South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Hit by a Car While Walking in Florida?

Published on: November 12, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

A pedestrian is in danger when walking near any moving vehicles – cars, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, and even bicycles and skateboards. Anything that’s moving faster than you are has a risk of hurting you if you collide, and the faster and bigger the object, the greater damage that it can inflict.

Unfortunately, Florida ranks as the second most dangerous state for pedestrians, with 3.32 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people as of 2023. The most dangerous city for pedestrians is also in Florida – Fort Lauderdale, with an incredible rate of 8.1 annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents. These numbers do not take into account the many thousands of pedestrians seriously injured every year.

Interestingly, in Florida, pedestrians include not only walkers and runners, but also bicyclists, skateboarders, roller skaters, and Segway riders. So if you are injured in a collision with someone traveling in this manner, the accident would be considered between two pedestrians. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be seriously injured. And if a bicyclist is hit by a car, according to Florida law, the automobile driver hit a pedestrian.

Why Call Police after an Accident in Florida

Published on: October 26, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you are involved in an automobile accident in Florida, call 911 right away. A 911 call will automatically record that an accident occurred, will dispatch the police, and will allow you to request medical assistance. Florida law states that drivers are required to contact the police as soon as possible after an accident when:

there is bodily injury or death
the accident involved an intoxicated driver or a hit-and-run

Mounjaro Lawsuits

Published on: October 18, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Mounjaro, manufactured by Eli Lilly and Co., is an injectable prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mounjaro received FDA approval in May of 2022.

Mounjaro is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, like Ozempic, which is produced by Novo Nordisk. In addition, Mounjaro also activates glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), a hormone that helps release insulin after consumption.

Eli Lilly claims on the Mounjaro website that studies showed 3 out of 4 people reached an A1C under 7%, from an average starting at 7.9% to 8.6%.

Ozempic Lawsuits in Florida

Published on: October 1, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Ozempic is a prescription drug designed for treating type 2 diabetes. It is also being used off-label for weight loss. Like all pharmaceuticals, Ozempic has a list of side effects, but some people are now suing Ozempic for serious injury not listed as a potential risk. If you have taken Ozempic and believe it has adversely impacted you, please call our office to discuss the details.

About Ozempic

Ozempic is made by Novo Nordisk, a Danish company that was founded 100 years ago to make the newly-discovered drug, insulin, for patients with diabetes. Ozempic, the brand name for semaglutide, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog that received FDA approval on December 5, 2017.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Published on: September 25, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Over 12,500 spinal cord injuries occur in the U.S. every year, which can cause lifelong pain and disability for the victims. Car accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries, with falls being the second leading cause. Motorcycle accidents and bicycle accidents are also among the top causes, along with diving injuries, medical and surgical complications, pedestrian injuries, falling objects, and extreme sports.

Florida is number one in the country for fabulous attractions, water sports, and other pastimes, some of which can lead to injuries. Unfortunately, we also lead the country in car accidents, primarily because we have so many visitors to our Sunshine State who may not know the area or may be distracted as they look for their destination.

If you have been injured in Florida, seek medical help immediately. If you believe the injury was due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before making a statement to any insurer or signing any agreements. As a native Floridian and experienced personal injury attorney, I am committed to helping injured people receive fair compensation for all they have suffered due to the negligence of others.

How to Prepare For Your Personal Injury Lawsuit

Published on: September 17, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you believe you have been seriously injured by someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation for your pain, suffering, and medical costs. In Florida, personal injury lawsuits are often filed due to vehicle accidents, slip and falls, faulty products, watersports accidents, and dangers in places such as parks, stores, rental units, or entertainment venues.

As a personal injury lawyer and life-long resident of Florida, I am committed to helping Florida residents receive fair compensation to help them cope with the injuries sustained by someone else’s negligence.

First steps when injured

Medical Release for the Other Insurance Company

Published on: September 8, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

If you’ve been involved in any kind of accident in Florida, whether it was a car accident or other vehicular accident, a slip and fall, or any other accidental injury caused by someone else’s negligence, your insurance company and the other party’s insurance company will try to get your medical records. Do not sign a medical release form without first talking to our team, or you may be signing away your chances for a fair settlement.

Insurers may try to say that such medical release forms are routine. They may be routine for them, but they can be extremely detrimental to the injured party. Why? Because a medical release form will give the insurance company access to all your medical records, which they can and will use against you to limit or completely annihilate your claim.

How does that work?

Airbag Recalls: Toyota, Lexus, and More

Published on: August 25, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Airbags are a tremendous development in automobile safety, saving untold lives every year. But when they don’t work properly, the passengers and drivers are not protected, and the defective airbags themselves can, in fact, cause harm. It’s important to check your manufacturer’s recalls to determine if your car is safe. If you have already been injured by faulty airbags and you are a resident of Florida, I may be able to help you receive the compensation you deserve for their negligence.

2023 Toyota and Lexus airbag recall

The most recent recall, July 2023, is the recall of over 110,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles to repair faulty wiring in the steering column. Apparently, an electrical connection was not welded properly at the factory. The cable within the column could detach, disabling the driver-side airbag and causing the airbag light to be illumined.

When Doctors Don’t Listen: Medical Gaslighting

Published on: August 15, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Medical gaslighting can be the cause of medical malpractice when it causes harm to a patient. The term “gaslight” is based on the 1944 film noir of the same name. In Gaslight, a husband with sights on his wife’s fortune began to convince her that she was going crazy by turning down the gaslight (among other things) and denying it had happened. “Gaslighting” came to refer to the deliberate attempt to influence another’s perception of reality, deny the person’s experiences, and convince the victim that everything is the victim’s own fault or all in his or her head.

The use of the term has since broadened to refer to unintentional, dismissive, or arrogant behavior that has the same effect, leaving the victim confused, distressed, and filled with self-doubt. In the case of medical gaslighting, it can also leave the victim with a serious medical condition that worsens because of being dismissed by a medical professional.

Most of us defer to the perceived superior knowledge of a healthcare professional and can easily be convinced that what we feel is normal, or that we are exaggerating our symptoms. The doctor doesn’t necessarily have to say this; a careless attitude when the patient explains his symptoms can cause the patient to think it’s not really a big deal, even though it really feels like a big deal to the patient.

What Is Medical Negligence?

Published on: July 25, 2023 | Anthony Quackenbush, Esq.

Medical negligence and medical malpractice have different definitions, but both can lead to injuries that may alter your life. If you have experienced an injury caused by a medical provider, a medical procedure, or a medical device in Florida, contact an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical malpractice includes injuries and further illness caused by the failure to diagnose and incorrect diagnosis as well as medical professionals failing to follow standards of care.

As a Florida personal injury lawyer, I am committed to helping Florida residents throughout the state receive just and fair compensation to help them cope with the injuries they have sustained through someone else’s negligence.