Miami Accident Lawyer Blog

May 27, 2016

Fatal DUI Accidents and Wrongful Death in Florida

Per Florida statute, a person shall be charged with driving under the influence if he or she has a “breath-alcohol level of 0.08 or more grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.” In Florida, as in other states, DUIs are a daily threat to public safety. As a matter of fact, per Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (“MADD”), 27.5% of all traffic fatalities in Florida involve drunk drivers. In the 2014 alone, there were 40,677 DUI arrests.

A doctor, 61-year-old Eric Martin Spivack, living in South Florida, was arrested for the crash that killed a pedestrian in North Miami Beach. Spivack faces a DUI manslaughter charge. Spivack, a cardiologist, was driving when he fatally struck Yakov Duboschinskiy, 77 years of age. Duboshinskiy was crossing the street when he was hit. When police arrived at the scene, they noted that Spivack smelled of alcohol. A toxicology test would later reveal that Spivack had a blood-alcohol level of .087. This is above the legal limit of .08. Spivack also had traces of codeine in his system.

If you or a loved one are a victim of a crime, it is imperative you hire an experienced attorney. The Miami crime victim lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA provide high quality legal representation. For more information call us toll free at (877) 475-2905 or contact us online to set up a FREE initial consultation.

May 20, 2016

Jeep and Train involved in Fatal Accident

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Railroad companies across this nation have strict rules to follow. Most of the rules serve purposes of safety and protection of motorists and pedestrians. As you may know, sometimes railroad companies do not follow said rules. This can cause fatal accidents. Yet, train passengers and nearby motorists can be injured or even killed by trains even when train companies follow the rules.

For instance, recently in Plant City, Florida, a passenger in a SUV was killed when a train struck the vehicle. This accident occurred at the railroad crossing for Candis Road and Paul Buckman Highway. 19-year-old Bruce Dean drove the vehicle. Mr. Dean, apparently, attempted to beat the train through the intersection. During this failed attempt, the train forcefully smashed into the passenger side of the SUV. The passenger died at the scene. Per statistics, the overall most common cause of railroad accidents occurs at railway crossings. As in the above-mentioned incident, motorists make attempts to beat oncoming trains through the intersection. In actuality, studies find that this type of accident in the United States occurs every 90 minutes.

If you or a loved one is injured from a train accident, at the fault of the railway or train company, it is imperative to hire an experienced personal injury attorney for your case. The Miami personal injury lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are here for you.

May 13, 2016

Injuries at the Gym

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Gym memberships have significantly increased in number over the years. In the United States, there are currently 50 million individuals with gym memberships. With the steady increase in the amounts of people flocking to the gym over the years comes the increased risk of gym related injuries. Sometimes the injury is the fault of the gym owner, manager, or even a personal trainer.

If you or a loved one sustains an injury at the fault of another person, it is imperative to retain an experienced attorney. The Miami personal injury lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are here to help. Our attorneys represent accident victims and their families throughout Miami Dade, Miami Beach, The Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, Broward, and West Palm Beach.

The Inherent Risk of Injury and Related Laws

May 6, 2016

Credit Card Fraud

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

In short, credit card fraud refers to the theft and fraud committed using or involving a payment card, such as a debit card or credit card, as a fraudulent source of funds during a payment transaction. The motive for such crime may be to obtain goods without paying for them or to obtain unauthorized funds from an account. Credit card fraud is, unfortunately, not as rare as you may think.

Just recently, a Disney cruise ship rescued three people holding on to a capsized boat around 40 miles north of Cuba. It would later be found that the three individuals were attempting to escape credit card fraud charges in the United States. Two of the three had outstanding warrants on federal charges stemming from New Orleans. A warrant was issued for the third suspect. The suspects were trying to flee to the Communist-led Island. As mentioned above, credit card fraud is among the most common forms of scams. Florida-based rings, in essence, clone stolen credit numbers, encode them onto newer credit cards and then the individual will travel the country, making unlawful purchases. They also purchase gift cards at retailers. The gift cards would then be sold, at a discount, for cash. From these acts, several major retailers have lost millions of dollars. The suspects’ credit card fraud scheme involved the use of 28 fraudulent cards.

It is no fun being a victim of credit card fraud. It may certainly lead you to feel helpless. It is imperative that you retain an attorney for your case. The Miami credit card fraud lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA can provide the help you deserve.

April 29, 2016

Bounce Houses Taking Flight

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Recently, on the beach of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a young boy was playing in a bounce house when, all of a sudden, 85 miles per hour wind gusts triggered the bounce house to take flight causing the young boy to fall about 20 feet to the sand, breaking his arm. His parents filed a lawsuit against the city and the vendor, All Star Events, for damages. Said lawsuit alleges All Star Events was negligent in the way it assembled and secured the bounce house, failed to warn of the risks, failed to monitor the weather, and its failure to train personnel for emergencies, and other claims. The boy’s parents argue that All Star Events breached its duty of providing a safe environment for guests.

If you or a loved one sustained an injury at the fault of another person, it is imperative that you seek legal representation. Doing so will increase your chances of adequate compensation. The experienced Miami personal injury attorneys at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are here for you. Our attorneys have been representing accident victims and their families throughout Miami, Fort Lauderdale and other parts of South Florida for more than 43 years.

Statute of Limitations

April 25, 2016

Club Extacy Strip Club Shooting; Negligent Security Claim should be investigated says leading Miami Personal Injury Law Firm, Gerson and Schwartz, PA

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

A Miami strip club turned into a deadly crime scene after shots were fired in a parking lot of Club Extacy Gentleman’s club located at 728 NW 79th St in Miami, Florida. According to reports, at least two people were struck by the gun fire. One person was fatally wounded and the other, one Courtney Yarborough was rushed to Jackson Memorial hospital in critical condition. Leading Miami Personal injury lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are looking into the details about the case because the firm specializes representing crime victims and family members of crime victims for the criminal acts of third parties. The firms has represented numerous victims of violence including victims seriously injured at night clubs and other commercial businesses throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

Regardless of whether or not there is an arrest, there may be a negligent security claim pursued on behalf of the victims family members. Under Florida law, property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Property owners and landlords must provide reasonable safety and security measures for the protection of their guests, and tenants. What is reasonable under the circumstances will depend on a number of factors such as whether or not there was a history of violence on this property. The fact that this incident occurred in a strip club may imply that private security guards and detailed security patrol procedures were necessary in order to provide a safe premises.What the security plan or procedures in existence remain unclear. However, it appears that this not the first time there has been the potential for violence on the premises before this past weekend.

Under Florida law, property owners and business operators, such as the club Extacy operators may be liable if they fail to undertake reasonable security measures. In this case, it appears that a fight may have begun inside the club earlier that evening and was what initiated some of the violence. There are multiple legal theories of legal liability to hold others financially accountable for what transpired. Gerson & Schwartz, PA has over 45 years representing injury victims and their families. For more information, contact Gerson & Schwartz, PA today at 305-371-6000 or email info@gslawusa.com

April 22, 2016

Social Guests and Premises Liability in Florida

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Whether it is at July 4th parties, graduation parties, summer parties, or parties in general, if you live in Florida, please beware that you may be held liable if someone is injured on your property. A social guest, if injured in your house, may sue you if he or she is injured due to your lack of reasonable care. Though this concept may seem complex at first, this post aims at clarifying Florida’s premises law.

If you or a loved one are injured on the property of another, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. To increase your chances of compensation, it is imperative that you hire an attorney for your case. The Miami personal injury at Gerson & Schwartz PA lawyers are here to help. Our lawyers have provided high quality legal representation to injured people in Florida for over 40 years. We are dedicated to protecting our clients’ rights and helping them get back on their feet. For a FREE consultation, call (305) 371-6000 or contact us online.

Florida’s Premises Liability Laws

April 15, 2016

Florida’s Dram Shop Law

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

If you are a bartender, or if you own a bar, there is an important law that you should be aware of: Florida’s dram shop law. This law was recently argued in a Florida court following a fatal car accident. Terry Dinkins of Water Park, the owner of Acme Comic Superstore, caused said accident. The night of the accident he visited a bar for an event hosted by Acme. He then drove away from the bar with a blood-alcohol level of 0.20, and began driving in the wrong direction down State Road 436. Mr Dinkins then collided head-on with a gray Nissan. Sylvia Barajas and Brandi Cole, passengers of the Nissan, were killed on impact. Three civil lawsuits followed, one being against the bar. This lawsuit alleges that the bar was negligent under Florida’s dram shop law. This post will define Florida’s dram shop law and hopefully provide some clarity.

How the Dram Shop Law Works in Florida

Upfront, various states have dram shop laws that allow injured people to seek compensation from a third party, such as a bar or a host at a social gathering, if that third party provided alcohol to someone who then caused an alcohol related accident. Florida’s dram shop law differs from other states’ dram shop laws. In Florida, per Florida Statute Section 768.125, if an individual willfully and unlawfully provides alcohol to a minor under 21 years of age or knowingly provides alcohol to a person habitually addicted to alcohol, that person, or bar, may be held liable for any injuries caused by the minor or the person who is habitually addicted.

April 8, 2016

Pedestrian Accidents

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

The weather is drastically warming as we approach the summer. At the same time, more and more people are spending time enjoying outdoor activities. With this, it is important to take caution as accidents, sometimes fatal accidents, can occur when least expected. Recently, in Winter Park, Florida, a van slammed into a man who was walking down a sidewalk near the intersection of 436 and Aloma Avenue. The van knocked the man to the ground and kept rolling until it slammed into a sign and then a fire hydrant. The van then flipped over onto its roof. One witness reports that the victim saved his girlfriend from being hit by pushing her out of the way. The victim suffered from a broken leg and a head injury.

If you or someone you love has suffered injury at the fault of another person, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. To increase your chances of compensation, it is imperative that you hire an attorney for your case. The Miami personal injury at Gerson & Schwartz PA lawyers are here to help. Our lawyers have provided high quality legal representation to injured people in Florida for over 40 years. We are dedicated to protecting our clients’ rights and helping them get back on their feet. For a FREE consultation, call (305) 371-6000 or contact us online.

Florida’s Relevant Law

April 1, 2016

Baseball Games and Assumption of Risk

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Play ball! The weather is finally warming and baseball season is back. With all the excitement that baseball games bring, there are certain legal issues that you should be aware of, such as the “assumption of risk.” This applies to the players as well as the fans. For example, a woman was recently injured while observing a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, MA. She was enjoying the game when suddenly a foul ball powerfully struck her in between her eyebrows. She saw the ball heading in her direction but it was traveling too fast for her to react. The significant blow to her forehead caused her to bleed profusely. Nearby fans provided her with aid and two individuals gave the woman t-shirts to wrap around her head to try and stop the bleeding. Five weeks earlier, another fan was seriously injured when he was struck by pieces of a shattered baseball bat.

In all, injuries to spectators do occur. What you should know is that sometimes you will be held to have assumed the risk of sustaining the injury. When this happens, you may be barred from any recovery. For this reason, to best protect your rights to compensation, it is imperative that you hire an attorney. The Miami personal injury lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA are here to help. Our lawyers have provided high quality legal representation to injured people in Florida for over 40 years. We are dedicated to protecting our clients’ rights and helping them get back on their feet. For a FREE consultation, call (305) 371-6000 or contact us online.

Assumption of Risk