Car Accidents

February 17, 2014

Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Attorney :: Scooter Rider Struck and Killed by Minivan in Sarasota

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A scooter rider was killed Saturday night in Sarasota after the unidentified male rider turned into the path of a minivan and was struck, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The rider was headed west on Clark Road around 8:40 p.m. Troopers claim that he turned left on a red light into the path of a Dodge Caravan at the intersection with Honore Avenue.

The rider was thrown from the scooter and pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the mini-van, a 41-year-old Thonotosassa woman, was not harmed. None of the three passengers riding in the van suffered injuries either.

Scooter sand mopeds have become increasingly popular within the last few years due to the rise in gas prices. While these vehicles can be quite useful in urban settings, their small size and slow speeds, which allows for high gas mileage, makes their riders even more vulnerable than motorcycle riders in the event of a collision. Scooter and moped accidents are frequently caused by other drivers. Sadly, the injuries sustained in these types of accidents can be long-lasting and often result in death.

A scooter rider struck by another motor vehicle can suffer a wide array of injuries. Even minor injuries can take a significant toll on your well-being. A Tampa Bay Injury Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you fight for the rightful compensation you deserve if you have suffered from any of the following injuries in a scooter or moped accident:

Spinal Cord Trauma
Head or Neck Injuries
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Broken Bones or Fractures
Bruises or Contusions
Lacerations and Scrapes
Road Rash
Wrongful Death

February 3, 2014

Tampa Bay Car Accident Attorney :: Elderly Woman Backs into Crowd of People Killing 3 and Seriously Injuring 4

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

An elderly woman accidentally backed into a crowd of people while leaving church late Sunday morning leaving three people dead and at least five more injured, according to authorities.

The crash occurred in the Sugar Creek Country Club 55-and-over mobile home community off Belinda Circle and Clubhouse Drive in East Bradenton.

79-year-old woman backs into crowd of people Sunday morning in church parking lot in Bradenton leaving three people dead and at least five more injured.

Witnesses claim the 79-year-old woman thought she put her large Chevrolet sport utility vehicle in “drive,” but actually shifted into reverse and traveled backward through the clubhouse parking lot.

An 80-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other women, ages 70 and 72, were both taken to Blake Medical Center where they later died.

Four others are listed in serious condition.

According to witnesses, the woman drove into and through the pedestrians, and kept driving until her vehicle went into a creek.

She left the scene with her family. She and her husband, who was a passenger in the car during the incident, were not harmed.

Just as the name suggests, backover accidents occur when a driver backs into something or someone. These types of accidents usually take place in parking lots or driveways. Even though these accidents generally occur at lower speeds, the results can be fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 221 people are killed in backover crashes in the United States in parking lots, driveways and other off-road locations, and an additional 71 deaths occur on public roads annually. Another 18,000 people nationwide suffer injuries each year from backover collisions. If you or someone close to you has been injured or killed in a backover accident, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your losses.

January 23, 2014

Sarasota County Child Pedestrian Accident Attorney :: Sarasota Toddler Killed after Mom Backs Over Her

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Unfortunately, children are not only at risk for suffering a severe injury or death when out in the roadway or travelling as a passenger in a car, truck, SUV or other vehicle. Every year, numerous children are involved in back-over accidents and are even run over at their own home. Sadly, this type of crash recently resulted in the death of a Sarasota toddler.

Last week, a Sarasota toddler was killed after officials say she was run over by a car driven by her mother in Nokomis.

Reports indicate that the 20-month-old girl was run over around 5 p.m. in the 1000 block of Tarpon Court.

Deputies claim the couple at the home had just finished repairing their Honda Passport SUV, when the mother got inside the vehicle and pulled it forward.

A Sarasota County Pedestrian Accident Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you through this difficult time.

The mother claims she had last seen her 20-month-old daughter playing with bubbles on the porch, but the child apparently toddled into the driveway and was run over by the vehicle.

Deputies arrived on scene with the North Port Fire Department and made an effort to resuscitate the child.

The Sarasota County Fire Department transported the toddler to Venice Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Driveway back over accidents, while quite tragic, are especially common in toddlers and young children that are not easily spotted when close to the back of a vehicle. These types of accidents also regularly occur in suburban areas where kids are frequently found playing in the street, riding bikes and wandering in the driveways of neighboring homes. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every week two children are killed by vehicles moving in reverse.
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November 22, 2013

Tampa Bay Injury Lawyer :: Florida Lawmakers Want Tampa Teen Drivers to Put Their Cellphones Away

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Florida lawmakers have recently proposed a new bill that would ban anyone under the age of 18 from using electronic devices while driving in Florida.

This means teens would not be allowed to make calls, use Facebook or any other website while driving.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens. In fact, on average, seven teens between the ages of 16 and 19 die every day from car crashes, and drivers in that same age group are three times more likely to get into a deadly crash.

Despite these statistics, many drivers oppose the proposed law claiming it is unfair to single out a particular age group.

Florida lawmakers are currently talking about proposed changes to current laws.

If the proposed law is passed, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

According to the CDC, in 2010, nearly 2,700 teens across the nation between the ages of 16 and 19 were killed and another 282,000 were treated and released from emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor vehicle accidents. While young people ages 15-24 account for only 14 percent of the U.S. population, this age group represents 30 percent, or $19 billion, of the total costs of auto accident injuries among males and 28 percent, or $7 billion, of the total costs of car accident injuries among females.

November 12, 2013

St. Petersburg Auto Accident Lawyer :: Woman Killed in Broadside Collision in St. Petersburg

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 42-year-old St. Petersburg woman was killed Monday after the vehicle she was riding in was broadsided on Fourth Street N. in St. Petersburg.

According to police, the woman was a passenger in a 1992 Buick driven by her 53-year-old roommate. The crash occurred around 7 p.m.

Police claim the woman’s roommate was heading north on Fourth Street when he turned into the path of a 2003 Toyota at 54th Avenue N.

The driver of the Toyota, a 42-year-old St. Petersburg woman, struck the Buick between the wheels on the passenger side, critically injuring the woman. She was rescued from the vehicle and taken to Bayfront Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead just a short time later, according to police.

The woman’s roommate was taken to Bayfront with minor injuries. The driver of the
Toyota was treated for minor injuries at the scene of the collision.

Police are currently still investigating the accident.

Some of the most serious and deadly motor vehicle accidents in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area involve broadside crashes. A broadside car accident, also referred to as a side impact or T-bone crash, usually occurs at an intersection. These collisions can happen at a busy St. Pete intersection, in a residential neighborhood or on any of St. Petersburg’s heavily travelled roads.

Next to head-on collisions, broadside collisions are the second most deadly kind of auto accident. Broadside impacts usually lead to severe injuries to the drivers and passengers involved in a crash. Drivers and passengers often suffer from brain injuries, spinal fractures, broken bones and head and neck injuries. These accidents have a high percentage of injuries and fatalities due to the fact that the sides of most vehicles do not offer the same protection as the front and rear do, even though most newer cars are equipped with side impact airbags. T-bone collisions also typically occur at high speeds, usually when someone runs a stop light or a red light at an intersection.

November 11, 2013

Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Lawyer :: Clearwater Man Killed in Oldsmar Collision

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A three-vehicle collision in Oldsmar Wednesday afternoon took the life of an 81-year-old man.

The accident occurred around 2:47 p.m. at the intersection of Tampa Road and St. Petersburg Drive.

According to Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies, the Clearwater man’s wife, 65, was driving a 2005 Cadillac DeVille west on Tampa Road and went to make a left turn onto St. Petersburg Drive when her car was struck on the passenger side by two vehicles — a Jeep Liberty driven by a 32-year-old woman and a Ford Fusion driven by a 31-year-old man.

The deceased was trapped in the debris for about a half-hour before firefighters from Oldsmar Fire Rescue extracted him from the wreckage, according to reports. He was flown by helicopter to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:17 p.m.

The man’s wife was taken to St. Joseph’s with injuries that were not considered life threatening.

The other drivers involved in the pileup were not harmed.

The crash remains under investigation.

Any type of motor vehicle accident can lead to serious injuries to all parties involved. However, when multiple vehicles are involved in a crash, injuries are often compounded. Multi-vehicle accidents can result in catastrophic injuries including head, brain, neck and spinal cord trauma. Sadly, these types of collisions often end in fatality.

November 4, 2013

Tampa Bay Pedestrian Accident Attorney :: 3-Year-Old Critically Injured in Sarasota Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A three-year-old boy was taken to the hospital and listed in critical condition Saturday night after being struck by a car in Sarasota.

The crash took place on Bee Ridge Road and Briggs Avenue around 7 p.m., according to reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol believes the child ran into the road from the shoulder and in front of a car. The 70-year-old man who was behind the wheel apparently tried to swerve out of the way to avoid making contact with the child, but could not.

The driver and his passenger did not suffer any injuries.

Child pedestrian accidents can happen at any time of day for many different reasons. Usually children wind up the victims of pedestrian accidents for two reasons – not following pedestrian safety rules or because of a distracted or reckless driver. Sadly, 630 children, on average, are killed every year in child pedestrian accidents. Another 39,000 suffer serious injuries in pedestrian accidents caused by negligent motorists.

When a negligent driver hits a pedestrian the aftermath can be tragic. The parents or guardians of a child who has been injured or killed in a pedestrian accident caused by a careless driver can usually seek some type of financial compensation from the at-fault driver. While no amount of money can change your child’s physical condition, it can help pay for growing hospital bills, long-term care and other bills that rack up as a result of the accident. Money is the last thing you want weighing on your mind during this difficult time. A Tampa Bay Pedestrian Accident Attorney at Whittel & Melton can get to work on your case right away so that you can focus on your child’s recovery.

October 7, 2013

St. Petersburg Auto Accident Attorney :: Children Rescued from St. Petersburg Canal Following Multi-Car Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Last month, two children were rescued from inside a car that had flipped over in a St. Petersburg canal.

St. Petersburg police said a chain reaction collision caused the children to be knocked into the canal and trapped them inside the vehicle.

The accident occurred around 2 p.m. just after the children had been picked up by their father from their elementary school.

Police claim a female driver of a gold Chevy Tahoe was heading eastbound on 77th Avenue North when she accelerated and smashed into the cars in front of her, ultimately sending a silver sedan carrying the two children, ages 8 and 9, and their father into the water.

The car hit a pickup, which then hit a bus carrying children to an after-school karate class. No one was harmed from these vehicles.

The father and the 9-year-old boy made it out of the water first. The 8-year-old boy’s seatbelt was stuck inside the vehicle, but with the help of some good Samaritans who heard and saw the crash, he was cut out of the seatbelt and pulled out of the water where he was rushed to the hospital as trauma alert.

The woman, who apparently had four children in her car, also crashed into the canal. Her and her kids made it out safely.

Police said that the woman driving the Tahoe was at fault and that charges are pending.

Determining who is at fault in a multi-vehicle collision can be difficult. If multiple drivers are found to be responsible for the accident, then comparative negligence may apply.
The state of Florida does follow a comparative negligence system, which holds each responsible party liable for his or her percentage of damages. However, based on the facts reported from this accident, it seems that comparative negligence may not apply since the driver of the SUV was found to be solely responsible for the multi-car crash.

September 25, 2013

Tampa Bay Auto Accident Injury Lawyer :: Sarasota Bicyclist Killed in Bee Ridge Collision

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 44-year-old Sarasota bicyclist was killed Monday after he was struck by a vehicle on Bee Ridge, authorities said.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, the man was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred near the intersection of Hidden Glen Drive east of Interstate 75.

Based on evidence picked up at the scene of the accident and witness statements, troopers have pieced together that the man was lying in the eastbound lane of Bee Ridge with his bicycle nearby when he was run over by the automobile around 9:30 p.m.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the man apparently told troopers he did not notice the man before the collision.

It is unknown at this time why the man was lying in the roadway.

Biking is a common mode of transportation in the Tampa Bay area, especially with Florida’s year-round warm temperatures. Bicyclists can be found on the roads commuting to and from work, exercising or just partaking in a fun recreational activity. Sadly, many bicyclists find themselves the victims of auto accidents on the busy streets of Tampa, Brandon, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Bradenton and Sarasota.

Bike riders are particularly susceptible to severe injuries when involved in a collision with an automobile. Aside from a helmet, bicyclists lack further protection to withstand the impact of a motor vehicle. Even if a cyclist is wearing a helmet, this may not be able to protect a biker from suffering a serious injury or death.

September 5, 2013

Tampa Bay Injury Attorney :: Driver responsible for Clearwater Hit-and-Run Crash Turns Himself In

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 29-year-old man responsible for a hit-and-run collision in Clearwater that killed a man and severely injured a woman has turned himself in, according to Clearwater Police.

The man apparently told police he blacked out and cannot remember hitting the man and woman on Monday morning on the Memorial Causeway. However, he noticed his car was damaged and saw a news report on the accident, which triggered him to go to police.

Police claim that a camera on Clearwater Beach captured the man’s green Nissan pick-up truck leaving the area Monday morning. Minutes before the camera photographed the man’s truck, the camera picked up the man and woman in the same area on their tandem bike.

The pair on the bike suffered severe injuries. The man eventually died from his injuries and the woman remains in critical condition.

The responsible driver, who works at a Clearwater Beach hotel, told officials that he was at work and then got off and that is all he remembers. He claims he woke up later, took a shower and then saw the incident on the news.

According to police, a tipster called Crime Stoppers with information about the driver. Additionally, an unnamed individual apparently pointed the man out to a police officer at the beach.

Police found the man’s truck behind his mother’s Dunedin mobile home Tuesday afternoon. Police claim there was damage to the truck’s front end and the windshield was missing.

It is not clear at this time whether alcohol played a role in the collision.

The man is now facing one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving death and one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving severe injury.

Records show that he has previously been arrested for disorderly intoxication and racing on a highway.

In addition to the criminal penalties this man is now facing, the surviving victim and the other victim’s family could potentially seek civil damages against the at-fault driver. Civil penalties can be sought through what is known as a personal injury or wrongful death claim. A personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit allows individuals and/or their families to recover financial compensation and an overall sense of closure following an unexpected and traumatic accident.