Automobile Accidents | InjuryBoard Sarasota

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has suspended the license of Allstate Insurance Company from selling new auto insurance policies in the state of Florida because of their relationship with rating organizations such as AM Best and Hurricane modeling companies and industry trade groups. This is an unprecedented move in Florida and sends a clear warning to other auto insurance companies...

A combination of dense fog and a wildfire from a controlled burn led to a 50 car crash on I-4 near Lakeland, Florida early this morning. There have been 3 reported deaths and a slew of injuries. As I mentioned in my tampabay.injuryboard.com blog, I wonder why the highway was not closed if the weather was so inclement that visibility was zero. For more information on this subject, please refer...

It took a few months but Nick Bollea, 17 year old son of former wrestler Hulk Hogan, has been charged with felony reckless driving causing serious bodily injury. Toxicology reports show that Bollea was drinking during the day of the accident. However, tests showed that the level of alcohol in his blood was half that in which he'd be considered impaired. He will face a charge of underage...

Halloween proved fatal for two Manatee residents who crashed through a fence and into a shallow pond during the evening. Witnesses spotted two teenaged girls fleeing the scene. Police are looking for them as this blog post is being written.For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

In a last minute change, PIP has been added to the agenda for this week's special session of the Florida Legislature. The law had expired October 1, but Governor Charlie Crist has added the item to the agenda. The law, which took effect in 1971, required drivers to purchase insurance to cover his or her own medical costs regardless of who is at fault in the car accident. Opponents of the no...

The Florida no fault auto insurance law expired yesterday after the Florida Legislature did not renew the law this year. As of yesterday, Florida no fault personal injury protection insurance is not required anymore. This insurance required that persons injured in auto accidents make a claim against their own auto insurance for the first $10,000 of medical bills or wages even if a careless...

An overnight crash in Sarasota near the Bee Ridge Road exit on Interstate 75 has claimed the lives of two adults. I-75 northbound was closed for hours as a result of the 12 car accident which included a tractor trailer truck. The truck was driving northbound at approximately 12:30am and had its cruise control on and set at 70 m.p.h. when the crash occurred. According to the tractor trailer...

By 2012, new automobiles will be required to have anti-rollover technology installed in their vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to industry analysts, the new technology will save thousands of lives annually as well as reduce healthcare costs. Ford Motor Co. said earlier this week that it would put stability control on its entire lineup by the...

It's bad enough the company has been accused of manufacturing defective tires that have led to serious injury and fatalities. It's quite another when that same company uses deceptive practices to hide such information to protect itself from a lawsuit. According to an article published in the St. Petersburg TimesAt least 21 lawsuits involving 12 deaths have been filed against Cooper Tire in...

Summertime is usually a period when families go on vacation, kids are out of school, and adults re-charge their worn batteries. Yet, it can also be a time when accidents happen. As more people take to the streets and highways, be careful for kids playing in nearby yards and parks. As the rains fall in the afternoon, be wary of slippery roads while operating your vehicle. Keep the summer a...

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1/3 of all fatal car crashes could be avoided and rollovers could be reduced by 80% if more cars were equipped with electric stability control. ESC brakes individual wheels automatically to keep the vehicle under control.When a driver makes a sudden emergency maneuver or, for example, enters a curve too fast, the vehicle may spin out of...

Today's St. Petersburg Times featured a provocative editorial concerning the repeal of the motorcycle helmet law by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2000. Since that repeal, motorcycle deaths in Florida have soared. The paper's editorial points out that if people choose to act foolishly, they should pay more in insurance so that the average taxpayer isn't saddled with the consequences of such foolishness. ...

If you've been involved in an auto accident, you know the sad truth. Your auto insurance company doesn't always act "like a good neighbor". The truth is that the auto insurance company is often too busy trying to deny your claim or minimize the amount of money they pay you to actually assist you with your claim. Just this past legislative session, the insurance lobby spent countless millions...

Auto accidents can cause injuries to all parts of the body. Yet, the most significant injury usually results when the brain is traumatized as a result of the car crash impact. Symptoms of such head injuries include loss of vision, loss of cognitive ability, hearing loss, alteration of smell and taste, and endocrine/glandular dysfunction. Especially in cases of moderate and severe brain...

There is a disturbing trend that affects millions of Americans who've been injured in an auto accident. Their own insurance companies are pushing them to resolve their claims without speaking with an attorney. In most instances, this is an injustice to the auto accident victim. The whole purpose of auto insurance is to protect the injured in the event of an accident. That's why we pay those...