Tampa Bay Personal Injury Lawyer

July 1, 2017

Boat Safety For Fourth of July

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Fourth of July weekend is here! This is a holiday that brings thousands of boaters to the water. More boaters means more boats and people on the water, more alcohol, and an increased risk of accidents and arrests for Boating Under the Influence (BUI).

Keep in mind that police will be on the lookout for drunk boaters this holiday weekend. With that said, you should practice safe boating habits and make sure that you are vigilant about the safety of everyone on board your vessel.

Studies show that the majority of boating accidents occur between the months of June, July and August, on Saturday or Sunday, between 12pm and 6pm. The majority of boating accidents involve operators between the ages of 20 and 40. In the state of Florida, it is required that anyone born after Jan. 1, 1988 must have completed a boater education course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), or passed an approved equivalency exam before operating a boat with an engine of more than 10 horsepower.

June 22, 2017

Brother And Sister Drown at Tampa Hotel Pool

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a double drowning of two siblings at a Tampa hotel on Sunday.

Two siblings — a 12-year-old male and 17-year-old female — were pulled from the hotel swimming pool, both unresponsive around 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The brother and sister had traveled with their family to Tampa from Dallas, Texas, with a large church group for a function.

Officials said deputies and fire rescue attempted to perform live-saving measures on the brother and sister. The boy was pronounced dead on scene and the girl was taken to Tampa General Hospital where she died Tuesday.

Summer is in full swing, and most Floridians or visitors to our home state are looking to cool off at the pool. Swimming pools are indeed one of the most popular places to be as swimming is one of the highlights of a summer vacation. Families vacationing in Florida often make the swimming pool their first stop after checking into their hotel room.

What you may not know is that on average, 400 children die every year from drowning in pools and spas across the United States. Emergency rooms treat an average of 5,100 children annually for injuries related to a drowning incident in swimming pools and spas.

June 12, 2017

25-Year-Old Woman Killed in St. Pete Motorcycle Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 25-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a motorcycle collision Thursday night in St. Petersburg.

The crash occurred around 6:15 p.m. at 6th Avenue South and 28th Street South.

Police said a Ford Focus, driven by a 52-year-old woman was traveling northbound on 28th Street S. and made a left westbound turn at 6th Ave. S. and traveled into the path of the motorcycle.

The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the Ford and the woman was thrown from the bike, according to officials.

The woman was taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Hospital where she died from her injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

The Tampa Bay Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton know that being involved in a motorcycle accident can be an extremely traumatic experience. Motorcycle accidents are among the most devastating traffic accidents because they usually result in very serious injuries and even wrongful death. Motorcycle accidents often lead to enormous medical expenses, loss of employment or future earning power, and severe pain and suffering for those involved. Victims of motorcycle crashes and any surviving family members have the right to make a claim for compensation for the negligent actions of unsafe drivers on the road.

May 2, 2017

Former Police Officer Charged with DUI after Hitting 5 Middle School Kids

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Five students were hit by a 48-year-old former law enforcement officer Thursday afternoon. Officials believe the man was drunk at the time of the accident.

A 13-year-old boy died from his injuries received in the crash Friday morning.

The students were hit by the man after they had gotten off the bus, officials said.

The crash occurred around 5 p.m. on Allegheny road near Athabasca in Poinciana.

Two of the children suffered serious, life-threatening injuries, including spinal injuries, facial fractures, and head trauma.

Officials said the man fled the scene after hitting the kids and ended up hitting a stopped car on Poinciana Parkway.

The man was charged with two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury, two counts leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury, two counts leaving the scene of a crash with bodily injury, three counts DUI with injury and property damage and reckless driving.

The man apparently blew a .14 on a breath test, which is over the legal limit, seven hours after the crash.

If someone you love has been injured due to a drunk driving accident, you have rights and can receive compensation. Florida does not take drunk driving lightly and there are significant consequences for anyone who drives under the influence. You may be able to recover compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, property damage and even punitive damages. These damages are meant to punish the driver who chose to get behind the wheel of a car drunk.

It vital that you get legal help to begin investigating your accident as soon as possible. The preservation of certain evidence can be key in making a claim for personal injury or wrongful death.

April 3, 2017

St. Petersburg Uber Crash Leaves Driver and Passenger with Serious Injuries

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Uber and Lyft have certainly changed how people get around town, that is for sure. However, some things don’t change, and as this case shows, people get injured in car accidents every day in Tampa and St. Petersburg. When people are injured in an Uber or Lyft car, they need to seek legal help from a Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyer at Whittel & Melton right away.

Recently, an Uber driver suffered life-threatening injuries and his passenger serious injuries after he drove his car into another driver’s path.

The 38-year-old Uber driver picked up his 30-year-old passenger in a driveway on Fourth Street North around 1:15 a.m. He sat in the rear passenger’s seat.

The driver tried to make a U-turn on Fourth Street in his 2012 Chevrolet Cruze to head north, but he pulled in the path of a Mustang that was already travelling in the median lane. The Mustang hit the driver’s side of the Chevy.

The driver and passenger in the Mustang had minor injuries. The Uber driver and passenger were taken to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg.

If you were injured in a car accident or on any form of transportation including Uber, Lyft, taxis, etc. let our Tampa Bay Auto Accident Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton help. We can make sure you understand the legal processes of investigating and presenting your Uber or Lyft accident personal injury claim. We will also work with your doctors so that you can focus on what you need to, which is recovering.

February 22, 2017

Target Shopper Alleges He Was Injured in Clearwater Store Due to Hazardous Condition

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Target shopper says he was injured in the Pinellas Park store because of a dangerous condition.

According to the man’s lawsuit, he suffered physical injuries that required medical care while shopping at Target on April 26, 2016. He is holding Target responsible because the store failed to warn him and other shoppers of the hazardous condition on its premises.

The man is seeking damages of more than $15,000 plus all legal fees.

What is a hazardous condition? There are several common types of dangerous property conditions that cause injuries, including:

Wet or slippery floors
Slick sidewalks and parking lots
Cracked or uneven sidewalks or walkways
Torn carpets
Uneven floors, stairs or entryways
Merchandise in store aisles
Faulty elevators or escalators
Poorly lit hallways, stairwells, walkways or parking lots
Inadequate security

Property owners have a duty to take reasonable safety precautions to ensure the safety of all potential visitors to their property. If you or someone you know has suffered any type of injury on someone else’s property, it is in your best interest to speak with a Tampa Bay Premises Liability Lawyer at Whittel & Melton.

February 15, 2017

Millennial Drivers Riskiest Drivers on Roadways, According To Study

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Millennial drivers are behaving badly on U.S. roads, a trend that could be contributing to a spike in highway deaths, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

In 2015, U.S. traffic deaths rose 7 percent to 35,092, the largest single-year increase in five decades. They’re expected to rise again in 2016 when that data is finalized.

The study found that more than three-quarters of drivers said it was unacceptable to text or email while driving, but 31 percent had done so in the last month and 8 percent do so often. Ninety-six percent of drivers said drowsy driving is a serious safety threat, but 29 percent had recently driven when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open.

The study questioned 2,511 licensed drivers aged 16 and over. Here are the findings:

The youngest drivers — those ages 16 to 18 — were less likely to engage in speeding, running red lights or texting while driving than drivers in their 20s through 50s.
Eighty-three percent of drivers — and 86.5 percent of drivers 75 or older — said they were more careful than other drivers on the road.
Just over half of drivers feel seriously threatened by drivers talking on cell phones, but 68 percent made a call while driving in the last 30 days.
Drivers ages 40-59 were the most likely to use a hands-free phone in the car. Drivers ages 16-18 and 75 or older were the most likely to hold their phones and talk while driving.
Twenty-three percent of drivers — and 36 percent of those ages 19 to 24 — think it’s acceptable to drive 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway. Forty-six percent of drivers say they have driven that fast on a freeway in the last 30 days.
Sixty percent of drivers say people who drive after using illegal drugs are a serious threat, but just 34 percent say the same about people who drive after using prescription drugs.

Distracted driving is dangerous. All of us drivers should remember this every time we get behind the wheel of a car. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, nine people are killed in the United States everyday in accidents connected to distracted driving and an additional 1,153 are injured.

Texting, tweeting, eating, drinking, and all other distracted driving behaviors should be avoided while driving. Focusing on the road should be your number one priority. If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident because of a distracted driver, our Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you recover financial compensation to help cover the costs associated with the crash.

February 1, 2017

Man In Critical Condition After Motorcycle Crash In Hillsborough County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 21-year-old motorcyclist is in critical condition after a collision Monday night in Hillsborough County.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash occurred shortly before 6 p.m. at Busch Boulevard and Twin Lake Boulevard.

A 29-year-old driver of a Ford Focus was traveling westbound on Busch Blvd. and turned left at the intersection of Twin Lake Blvd.

FHP believes the driver of the Ford Focus traveled into the path of a motorcycle traveling eastbound on Busch Blvd.

The motorcycle collided with the passenger side of the Ford Focus.

The 21-year-old biker was ejected from the bike, according to FHP.

He was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital in critical condition.

The driver of the Ford Focus did not suffer any injuries in the crash.

According to the report, the investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.

Motorcycle accident injuries can be devastating, and oftentimes fatal. If you or somebody you love has been injured in a motorcycle accident due to a driver’s negligent or reckless behavior behind the wheel, you need the help of a Tampa Bay Motorcycle Accident Lawyer at Whittel & Melton right away.

December 20, 2016

Pedestrian Killed Crossing Street In Lakeland

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A Lakeland man was hit and killed Sunday night while crossing the road.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident on Broadway Avenue in Lakeland around 11:30 p.m.

Deputies believe the 22-year-old was crossing Broadway Avenue when he was hit by a Toyota Highlander. The 28-year-old driver apparently knew she hit something, but did not immediately stop to see what it was or realize that it was a person, and continued to drive to her home a quarter of a mile away.

Once at home, the woman called 9-1-1 and returned to the area of the accident to look for the victim.

The victim was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center where he passed away.

Pedestrian accidents happen more often than we’d like and are definitely traumatic accidents. A pedestrian’s unprotected body cannot withstand the impact of a collision with a two-ton, perhaps even heavier, vehicle.

Victims of pedestrian accidents suffer severe injuries and sometimes death. Some of the most common injuries our Tampa Bay Pedestrian Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton see include:

Broken Bones
Skull Fractures
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Spinal Cord Injuries
Internal Bleeding
Disfigurement
Nerve Damage
Torn Ligaments
Lacerations And Bruising
Wrongful Death

If your loved one has been injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, please let us help you through this difficult time. We know that no amount of money can bring back your loved one, but it can help you make sure your family’s future is secure.

December 8, 2016

FDOT Fixing Deadly Lakeland Road

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Officials are working to make a Lakeland road safer after three people died along the roadway in the past three years, most recently in May of this year.

The details of a Florida Department of Transportation study will be released later and suggest that improvements on Clubhouse Road should be made.

A high school student was struck and killed by a school crossing guard supervisor as he tried to cross the road in the dark in May. The teen was trying to get to his school bus stop.

In August 2014, the body of a woman was found next to Clubhouse Road, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. In November 2014, a man was hit by a Ford F-250 as he rode a skateboard on Clubhouse Road.

The problems on the roadway, which also has a development entrance, include a lack of sidewalks, crosswalks and lights.

The fatal crashes date back to 2014 with three cases of people being struck by cars as they tried to cross Clubhouse Road. All of the accidents happened in the dark.

In addition to lighting, FDOT will suggest connecting sidewalks that aren’t continuous, adding signs to address speeding and installing left-hand turn lanes at three of the busiest intersections along the roadway that don’t have traffic control signals.

Dangerous road conditions are the cause of many fatal traffic accidents in Florida. Auto accidents involving deadly roadways can occur because of the poor surface condition of a road, improper design, lack of adequate marking or signage, inadequate guardrails, poor traffic control in work zones, and many more as this article highlights.

A driver that has suffered an injury in an auto accident may not even realize that poor road conditions played a part in their collision. Sometimes these accidents require an independent investigation by a skilled lawyer. Our Tampa Bay Auto Accident Lawyers at Whittel & Melton have experience with complex traffic accidents, which is why we work with traffic accident reconstruction experts to identify the exact cause of auto collisions. We can analyze your accident and determine if dangerous road conditions contributed to the crash.