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Author Archives: Blick Law
Tampa Traffic Proves Fatal for Pedestrian
Written by: Michaella Radich
On the morning of Tuesday, October 6, 2015, a 17-year-old student of Chamberlin High School, Alexis Miranda, was crossing Busch Boulevard, when she was struck by a car and killed. The incident occurred about two blocks west of North Boulevard. Sadly, this type of fatal accident involving pedestrians is not uncommon in the Tampa area.
After the death of an 8-year-old girl on Busch Boulevard in 2013, Tampa City Council announced that increasing pedestrian safety on Busch was an urgent matter. As part of this effort, the city paid $1 million to fix sidewalks, repaint crosswalks, and add crosswalk countdown signs for pedestrians.
The major problem for pedestrians on Busch Boulevard, is that there are stretches as long as half a mile, without any crosswalks at all. This means many pedestrians try to cross the four- and six-lane road at their own discretion. Busch Boulevard, however, is not the only road where these fatal accidents involving pedestrians occur in Tampa Bay. East Hillsborough Avenue was the scene of crashes killing two 15-year-old pedestrians, one in 2011 and one in 2014.
Being cautious and aware of your surroundings is the best way to stay safe, whether you are walking or driving. For pedestrians, it is crucial to cross in designated crossing areas, because this is where drivers are actively looking and expecting for them to cross. Flashing lights have been added to many crosswalks in the Tampa area to increase driver awareness and pedestrian safety.
As a driver, you not only have to look out for other vehicles, but for pedestrians. While pedestrians should use crosswalks, especially on busy roads with multiple lanes, they often cross in areas that are not designated. For the safety of the pedestrian and driver, drivers should always be on the lookout for pedestrians crossing the street and veering off sidewalks.
Should you or a loved one be involved in an automobile accident, Blick Law Firm is here to help you. Visit our office or call 888.973.2776 for a free consultation with one of our trusted personal injury attorneys today!
Source: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/chamberlain-high-student-17-struck-and-killed-by-car-in-tampa/2248543
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Motorcycle Safety | Personal Injury
Written by: Michaella Radich
Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. While 20% of car accidents result in death or injury, a whopping 80% of motorcycle accidents result in death or injury. Additionally, motorcyclists are 16 times more likely per mile traveled than vehicle passengers to die in an accident.
What can you do to prevent motorcycle related injury or death?
As a motorcyclist, there are several precautions you can take to protect yourself while on the road:
- Complete a rider education and safety course before operating a motorcycle, so that you have the basic knowledge and skills needed to drive a motorcycle
- Wear a helmet (helmets are 67% effective in preventing serious brain injury)
- Make yourself visible to drivers by always using headlights and brake lights and wearing reflective gear
- Wear thick protective clothing that covers your skin
- Never weave in and out of lanes
- Give yourself and other motorists enough time and space to react
As a driver, a heightened awareness for motorcyclists on the road can be crucial to their safety and your own. The following are some safety precautions to take when sharing the road:
- Leave a full car length and full lane’s width between your vehicle and motorcyclists
- Remember that inclement weather and poor road conditions cause serious threats to motorcyclists’ safety, so their driving patterns may unexpectedly change in these situations
- Always be on the look out for motorcycles, as they are small and difficult to see
- Be aware that from your vehicle it is difficult to judge the needed stopping time and distance for a motorcyclists
- Check your blind spots actively before switching lanes
After a crash, an injured motorcyclists’ life depends on rapid and appropriate emergency medical treatment. Injury severity and timing are critical to the motorcyclist’s survival. If you witness or are involved in an accident involving a motorcycle, dial 911 immediately.
As always, Blick Law Firm has your best interest and personal safety in mind. Should you or a loved one be injured in a auto accident, we are to help. Contact us at (888) 973-2776 to schedule a free consultation with one of our trusted personal injury attorneys today!
Sources: nhtsa.gov, msf-usa.org
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Florida’s Domestic Violence Laws Explained
Written by: Michaella Radich
Domestic violence is assault caused by a family or household member (people related by blood or marriage, including former spouses) to another family or household member. Assault can manifest itself as aggravated assault, battery, stalking, false imprisonment, or sexual battery. If any cause personal injury or death, then there is reason to initiate an assault case. 
Punishments vary from case to case, depending on the circumstances, but the minimum penalty for domestic violence is five days in county jail. Alternative punishments include probation and community service.
Assault charges can lead to other charges, or assault charges can be combined. The nature of the case determines whether it is domestic violence or battery. According to Florida State Law, domestic violence is a second-degree misdemeanor, while battery is a third-degree felony or first-degree misdemeanor. Charges and sentences differ if a restraining order was filed against the defendant prior to the incident.
If you or a loved one are the victim of assault, don’t wait to take legal action. Contact us at (888) 973-2776 to schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our trusted criminal defense attorneys!
Source: http://www.getnews.info/509621/scott-explains-domestic-violence-laws-in-the-state-of-florida.html
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Personal Injury Lawyers are Exposed to New Market, Thanks to New Drone Law
Written by: Michaella Radich
The Freedom From Unwarranted Surveillance Act may help Florida personal injury lawyers to establish themselves in a new field. The bill, passed last session and signed by Gov. Scott in May, makes using unmanned aircrafts to take photos or record videos of people on private property illegal in the state of Florida.
Matt Grosack of DLA Piper Global Law Firm in Miami, calls drones “probably the most disruptive piece of technology to the expectation of privacy that we’ve seen in many, many years.” He expects the cost of actual damages in drone cases to be relatively low. It will also be difficult to file a suit, because there must be a permanent record of the surveillance and proof of intent to commit surveillance, or collect information on someone, Grosack explains. Even if the damage costs are low, a defendant might be ordered to pay the attorneys’ fees on top of damages, if the necessary proof is there, though.
The future for drones and drone laws is uncertain for several reasons. First, the technology of drones is changing at a very rapid pace. Advancements in the field, therefore, are unpredictable. The way drones laws are enforced depends on the language with which they are written. Some argue that the Florida law, based on its language, is a civil law, meaning any officer can respond to a call and file a report. The drone industry – incubators, manufacturers, and suppliers – is growing and spreading to new places, including South Florida. The industry is valued at $82 billion and could potentially create 100,000 new American jobs over the next ten years. Many states, like Florida, have been working hard to pass legislation before the drone industry grows even further.
There is no uniform approach to how drones should be used legally, but laws and precedents involving trespassing, privacy, air traffic, and interference with government agencies, will be useful to law makers as more laws and regulations on drones are proposed in the near future. At this time, no bills changing Florida’s 2015 drone law have been filed for the 2016 legislature.
Source: http://flaglerlive.com/83006/drones-florida-laws/
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New Crosswalks | Pedestrian Safety | USF
New Crosswalks near USF will Help to Increase Pedestrian Safety
On Wednesday, September 16, leaders in USF’s Transportation Department teamed up with the Hillsborough County Department of Transportation, to increase pedestrian safety on 50th Street, across from USF’s main campus. The new crosswalks on 50th street use Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) technology to alert drivers to stop for pedestrians.
50th Street, between East Fletcher Avenue and East Fowler Avenue, is a high traffic area for both drivers and pedestrians, especially during the school day and in the evenings. Regular crosswalks, without flashing lights, on 50th Street went unnoticed to many drivers in the past. As a result, in November 2014, a pedestrian and USF student was involved in a near-fatal accident on 50th Street, when she was struck by a moving vehicle. The flashing crosswalks will hopefully prevent accidents involving pedestrians in the future.
The RRFB crosswalks will only be as effective as pedestrians allow them to be. Pedestrians must press a button to activate the flashing that alerts drivers to stop. If pedestrians do not utilize the flashing feature of the new cross walk, or if they cross in undesignated crossing areas, they are exposing themselves to unnecessary danger.
Tampa Police Officers monitored 50th Street on the morning the new crosswalks were activated, giving warnings and tickets to drivers who failed to stop at the blinking crosswalks. Volunteers will be visiting the area over the next month to help educate drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists about the benefits of the new crosswalks and how to use them safely and properly.
Your safety on the road is important to us. Should you or a loved one be involved or injured in a traffic incident, Blick Law Firm is here for you. Blick’s Personal Injury attorneys offer services for victims of automobile and motorcycle accidents. We can help to make sure you get the proper medical assistance, legal counsel, and representation following your involvement in an accident. If you are involved in an accident, visit our website to fill out a personal injury, automobile accident, or motorcycle accident claim, or call our office at 888-973-2776 to schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our trusted personal injury attorneys!
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Florida state officials aim to strengthen texting while driving law
Written by: Michaella Radich
Florida senator Maria Sachs, democrat of Delray Beach, and Florida representative Richard Stark, democrat of Weston, filed bills in September and August, respectively, suggesting that fines for texting while driving in school zones should be doubled. Sachs and Stark both filed bills earlier this year that aimed to change texting while driving from a secondary offense to a primary offense. These bills, however, died without making it to the floor in either the house or senate.
The current Florida state law on texting and driving says that a driver can only be ticketed for texting while driving if they were pulled over for violating another traffic law. In this case, the driver is fined $30 for their first offense and $60 for their second offense.
Florida is one of only eight states that have no laws specifically restricting texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. In 10 states and Washington D.C., using a cell phone, for any reason, is prohibited for drivers of all ages.
Texting behind the wheel makes a crash up to 23 times more likely. Of drivers ages 18-20 who were involved in auto accidents, 13% say they were talking on the phone or texting when the accident occurred. Of new drivers ages 16-17, 52% admit to talking on the phone while driving and 34% admit to texting while driving.
Young drivers are not the only ones distracted by their phone while behind the wheel. In fact, 27% of adults say that they have texted while driving and 48% of children 12-17 years old have been in the car while the driver was using his or her cell phone.
While the new bills proposed by Sachs and Stark would apply only to school zones, the bill’s passing would be a step in the right direction for Florida’s policy on cell phone use while driving. If you or a loved one are involved in an auto accident, contact us at (888) 973-2776 to schedule a free consultation and speak with one of our trusted personal injury attorneys today!
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