Tampa Bay Personal Injury Lawyer

June 1, 2018

Tampa Bay Community Pleads for Changes After Woman Killed in Pedestrian Accident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Tampa Bay Area family wants changes after a 63-year-old was struck and killed by a car while crossing 40th street in the Temple Crest community.

This woman is at least the second person who has been hit and killed while crossing the street in recent years. There is a crosswalk and pedestrian signs, but cars continue to speed by the retirement community.

This is why neighbors and the woman’s family are pushing for changes. They want the city to install a flashing yellow light with verbal commands for pedestrians that tell when it’s safe to cross.

Neighbors also said they’d like to see a red flashing light similar to the one on Hillsborough Avenue.

Tampa crews began making some improvements shortly after the woman’s death. The city is adding flashing lights.

The driver who struck the woman has not been charged. Authorities said that driver was unable to avoid the accident.

Pedestrian accidents can result in shattered bones, contusions, internal bleeding, head trauma, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even wrongful deaths. The severity of these accidents can result in permanent disability or years in physical rehabilitation, as well as mental pain and suffering. Our Tampa Bay Pedestrian Accident Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton make it our goal to win compensation for your losses, and handle your legal issues so you can focus on healing.

Some blame a lack of road signs or lights, and others blame the speed limits in known dangerous areas for pedestrians. Whatever the case, the number of pedestrians killed in Tampa Bay is tragic and can usually be attributed to distracted or reckless driving.

May 16, 2018

Man Killed in Wrong-Way Crash in Plant City

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A wrong-way driver was killed late Monday in a crash in Plant City.

According to Plant City police, A 2002 Volkswagen Passat traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of N. Alexander Street collided head-on with a semi truck just before midnight.

The man driving the Volkswagen was killed at the scene.

The driver of the semi was not harmed.

An investigation is ongoing but officials said there is no indication yet why the man was driving in the wrong direction.

There were no passengers inside either vehicle at the time of the crash.

According to data from the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of people killed in motor vehicle accidents has decreased by a whopping 25 percent over the past 10 years. While those statistics are great, the number of deaths associated with wrong-way driving crashes has remained steady over that time, according to the NHTSA, with around 360 deaths associated with these types of collisions every year.

May 9, 2018

Two Killed in Personal Watercraft Collision in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Two people have died after two personal watercrafts collided in Tampa.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said a 42-year-old Tampa man was fatally injured when his watercraft collided Monday in the waters off Tampa with a watercraft driven by a 41-year-old Clearwater woman.

The man died at a hospital Monday.

The wildlife commission said the woman was critically injured in the crash and died Tuesday at a hospital.

Authorities are still investigating the crash.

Boats are not the only causes of water-related accidents in Tampa. Jet Skis and other personal watercraft vessels are often to blame. Many people view these pieces of equipment as toys, so they fail to take the necessary safety precautions, but the truth is, they can be quite dangerous when used incorrectly.

March 27, 2018

1 Dead, 4 Seriously Injured in Largo Crash Involving Wrong-Way Driver

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 17-year-old girl is recovering at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Monday after a Largo crash involving a wrong-way driver left her and three of her friends all with serious injuries.

The girl was a passenger in the front seat when the cars collided head-on.

Her three friends were also hurt and hospitalized.

Troopers said the other driver in the crash, a 26-year-old woman, was driving the wrong way on 66th Street North. They believe alcohol was a factor.

The woman died in the wreck.

Wrong-way driving collisions usually end in fatality, as this case shows. Most wrong-way driving crashes occur as a result of motorists operating their cars under the influence of alcohol or because they are confused and unaware that they’ve turned onto an exit or one-way street.

Wrong-way driving accidents take the lives of numerous people in Tampa Bay every year, and leave many more seriously injured. The recent rise of wrong-way crashes is alarming, as all of these crashes should be preventable.

March 1, 2018

Speeding Car Crashes into St. Pete Home

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A speeding car was apparently trying to flee law enforcement early Thursday morning when it crashed into a St. Petersburg house, according to law enforcement.

The 27-year-old driver suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

Deputies say that drugs were found inside the car and that the investigation is ongoing.

He was charged with trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in MDMA, possession of hydromorphone, possession of marijuana, and reckless driving.

Just before 2:45 a.m., the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was conducting a traffic stop when the car took off, with one of the deputies trying to stop it, authorities say.

A violent crime task force unit happened to be in the area and it spotted the car being driven recklessly at a high speed, according to deputies.

The unit and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputies did not try to stop the speeding vehicle, but did keep an eye on it, authorities said.

At around 2:52 a.m., the car crashed into a home on 5301 10th St. North, deputies say, adding that the person in the house at the time was not hurt.

Speeding is one of the largest contributing factors to any auto accident. Speeding is a negligent driver behavior that is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous, as this case shows. It is also more likely that those who drive faster than posted limits do so on a regular basis.

If your accident was the result of another person’s negligence, you have the right to file a claim for financial compensation. Filing an auto accident accident lawsuit can help victims recover damages for property loss, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and so much more. Our Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you through the claims process so that you receive full and fair compensation for your losses.

December 26, 2017

Motorcyclist Killed in Tampa Bay Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Tampa police are investigating a fatal motorcycle crash early Saturday morning.

The crash occurred at South Manhattan Avenue and West Euclid Avenue.

Police believe the motorcyclist hit a tree.

The victim, a 36-year-old man, suffered fatal injuries.

The crash caused the road to be closed for several hours Saturday morning while police conducted the investigation.

No further information is available at this time.

Motorcyclists take on a certain amount of risk when they hit Tampa’s open roads. They are much more vulnerable than passenger vehicle drivers in crashes, as they have nothing except their personal gear between them and the asphalt. After a motorcycle accident, talk to our Tampa Bay Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton. We can help you understand your rights.

Every motorcycle accident claim is different. It takes an aggressive attorney to argue with insurance claims adjusters and fight for the fair compensation you deserve. An investigation of the crash and injuries or wrongful death, along with any eyewitness and expert testimonies, can help prove a case and determine just damages.

December 21, 2017

Tree Trimmer in Critical Condition after Being Shocked in Clearwater

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A tree trimmer was in critical condition after being shocked by a power line while working Monday morning.

Clearwater Fire & Rescue identified the 38-year-old victim and confirmed he is being treated at Tampa General Hospital.

Authorities said the man was trimming trees while on a ladder on Milton Street when the incident occurred.

It happened just before 11 a.m.

Work accidents involving electric shocks can be deadly. In most cases, workers who are exposed to electricity suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries, such as severe internal injuries and heart failure or cardiac arrest. Workers who are working at dangerous heights when they come into contact with electricity often suffer other serious injuries. Once they are shocked, the worker is likely to fall to the ground, and could easily suffer severe personal injuries including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and fractures.

Tree trimmers regularly work at heights, so they are especially at risk for being injured or killed in electric accidents. In fact, dozens of workers are injured or killed in work accidents involving contact with an overhead line every year. Tree trimmers, roof workers, and construction workers working on cranes are likely to come into contact with an electrical line.

December 14, 2017

Clearwater Patient Blames Doctor for Her Injuries

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Tampa woman is suing a doctor, alleging negligence led to her medical injuries.

The woman filed a complaint Nov. 20 in Pinellas Circuit Court against the doctor, alleging failure to exercise standard care and skill required of a medical provider.

According to the complaint, on Feb. 26, 2016, the woman was at Safety Harbor Surgery Center for laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed by the doctor. The suit says she suffered bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, scarring, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, medical expenses, and loss of earnings, due to the doctor’s negligence in the laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure.

The woman alleges the doctor failed in his duty to adequately and appropriately provide medical care and treatment, and departed from the acceptable standard of care for healthcare providers.

If you or a loved one has suffered from the negligence or mistakes of physicians, nurses, surgeons or other medical professionals, you need our Tampa Bay Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Whittel & Melton by your side. We are more than familiar with injury cases resulting from medical malpractice and we can put our knowledge and experience to work for you.

We handle cases involving:

Medical misdiagnosis
Medication errors
Hospital negligence
Physician errors
Birth injuries
Brain damage
Anesthesia mistakes
Retained foreign objects (objects left within bodies after surgery)
Surgical errors

November 13, 2017

Motorcyclist Killed in Treasure Island Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was killed Monday morning in a crash at a Treasure Island intersection.

According to Treasure Island police, the crash happened at 104th Avenue and Gulf Boulevard just before 9 a.m.

Police did not release details of the crash as of yet.

The crash remains under investigation.

Riding a motorcycle in a bustling city like Tampa Bay can be dangerous, especially when it comes to intersections. Even though every driver on the road has an obligation to drive safely, some do not. Sadly, there are drivers who do not pay attention to motorcyclists as they should, while others do not like having to share the road with motorcyclists and even go as far as intimidating them while driving. This type of behavior can quickly turn into an intersection accident. If a motorcycle accident at an intersection in the Tampa Bay area has left you injured or taken a loved one from you, our Tampa Bay Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help.

November 8, 2017

Roy Halladay, Former MLB Star Pitcher, Killed in Pasco County Plane Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Pitcher Roy Halladay, who won two Cy Young Awards and more than 200 Major League Baseball games during a stellar career, was killed Tuesday in a plane crash in Pasco County.

Halladay, 40, was the only person on the two-seater plane that crashed just off New Port Richey on the Gulf coast north of the Tampa Bay area.

The single-engine plane, an Icon A5, crashed in very shallow water and was found upside down.

A 911 call came in at 12:06 p.m. saying that a small plane had crashed.

Icon A5s are considered light, amphibious airplanes. They can land on water or land, have folding wings and can be transported by trailers.

Halladay pitched parts of 16 seasons in the major leagues, the first 12 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He won the Cy Young for the Jays in 2003, when he went 22-7 with a 3.25 ERA and led the American League with nine complete games.

He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2010 season and won another Cy Young in his first year with the team. That season he went 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA and threw a perfect game in the regular season and a no-hitter in his first postseason start. The no-hitter is the only one in National League postseason history.

Halladay will be eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.

According to the website of the Federal Aviation Administration, the certification for the plane was issued Monday, meaning the aircraft was brand new.

In May there was a crash of an A5 in California that killed both people on board. The NTSB ruled pilot error was the cause.

Plane crash tragedies, like this one, often leave surviving family members wondering why this happened. Our Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Lawyers at Whittel & Melton try to get families the answers to the questions they have to gain a sense of closure. Sometimes just being able to know what happened can help to start the healing process. We will investigate every shred of evidence and hold the responsible party accountable by demanding financial compensation for the pain, suffering and loss that surviving family members have experienced after losing a loved one in a fatal crash.