A Florida appellate court recently dealt with the differences between personal injury lawsuits brought against a decedent’s employers versus his coworker who caused his injury/death. In this case, the defendant was a spotter driver who used tractors to move trailers for purposes of loading and unloading merchandise. One morning, he…
A Florida business owner owes two duties to those he or she invites into their business: (1) to take ordinary and reasonable care to keep the premises of the business safe and (2) to warn of any dangers actually or constructively known by the owner that the visitor to the…
The Florida Supreme Court adopted the dangerous instrumentality doctrine in 1920. This doctrine provides: a vehicle owner (and others that own inherently dangerous tools) may be held vicariously liable when he or she consents to let someone drive his vehicle who operates it irresponsibly and causes damages. The doctrine is…
The Fifth District Court of Appeal of Florida recently reviewed a trial court’s dismissal of a wrongful death action for plaintiff’s failure to comply with the pre-lawsuit requirements for medical malpractice cases. In medical malpractice cases, a plaintiff must meet certain requirements, such as investigating before filing suit and giving…
In Gautreaux v. Maya, a Florida appellate court considered a dismissal of a personal injury lawsuit based upon an alleged fraud upon the court. The case arose from an automobile accident. The plaintiff claimed continuing migraine headaches as a result of an accident caused by the defendant’s negligence. The defendant…
A Florida appellate court recently reviewed the issue of when a driver’s personnel file can be compelled for purposes of providing proof in an auto accident case in Walker v. Ruot. That case arose from a car accident in which an employee of Bright House Networks LLC injured the plaintiff…
The Florida District Court of Appeal recently considered a case in which the plaintiff experienced brain damage and permanent disability as a result of medical negligence. The case illustrates the importance of having a good attorney on your side. The plaintiff was incapacitated after a doctor punctured his carotid artery…
The recent appellate decision in Howard v. Palmer illustrates that the courts recognize the importance of being able to hire an experienced, savvy personal injury attorney right away. In that case, an employee of Groupware ran a stop sign and crashed into the plaintiff’s car. The plaintiff sued for personal…
After four years of thinking about whether or not to ban texting, the Florida legislature has sent a texting-while-driving ban to Florida Governor Rick Scott this week. The House voted 110-6 to pass the ban, while the Senate voted 39-1 to approve the bill that the House had amended. Critics…
A recent victory for injured Florida workers in a workers’ compensation case, Westphal v. City of St. Petersberg, has upset the insurance industry. In the case, a firefighter challenged an order denying his claim for permanent total disability benefits and the constitutionality of the entire system of workers’ compensation benefits.…