the public. Interestingly, it was the human driver of the other vehicle that was reportedly at fault. Fortunately the incident only caused minor damage and there were no injuries.

The shuttle in question, which can transport up to 12 passengers at a time, comes equipped with electric curb sensors and uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) in lieu of a steering wheel or brake pedals.

The introduction of the shuttle comes on the heels of the passage of the Self Drive Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this fall. If passed in the Senate, the bill would exempt car manufacturers from having to follow various state and federal regulations that typically apply to automobile manufacturing. States would still be able to determine whether or not to allow self-driving cars on their roads.

October 19, 2017

Does Uber Lead to Less DUI Accidents in Miami?

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Our Miami personal injury law firm found a very interesting report that was recently released. The study’s outcome was to determine whether ride-sharing services, such as Uber, have contributed to a decrease in accidents related to driving under the influence over a certain period of time. The implication here being that as people that may be too intoxicated to drive and then call sober ride-share drivers for their ride home, there are less drunk drivers on the road causing accidents. However, apparently the results of this study found that this was not necessarily the case in all American cities.

The study looked at the availability of the ride share service Uber (currently the largest among ride-sharing companies, which purportedly also include: Lyft, Sidecar, Wingz, Summon, Taxify, Haxi, Didi Chuxing, and Moovn) from 2013-2016 in four major cities in the United States. The study author is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Injury Science Center.

October 11, 2017

Scary Collision and Acceleration into a Miami Crowd Leaves Driver Dead

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

According to several news reports, a young woman was killed by police officers after she reportedly crashed into two vehicles, and according to onsite officers and witness accounts, attempted to flee the scene.

Late Sunday night of the holiday weekend, according to police the driver of a black BMW sedan and her companion got into the vehicle and sped into oncoming traffic on Ocean Drive, which resulted in collisions with two separate vehicles– all in full view of people looking on from the sidewalk.

Sources report that the car first ran a red light, which led to a collision with one vehicle. The passenger in the car that was hit reported that the light was clearly green and that two other cars had already gone through the intersection at the time of impact, and that he believed the driver was going at least 60 miles per hour.