Tampa Bay

September 12, 2018

1 Dead in Crash Involving School Bus and Motorcycle in St. Pete

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating a fatal crash involving a motorcycle colliding with a school bus in Pinellas County Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators said the crash occurred at the intersection of 62nd Avenue North and 28th St. North. The bus was traveling west on 62nd Avenue, while the motorcycle, driven by a 21-year-old man, approached the intersection from the opposite direction.

When both vehicles reached the intersection, the bus driver turned the bus left onto 28th St. North, driving into the motorcyclists path, according to investigators. The motorcycle struck the right side of the bus, and the 21-year-old suffered fatal injuries in the collision.

None of the students or staff on board the bus were injured.

Motorcycle accidents are unfortunately far too common. School buses are larger vehicles sharing the road, so one small mistake on behalf of the driver can easily result in serious injuries and even death to motorcyclists involved in collisions.

Our Tampa Bay area Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton investigate bus accidents aggressively, and we will work to make sure you and/or your surviving loved ones get the full and fair compensation for serious injuries or wrongful death. Sometimes just settlements can be achieved through negotiations out of court, but we are not afraid to try the case in court. Our goal is to make sure you and your loved ones are taken care of financially in the future for the suffering endured.

September 6, 2018

Another St. Petersburg Bicycle Injury – Pinellas Park Accident Leaves Victim in Critical Condition

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A bicyclist was hospitalized Monday morning after he was struck by a vehicle in Pinellas Park.

The crash occurred just after midnight at 62nd Avenue and 66th Street North.

Police said the bicyclist, an adult male, was hit in the northbound lanes, resulting in serious injuries.

He was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Traffic Homicide Investigators are investigating the crash due to the severity of the man’s injuries.

No other information has been released.

If you or a loved one was involved in a bicycle accident and suffered serious injuries, our Tampa Bay Injury Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help. We have the experience, knowledge and resources to help you recover the full and fair financial compensation that you are entitled to for the injuries that you have suffered.

We can help you obtain compensation for all types of serious bicycle injuries, including:

Head injuries
Traumatic brain injuries
Neck and back injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Broken or fractured bones
Scarring and disfigurement
Internal injuries
Wrongful death

Bicycles offer minimal protection to riders. With just a helmet that the rider is wearing, bicycle accidents are often serious and leave injury victims suffering severe injuries. This is why our injury lawyers fight aggressively fight to help obtain the financial compensation to which you are entitled for your suffering.

September 4, 2018

Six-Year-Old Boy Killed in ATV Crash in Lakeland

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 6-year-old boy died Sunday in an ATV crash in Lakeland.

Officials say the child was riding in an ATV driven by an 8-year-old when it crashed.

The boys were apparently riding on a dirt track when the ATV struck two dirt mounds and flipped onto its side, landing onto the 6-year-old boy.

The child suffered “massive head injuries.”

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said his family brought him to a fire station after the crash and he was transported to Tampa Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The 8-year-old boy was not injured.

The boys initially wore helmets but removed them after taking a break and did not put them back on.

According to the U.S. Product Safety Commission, nearly 90,000 people a year are injured, and another 120 people are killed in ATV accidents in the United States. Tragically, more than half of all ATV injuries and deaths occur in children under the age of 16. These fatalities can be frequent because children are riding ATVs weighing up to 600 pounds or more that are meant for adults, and can travel up to 60 M.P.H., so life-threatening roll overs and lethal injuries can easily happen.

Our experienced Tampa Bay Injury & Wrongful Death Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can take action for you if your child has been hurt or killed in an ATV accident caused by someone else’s negligence. We work to get maximum compensation for your suffering and financial hardships.

August 15, 2018

Teen Hit While Crossing Road in Tampa

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 16-year-old that was struck by a vehicle Friday afternoon in Tampa has died from his injuries.

The teen was hit while trying to cross E. Sligh Avenue near N. Rome Avenue around 3:45 p.m. on Friday.

Police say the teen was running northbound across the street, outside the crosswalk, when he was hit by a Honda Accord.

He was transported to the hospital in critical condition and died on Saturday from his injuries.

Officials say the crash remains under investigation.

Crossing the street where there is heavy traffic, can be quite dangerous. Pedestrians are the world’s most vulnerable road users as they lack the protection that drivers are afforded, which is why they rarely survive collisions. If they do survive, they will likely have serious injuries, including fractures and broken bones, traumatic brain injury or internal organ damage on top of emotional scarring and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

August 7, 2018

Two Injured in Tampa Bay Boat Crash

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Two people were injured in a boat crash in Tampa on Sunday, according to authorities.

The crash happened in the area of Channel Drive and Cayuga Avenue, near Davis Islands.

Tampa Fire Rescue believe a boat hit a pole and crashed.

Both people on the boat were injured. They were transported to a hospital unknown conditions.

No other details were immediately available.

Florida is a beautiful state that is abundant in rivers, lakes, and waterways. Many residents and visitors alike take advantage of the state’s beauty and enjoy various boating activities like fishing, skiing, tubing, and relaxing on the water. Sadly, accidents can occur while on the water. Personal injuries resulting from a boating accident are handled in a similar fashion to a car accident.

July 13, 2018

Nursing Assistant Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Elder in Nursing Home

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a Certified Nursing Assistant accused of sexually assaulting an 85-year-old man.

The 35-year-old is charged with one count of sexual battery.

Deputies say that through June 6 and June 9, the man sexually assaulted the man.

The man was allegedly working as a CNA at a senior living home, where the 85-year-old man lived.

The man is currently being held at Orient Road Jail.

Sexual assault in a nursing home or assisted living facility does happen. This can be the result of the facility not conducting proper background checks on every potential employee. When the facility fails to provide proper screening on any employee with a sexual abuse history, they can be held liable for any sexual abuse and/or negligence.

The facility can also be held liable for the sexual abuse because of improper employee supervision. This is often the result of poor training or understaffing. The nursing facility is required to properly train and supervise all employees on the best methods of spotting sexual abuse. When this does not happen, the facility can be held responsible for failing to take proper security measures to protect residents.

July 2, 2018

Pedestrian Death by SUV a Growing Problem in America

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Pedestrians killed by SUVs is a growing trend across the U.S. In Florida, the problem is quite severe as Miami ranks number 5 and Tampa ranks number 8 in the top 10 deadliest cities in America.

A Detroit Free Press/USA TODAY NETWORK investigation found that the SUV revolution is the most likely cause of escalating pedestrian deaths nationwide, which are up 46 percent since 2009.

Almost 6,000 pedestrians died on or along U.S. roads in 2016 alone — nearly as many Americans as have died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002. Data analyses by the Free Press/USA TODAY and others show that SUVs are the constant in the increase and account for a steadily growing proportion of deaths.

The investigation found the following:

Federal safety regulators have known for years that SUVs, with their higher front-end profile, are at least twice as likely as cars to kill the walkers, joggers and children they hit, yet have done little to reduce deaths or publicize the danger.
A federal proposal to factor pedestrians into vehicle safety ratings has stalled, with opposition from some automakers.
The rising tide of pedestrian deaths is primarily an urban plague that kills minorities at a disproportionate rate.
It is most prominent in cities both in the industrial heartland and warm-weather spots on the nation’s coasts and Sun Belt. Detroit; Newark, New Jersey; St. Louis; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Miami, San Bernardino, California, Birmingham, Alabama; Tampa; Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Phoenix had the 10 highest per-capita death rates among cities with populations of at least 200,000 in 2009-16.

Due to their size and construction, an SUV-pedestrian accident usually results in fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the total number of pedestrian deaths involving motor vehicles has risen to almost 6,000 annually. Since 2009, that is an increase of around 50 percent, which makes sense as the number of people purchasing SUVs has drastically increased. Sadly, with more people driving SUVs, there is a greater chance that an accident with a pedestrian will involve an SUV.

If you have has lost a loved one in a pedestrian wrongful death accident in the Tampa Bay area, our Tampa Pedestrian Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are ready to help you file a claim. We can procure the necessary evidence and deal with the insurance companies involved so that you don’t have to. Funeral costs, loss of companionship, lost wages and other issues can make a pedestrian wrongful death accident difficult to overcome. Securing strong legal counsel as soon as possible can be a key piece in recovering what is owed to you.

June 26, 2018

Hurricane Season Underway, Tampa ALFs Must Have Generators or be Fined

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

After a dozen elders overheated and died in a Hollywood nursing home during Hurricane Irma last year, Florida has passed new rules requiring health facilities to install backup generators capable of keeping the air conditioning blowing if the power goes out.

The state healthcare agency in charge of regulating institutions like nursing homes and assisted living facilities has not been able to inspect all the generators before the start of hurricane season, which was June 1.

The Agency for Healthcare Administration sees facilities inspected once every two years, and apparently has no plans to change that. This means that some generators won’t be inspected by AHCA this storm season or possibly even before the season after that. There are nearly 3,800 nursing homes and ALFs around the state.

Local fire departments also inspect nursing homes annually for life and safety, so the generators could be checked then.

The rules passed by the Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Scott require healthcare facilities to submit a safety plan verifying they have installed a working generator or alternate power source that can supply electricity for a maximum of 96 hours.

AHCA is tasked with reviewing the new emergency power plans for the required generators, but the rules set few requirements for how the agency will ensure the plans are being followed.

The new rules also state that AHCA “may request cooperation” from Florida’s fire marshal to inspect the generators.

Penalties for not following the rules include but are “not limited to, license revocation, license suspension, and the imposition of administrative fines.” AHCA may also grant extensions until January 2019 for generator installation.

Pinellas County has 70 nursing homes and nearly 200 ALFs.

When a nursing home or ALF is not prepared to manage residents in the midst of a tropical storm or hurricane, it can cause residents to suffer from various personal injuries and even wrongful death. For those who suffer injuries while in a nursing home environment, our Pinellas County Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can investigate whether the nursing home should be held responsible for their actions.

We can help injured nursing home residents recover financial compensation to cover medical expenses, therapy, rehabilitative care, as well as wrongful death expenses. We will look into nursing home and ALF policies and practices to determine if negligence contributed to, or caused a resident to suffer harm.

June 11, 2018

Motorcyclist Killed in Collision with Motor Vehicle in Pinellas County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A motorcyclist was hit and killed while traveling on U.S. 19 in Pinellas County on Wednesday.

Troopers identified the victim as a 25-year-old man from Port Richey. He was driving northbound on US 19 when a Ford F150 turned left into the path of the motorcycle causing the fatal collision.

He was transported to Mease Countryside Hospital where he later died.

Troopers say charges are pending against the 56-year-old female driver.

While there is a sense of freedom that comes with riding a motorcycle, there’s also a fear that other drivers won’t share the road. Every day, a motorcyclist is injured or killed in Florida. In too many incidents, the crash was caused by a negligent driver who was not looking or paying attention.

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.