Florida Has More Car Accident Drownings than Any Other State
Oct 27, 2016
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) October 27, 2016 – Florida leads the nation in the number of people who drown in their vehicles after car accidents.
According to an Orlando Sentinel analysis, 49 people drowned inside cars in Florida from 2008 to 2012. That is far more than Texas, the state with the second highest number of motor vehicle drownings, at 18 during the same time period. The actual number of drownings may be much higher. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found in 2011 that there was an average of 57 vehicle drowning deaths per year in Florida during the time period of 2004 to 2007. The federal study drew from the data on death certificates, which revealed drownings that were not reported as such by law enforcement.
“Florida has a high number of traffic accidents, and the abundance of lakes, ponds and canals add an additional danger,” said Robert Joyce, a Tampa car accident attorney with Joyce & Reyes. “Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one in a motor vehicle collision should consult with an attorney to determine whether they may be entitled to compensation.”
Earlier this year, three Tampa Bay area teenagers died when the vehicle they were in plunged into a pond. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department deputies had tried to pull the girls over for driving a stolen vehicle, and later they were accused of negligence for allegedly not doing enough to save the girls. On the same day, a woman drove into a pond in New Tampa, and her car quickly became completely submerged. Three bystanders dove into the pond, freed the woman from her seatbelt, and pulled her to the surface, saving her life.
Safety experts say that if a driver is conscious and remains calm, there is time to escape from a vehicle in the water. Electrical systems may be affected by water, so experts recommend carrying a hammer in the glove compartment to break a side window in the event that power windows cease operation.
Learn more at http://www.joyceandreyespa.com
Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A.
307 S Hyde Park Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
Call: 813.251.2007
- Florida Supreme Court Sets Arguments in Medical Malpractice Case
The Florida Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in December on a constitutional challenge to a 2013 medical malpractice law. The Justices agreed to take up the issue of “ex parte communications” in medical malpractice cases. In a case filed by Emma Gayle Weaver, the representative of Thomas E. Weaver’s estate, in Escambia County, the […] - Family of Corey Jones files Florida wrongful death lawsuit
The family of a man killed by a Florida police officer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer and the city of Palm Beach Gardens. Corey Jones, a 31-year-old African-American man who was employed as a property manager and played drums in his church, was killed by Palm Beach Gardens police officer Nouman […] - Fatal Florida car accident raises concerns about safety in autonomous vehicles
The rapidly developing technology of self-driving cars holds the promise of an enormously positive impact on public safety, with many experts claiming that over 90 percent of car accident fatalities could be eliminated if autonomous vehicles become widespread. However, that claim was called into question recently, when it was revealed that the driver of a […] - Tampa area pill mill doctor sentenced to prison
On May 23, a federal judge sentenced Edward Feldman, age 76, to 25 years in federal prison. As a doctor, he improperly prescribed pain medications to addicts in his Tampa area clinic, leading to three patient deaths, a jury found. U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore told Feldman, “You became a drug pusher,” and said […] - Florida jury awards 10 million dollars in wrongful death lawsuit
A jury in a Florida wrongful death lawsuit found Domino’s Pizza liable for car accident that left a man paralyzed from the waist down and ultimately resulted in his death. After Richard Wiederhold, a Brevard County fire chief, was hit by a pizza delivery driver, he was left paralyzed, and his wife had to take […]