Fort Walton Beach Personal Injury Blog

Motorcyclists in Florida and elsewhere will always be vulnerable. The smaller size of a motorcycle and the fact that auto drivers often don't see bikers approach lead to many accidents in which motorcyclists lose their lives. A significant number of wrongful death lawsuits that move through the state's civil courts involve car vs. motorcycle accidents.

A 32-year-old motorcyclist was the victim of such a collision on a recent Tuesday. According to a report by Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at approximately 2 p.m. on U.S. Highway 192. Deputies say a 70-year-old man was heading east on the highway and failed to notice an oncoming motorcycle when he attempted to turn left.

Construction sites in Florida are dangerous places that pose numerous safety hazards. This was underscored by a recent accident that would likely lead to a workers' compensation claim. Rescue workers were called to a construction site after receiving a call about an injured worker.

Firefighters arrived at the scene at about midday. They learned that a 45-year-old worker had fallen from scaffolding on the fifth floor. The scaffold on which he was working was approximately six feet high. Rescue workers determined that the man suffered injuries to his pelvis.

A Florida family recently announced their intention to file a premises liability lawsuit against the Miami-Dade County Federal Credit Union. A reward of $23,000 is on offer for information that could lead to the arrest of the shooter that killed a 47-year-old librarian last December. The family asserts that the bank failed to provide sufficient security to protect clients who use the ATM from suffering personal injury or be killed.

Reportedly, the man used the ATM on the evening of Dec. 10, and he was shot and killed as he left the bank. Unfortunately, no witnesses have come forward, and the only evidence police have was obtained from surveillance footage that showed what is believed to be the getaway driver in a vehicle. The surviving family claims that the defendant took insufficient measures to prevent such incidents.

Workers in all industries in Florida are vulnerable to occupational hazards. When severe injuries or fatalities result from workplace accidents, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration typically launches investigations to determine the circumstances that caused them, and also the level of compliance with safety standards. However, regardless of the outcome of the inquiry, injured workers or surviving family members of workers who lost their lives in on-the-job accidents are usually eligible for workers' compensation benefits.

One such an OSHA investigation led to citations and proposed penalties for an ammunition manufacturer following an explosion that killed two workers. The safety agency discovered that when the 200-gram maximum explosive limit for pyrotechnic flash powder used in the blast booth was increased to 500 grams, modified safety procedures were not developed or implemented. Investigators also found that the employer disregarded the specifications of the engineer when the blast booths' blowout panels were installed.