St. Petersburg Auto Accident Attorney

May 6, 2013

Tampa Bay Auto Accident Attorney :: Tampa Woman Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash on I-75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 40-year-old Tampa woman died Saturday morning after her car struck a tree on the shoulder of an Interstate 75 off-ramp.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the woman was driving south on an exit ramp from I-75 toward E Martin Luther King Boulevard around 2:43 a.m. when she missed a curve, sending her 2006 Hyundai Sonata crashing into a tree on the shoulder.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman was wearing a seatbelt. The crash remains under investigation.

Single-vehicle collisions often involve vehicle rollovers and collisions between a car and a stationary object, like a tree, guard rail, center divider or any other impediment. Single-vehicle auto accidents can be caused by many things, such as swerving to avoid another vehicle, losing control of the car or even auto defects. Despite the circumstances surrounding the collision, if someone else’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident, you may be able to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation for your suffering.

April 2, 2013

Tampa Bay Wrongful Death Attorney :: Riverview Man Killed in Red Light Running Accident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 40-year-old Riverview man was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday morning after another driver apparently ran a red light and crashed into the man’s driver’s side door.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office believes the driver accused of running the red light was travelling at about 60 mph, 15 mph over the speed limit, and failed to stop at a red light at Crescent Park Drive.

As the deceased man was maneuvering a right hand turn while the light was green on Falkenburg Road, the other driver rammed his Dodge pickup into his Pontiac.

The driver accused of causing the crash has not been charged. He was taken to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries.

Investigators took a blood sample from the man at the scene of the crash and do not believe at this time that alcohol was a factor in the collision. Deputies are currently investigating the accident further.

Injuries caused by a driver’s failure to stop at a red light are usually quite severe due to the fact that accidents of this kind occur at higher rates of speed because drivers are usually rushing through the intersection. Every year, red light accidents account for nearly 1,000 deaths and another 100,000 injuries. If you have suffered an injury or lost a loved one due to this type of accident, you may be entitled to compensation for damages.

March 21, 2013

St. Petersburg Car Accident Leaves Woman Injured After Colliding with Tour Bus

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A St. Petersburg car accident has left a Clearwater woman critically injured after her car collided with a tour bus carrying a college baseball team travelling from Minnesota for a baseball tournament.

According to news reports, the crash occurred during Wednesday rush hour near the corner of 34th Street and 22nd Avenue S in St. Petersburg. The driver and her male passenger were taken to Bayfront Medical Center for trauma treatment. Both are expected to survive.

In an apparent rush to beat a red light, video evidence showed law enforcement that the woman driver made a left hand turn in front of the bus, and that the bus ran a red light, contributing to the crash and extensive property damage to her car. Investigators are still waiting for video from a different red light camera to determine where the woman’s Buick was when the light turned red.

Collisions involving cars, truck, motorcycles and SUVs can happen in the blink of an eye. While many different factors can lead to a crash, most result in significant property damage, serious personal injury or even wrongful death.

Many of our clients wonder if you can you recover a portion of your damages even if you may have contributed to the collision. Fortunately, Florida recognizes a “comparative negligence” theory of negligence, which allows both parties to monetarily recover– even when more than one party is responsible for the accident. But, in comparative negligence cases, there tends to be a lot of blame passed back and forth between sides for who contributed the most to the accident. This is why it is so important to have an experienced Tampa Bay Car Accident Attorney from Whittel & Melton by your side. We work with a team of experts who can recreate your accident and collect all necessary evidence to help you recover the largest award possible.

March 4, 2013

St. Petersburg Auto Accident Attorney :: One Killed in Overnight Collision on Interstate 275

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

One person was killed in a car accident Sunday night on Interstate 275.

The Florida Highway Patrol and St. Petersburg police arrived at the crash site around 10 p.m.

Southbound traffic on I-275 was blocked for several hours, but was clear in time for Monday morning rush hour.

The crash occurred between 38th Avenue N and 22nd Avenue N.

No additional details are available regarding the collision.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 33,808 people were killed in auto accidents throughout the United States in 2009. While this number may seem high, it was actually a 9.7 percent decrease in the number of people killed in related accidents in 2008. Although statistics show that the number of fatal car accidents has declined in the U.S. in recent years, this doesn’t help family members who suffer unexplainable shock and grief when a loved one has passed away in a motor vehicle accident. This is a highly emotional and troubling time, and family members need help working through the stress and anger the wrongful death of their loved one has caused.

When someone you love is unexpectedly killed in a car accident, it can be confusing and leave you at a loss for what to do next. You and your family should focus on grieving, but you may be forced to deal with hefty financial burdens related to the accident, like hospital bills, funeral costs and other expenses. Facing financial hardships following a fatal accident can be more than anyone can handle. A St. Petersburg Wrongful Death Lawyer at Whittel & Melton can help you hold any negligent parties accountable for your loss.

A wrongful death lawsuit can help you recover compensation for many various damages, including:

• Funeral Costs
• Hospital and Medical Expenses
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of Consortium
• Lost Wages
• Loss of Income and Benefits
• Physical Pain and Emotional Suffering