In a recent case an appellate court reviewed a high school’s liability in the death of a student and catastrophic injury of another after consuming excessive alcohol at a private home. The case arose when students received copies of a somewhat unintelligible invitation to an end-of-the-year party at a home…
A recent case illustrates the importance of taking a strategic approach when bringing a lawsuit for personal injuries. It is critical to retain an attorney with the objectivity and good judgment, who can evaluate both the negative aspects of your case as well as the positive and take a more…
A Florida jury may not award greater damages than what is supported by the evidence presented at trial. Under Section 768.043(2), trial courts must consider several factors in trying to determine whether damages awarded by the jury are excessive or inadequate after a trial. These factors include consideration of: •…
Florida’s “Stand your ground” laws gained national attention in connection with the Trayvon Martin shooting. This law permits someone who is attacked in a place where he or she has a right to be and who is acting lawfully to “stand his or her ground” and “meet force with force.”…
Under Florida Workers’ Compensation law, employers have worker’s compensation immunity for their employees. An “employee” also means an independent contractor working in the construction industry. It does not, however, include someone who is an owner-operator of a motor vehicle who transports a haul under contract with a “motor carrier.” If…
A Florida statutory subsection limits damages when an owner loans his vehicle to another person whose negligent operation of the car leads to damages to a victim. In that case, the owner is liable only up to $100,000 per person and up to $300,000 per incident for bodily injury and…
Both plaintiffs and defendants are subject to intense questioning about personal subjects when engaged in a personal injury lawsuit in Florida. Each side will attempt to find information to discredit the other side. If you drove on a suspended license, if you have a history of traffic violations or you…
In Florida, a person who has created a perilous situation for another person will be held to have caused the peril not only to a victim, but also the person attempting to rescue him. The creator of the situation is thereby liable for the rescuer’s injuries. A plaintiff must prove…
Critical to some Florida car accident cases is the testimony of an expert on accident reconstruction. Often it is unclear what actually happened–the parties either don’t remember or have grossly different accounts of the events. In those cases, an accident reconstruction expert can shed light on all that is unknown…
Often plaintiffs must work towards settlement not only with a defense attorney, but also an insurer. One strategic area during a lawsuit is settlement offers. There can be an advantage to trying to settle early. However, offers must be extremely specific. This is why it is critical to secure the…