January 2019

Crash on I-75 Bridge over Caloosahatchee River

Two cars crashed into a stalled semi-truck on I-75 early Wednesday, January 9, 2019. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the semi got out of his truck which stalled partially on the shoulder and partially in the far-right lane of the freeway, to put flares out to warn others.

According to a news report, before that happened, a van slammed into a Sentra that has slowed to avoid hitting the semi. The van drove the Sentra into the side of the trailer and wedged between the trailer and the cement barrier that made up the guard rail. The van then careened into the back of the trailer. Tragically, the driver of the van died, and three passengers in the Sentra—including a 9-month-old girl—were seriously injured.

At the time of this report, the baby was fighting for its life and was at the same hospital as her mother who was one of those injured in the crash.

Deeply saddened to hear of this crash we sincerely hope for the best possible outcome for all involved.

Florida Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-trucks accidents often involve high damage and serious injury. This is primarily due to the size and mass of the semis. A fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs. fully loaded. Even at rest, this can be problematic for a vehicle that weighs around 3,000 to 4,000 lbs.

According to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, an accident involving a large commercial truck was significantly more likely to result in serious injury or death than when smaller vehicles collide. The study also finds that in 2016, when a large truck and passenger vehicle crash resulted in a fatality, 83 percent of the time, the fatality was someone other than the truck driver.

This underscores the risk of death and serious injury motorists have when traveling among large commercial trucks like tractor-trailers.

Causes of Semi-Truck Crashes

In another study by the FMCSA, certain factors were linked to the causes of large commercial truck accidents. The study reviewed over 900 crashes involving semi-trucks and other large commercial vehicles and found the following were critical factors in these crashes:

• Brake problems
• Traffic flow interruption (congestion, previous crash)
• Prescription drug use
• Traveling too fast for conditions
• Unfamiliarity with roadway
• Roadway problems
• Required to stop before crash (traffic control device, crosswalk)
• Over-the-counter drug use
• Inadequate surveillance

When it came to comparing fault between the large commercial truck drivers and drivers of passenger vehicles, another study by American Trucking Association found that 56 percent of the time, the passenger driver was primarily at fault. The study suggests that this is because of the training, regulations, and experience of the truck drivers.

What to do if Involved in a Crash with a Semi-Truck

The first thing is to be safe. This often means staying in your vehicle, if possible and practical, with your seatbelt on. This is because of the risk of secondary impacts which are more likely on divided highways and freeways.

The next thing to do once you have been told by authorities its safe to exit your vehicle is to get as much information as you can regarding the at-fault driver. If it’s a truck driver, then get the name of the driver and the trucking company. Also, get pictures if possible but only if doing so won’t put you at risk of further injury.

Of course, if you are too injured to do this, then you need to focus on getting treatment and then getting well. Eventually, the focus will change to the financial losses that one encounters when involved in an injury accident.

You need to talk to an attorney when you are able. This doesn’t mean you have to hire one yet, but almost all personal injury firms will offer free consultations and then only collect a fee out of your settlement or award. An attorney can advise you of your rights and evaluate your case.

Contact a Tampa Auto Accident Lawyer

Always contact an attorney after any crash involving a serious injury or loss of a loved one. RHINO Lawyers is the powerful, results-driven law firm, that takes Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!”

Any Tampa truck accident lawyer can tell you that all truck accident cases are very complex cases and there are often multiple parties involved including sophisticated insurance companies.

Anyone injured in a truck accident in Tampa may contact us for a free consultation. Our personal injury team will offer you advice to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Good Samaritans Save Truck Driver’s Life after Wreck

Good samaritans save truck driver’s life after wreck in Polk County. A semi-truck and a dump truck tangled. This caused the semi-truck driver to be partially ejected. The accident happened around 10:40 am, January 8, 2019. Some mechanics at a nearby shop came out and assisted the driver. Witnesses said a semi-truck pulling a tank trailer was heading west on Eagle Avenue when it went through a red light at U.S. 17 and hit the dump truck traveling north on U.S. 17.

A patron of a nearby barbershop ran outside after hearing the collision and called 911. He witnessed the mechanics helping the severely injured truck driver.

According to The Ledger, “They got both the drivers out and the driver of the semi-truck was bleeding heavily,” he said. “They ran to the shop and grabbed all their shop towels and held pressure on the man’s neck and chest injuries until help arrived. If it wasn’t for them, he most likely would have bled to death in the truck.”

Paramedics airlifted the semi-truck driver to the hospital. While they took the dump truck driver to the hospital by ambulance.

When Good Samaritans Help

Good Samaritans often save lives and make injuries less severe, and many times, they are the first on the scene. This means that they are in the best position to help save a life if time is of the essence. Pulling someone from a burning car or putting pressure on the severed artery. So even though many of these people are not trained, they can be life-savers.

What if the Good Samaritan Makes Things Worse?

Not being trained can put the well-meaning person in the position of causing further injury or even death. Making the choice between moving someone off the street or putting up flares to keep people off that section of the road is one such decision. Making the wrong one can have serious consequences.

The good news is, most states, including Florida, have Good Samaritan laws that provide legal protection for those who help out in emergency situations. There is one caveat, the actions of the person must be in line with those that a “reasonable and prudent person would do under the same or similar circumstances.”

This means that as long as the Good Samaritan acts reasonably and prudent, then if the victim dies or is further injured because of the person’s help, then the law will protect him or her form a lawsuit or criminal charges.

What if the Good Samaritan is Injured?

Unfortunately, it’s a real possibility because accident scenes are dangerous. There are two types of injuries to a Good Samaritan to consider. First when the injury comes from helping out such as damage to someone’s back for lifting, getting burned in a car fire. Then the person who was at fault for the accident might be liable for the Good Samaritan’s injuries.

The second scenario is when a new vehicle is unable to slow down and causes damage and inures the person. Then the Good Samaritan might be able to get compensated by the new at-fault driver.

Do I need an Attorney if I am Injured?

Always contact an attorney after any crash involving a serious injury or loss of a loved one.

RHINO Lawyers is the powerful, results-driven law firm, that takes Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!”

Even if the case appears “open and shut” and a truck ran a red light, it makes sense to seek a free consultation from a Tampa Auto Accident Lawyer.

Truck accidents often involve several parties such as the trucker, truck owner, trucking company and multiple insurers who have attorneys working for them to minimize claims.

Anyone injured due to the negligence of another driver in Florida should contact us for a free consultation. Our personal injury team will offer you advice to help you get the compensation you deserve.

When are Electric Scooters coming to Tampa?

Tampa is getting ready to welcome electric scooters to its streets as part of its new Shared Motorized Scooter Pilot Program. If all goes according to plan, around 2,000 e-scooters will be introduced into certain areas of Tampa in February 2019.

In October, Tampa’s city government announced they would be accepting applications from ride-sharing companies until November 9, 2018. No more than three electric scooter companies who meet Tampa’s safety requirements will be allowed to operate during this one-year pilot program.

According to BizJournals.com, a few of the big-name companies that have sent in their applications to Tampa include Bird, JUMP, and Skip. Other companies also vying for this position include Coast Bike Share, Sharp Marketing, RSA Consulting Group, and Skinny Labs.

One company conspicuously absent from the Tampa application list was Lime. Based in San Francisco, Lime is a leader in the e-scooter space. They have devices in hundreds of cities around the world. Floridians can currently ride on Lime e-scooters in cities like North Bay Village, Key Biscayne, and certain areas in Miami.

In addition, Tampa is looking into how these e-scooter companies promote safety through educational campaigns. Tampa officials want these companies to freely share financial data with the city. In fact, all companies that apply must also be financially stable. And, willing to share safety data with the city throughout the program.

During the pilot, city planners will allow no more than 300 e-scooters in each of the four designated areas in the city. The four locations participating in this pilot program include downtown and the areas north, east, and west of downtown.

One exception to this 300 e-scooter limit is the area between Martin Luther King Boulevard and East Columbus Drive. These streets could have up to 600 e-scooters.

Will electric scooters result in injuries?

To help increase street safety during this e-scooter rollout public safety officials are planning to create 180 designated areas where Tampa riders can place their e-scooters. One of the major issues surrounding e-scooter use in major cities has to do with parking. Like parking these devices in hazardous areas like on sidewalks.

In most cities, scooters must ride on streets or in bike lanes. However, in Tampa, scooters will likely only be ridden on sidewalks. Injuries from these scooters are likely to include head injuries from people falling off of them. As well as, scooters hitting pedestrians causing injuries. In many other parts of the country, cars have hit scooter riders. To help reduce some of these potential injuries, Tampa is asking scooter companies to govern their scooters so they max out at 8MPH.

After this year-long pilot program is up, safety experts will review the data from the different participating companies. Tampa will then most likely pick one company to operate throughout the entire city.

INJURED IN A SCOOTER ACCIDENT?

The first thing to do is to attend to your immediate medical needs. But then you may want to consider speaking to an attorney about your circumstances. There are many questions about insurance and compensation that get raised when injuries occur on these scooters.

Whose insurance will pay? What if I’m at fault, can any of my medical bills be paid? Can the scooter company be made to pay?

Present all these questions—and many more—to an attorney familiar with these scooters, insurance, and personal injury. At RHINO Lawyers, our personal injury team offers a free consultation where we can evaluate your case and outline where your compensation might come from.

RHINO Lawyers is the powerful, results-driven law firm, that takes Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!” We describe our bold modern approach to “Accident & Personal Injury Law” and “Our Personal Mission” to empower Florida’s families to “Take Charge!”

Port Sutton Motorcycle Crash Ends Tragically

Port Sutton motorcycle crash ends tragically. A pick-up truck pulled out in front of a motorcycle causing a crash that left the rider of the motorcycle dead. The tragedy happened around 8 am, Thursday, January 3, 2019. According to a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy at the scene, the driver of the pick-up was waiting at Madison Ave. along Dacca Dr. at a stop sign for a car to pass.

Once the car cleared, she pulled out but didn’t see the motorcycle trailing behind the car, and she drove right into its path. The rider of the motorcycle attempted to swerve, but it wasn’t enough and he died at the scene.

Motorcycle Crashes

Riding a motorcycle is far more dangerous than being in a car. In fact, when looking at miles traveled, a person is 35 times more likely to be killed on a motorcycle than in a car. The number one factor in motorcycle-vehicle crashes where the vehicle driver was at fault is the conspicuousness of the motorcycle.

This means that in most crashes involving a motorcycle and a car, the car driver doesn’t see the motorcycle and then either collides with the bike or pulls into its path.

Motorcycle Injuries

When a motorcycle rider is involved in an accident, there are some common injuries that occur. They are:

• Road rash
• Facial fractures and disfigurement
• Broken bones
• Limb amputations
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Traumatic Brain Injuries

These injuries can cause significant other losses to the injured biker. Loss of time from work, medical bills, replacement transportation costs, loss of quality of life, PTSD and pain and suffering are all losses and damages that cyclists face when in an accident.

Do I need an Attorney?

If you or a loved one is involved in a motorcycle accident and are seriously injured, you need to at least talk to an attorney. You don’t have to hire one to make a claim, but before you do anything, talk to someone who can advise you of the law and your rights and knows how to handle the insurance company and their lawyers.

Contact a Tampa Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Always contact a motorcycle accident attorney after any crash involving a serious injury or loss of a loved one. RHINO Lawyers is the powerful, results-driven law firm, that takes Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!”

Anyone injured due to the negligence of a driver in Florida may contact us for a free consultation. Our personal injury team will offer you advice to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Tragic Multi-Car Crash Kills Woman in Zephyrhills

Hit twice in a multi-car crash on U.S. 301 around 6:25 a.m., Wednesday, January 2, 2019, a 25-year-old woman died. According to a Florida Highway Trooper at the scene, the deceased was driving a Nissan Altima and slowed to turn into a parking lot when it was hit by an SUV which pushed the Nissan into the path of another car which also struck the Nissan.

Tragically, the impact of the second car flipped the Nissan severely injuring the driver. Paramedic flew the driver to St. Joseph’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Multi-Car Pile-Ups

There are several common factors in multi-car pile-ups. First is the risk of multiple stricks of one or more of the cars. A common scenario is when two cars collide and come to a rest. Then oncoming cars unable to stop slam into the car. This happens often on freeways and highways where cars are going at higher speeds and have little time to avoid the cars in front.

Another scenario is where the cars are on city or urban streets and a car immediately in front slows or slams on the brakes not leaving the car behind enough time to stop, and then this happens again to a car further behind resulting in multiple cars colliding.

What to do to Avoid a Multi-Car Crash

The best thing to do is to always be vigilant and watch the cars in front of you and leave enough time in case you have to stop suddenly. If you get in an accident where the possibility of getting struck by another vehicle exists. Experts say to stay in the vehicle and leave your seatbelt on. It’s natural to want to get out, but there is more protection in a car. Plus, the chance of injury is greater when struck in person outside your car.

However, they also say that if there is an overriding need to get out—such as a fire—then it’s, of course, best to exit the vehicle.

First Responders

Multi-car crashes present unique problems to first responders as well. Their first responsibility is to secure the scene and keep further accidents from occurring. This is often done by putting out flares or reflectors to warn the oncoming motorists. The next order of business is to assess the injuries and determine if anyone needs immediate attention, and then get those who need further treatment to the hospital.

How is Fault Determined?

Determining fault is usually a secondary concern to the victims as their focus on getting better. However, eventually, the financial losses pile up and focus in then turned to the issue of compensation. In most multi-vehicle crashes, investigators have a difficult task determining what happened due to the multiple impacts and the scope of the scene. They issue a report once finished. Insurance companies and the courts use the report to determine who was at fault.

In multi-vehicle crashes, it is often the case that several people are at fault for a portion of the accident. One might not be at fault in one collision but is in another. This clouds the issue of who’s to blame and gives leverage to insurance companies who will all point the finger at the other drivers.

Contact a Tampa Auto Accident Lawyer

Always contact an attorney after any crash involving a serious injury or loss of a loved one.

RHINO Lawyers is the powerful, results-driven law firm, that takes Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!”

Anyone injured due to the negligence of another driver in Florida may call us for a free consultation. Our personal injury team will offer you advice to help you get the compensation you deserve.