Developments in Florida Personal Injury Law

Why Should My Insurance Company Pay My Medical Bills in a Car Accident?

One of the most asked questions when I am meeting with a new client who has been injured in an Orlando or Florida car accident is "Why should my insurance company pay for my medical bills when the accident was not my fault"? In the early 1970s, Florida decided to enact what is known as the Floria No-Fault law. In its simplest form, Florida's No-Fault law says that no matter who caused a car accident, if a person sustains personal injury in that car accident, the injured person must look to their...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 6/6/2011 Comments(0)

Hip Fracture Injuries May Increase Death Risk

I read an interesting article about fractured hips. Having represented a number of elderly clients over the years who sustained fractured hip injuries in supermarket and fast food restaurant falls, the research did not really surprise me. The premise and conclusion of the article is that, for older patients, the effects of a broken hip may persist for many years after the injury, and may increase the risk of death during that period. The study, first reported in Annals of Internal Medicine, Haen...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 11/17/2010 Comments(0)

The NFL Is Finally Serious About Head Injuries and So Should You!

For the 2010 season, the National Football League will be placing posters in team locker rooms warning players about head and brain injuries due to concussions. The poster will describe the symptoms of concussion and warn of their long term consequences involving head and brain injuries. This is a major step for the NFL. The NFL, as are other sports leagues in the USA and around the world, is finally recognizing the devastating effects head and brain injuries can have on players. Last December t...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 11/17/2010 Comments(0)

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words or Always Take Scene Pictures

Everyone has heard this old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. This old saying apparently had its beginning in the December 1921 as part of an advertising campaign. While it is almost a century old, the saying is still applicable today....maybe even more so than ever. We live in the era of the Internet and of TV and smartphones. We are now, and have been for some time, a visual species. We have shorter attention spans. We like to see demonstrations. Don't tell us, show us. The same ...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 7/31/2010 Comments(0)

Prescription Drug Dangers

I read an interesting article today about dangers with prescription drugs. Not dangerous in that the drug can hurt you in and of itself, but dangerous in that they can be very addictive and lead to overdoses and even death. On June 17, 2010, the CDC released a study click here to review the study showing that in 2008, emergency room visits for prescription drug overdoses matched the number of overdoses for illegal drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. The number of prescription drug related overdos...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 6/23/2010 Comments(0)

The Oil Spill - The Legal Perspective

The Oil Spill - The Legal Perspective Unfortunately, when the term "The Oil Spill" is mentioned today, we know all too well what the term refers to. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is likely one of the gravest ecological disasters of our lifetime. Many people will suffer severe damages, including the loss of their livelihoods. While some media sources, including the Orlando Sentinel, paint a picture that attorneys are swarming to solicit clients to file suit, in the wake of the BP oil spill,...

Read More
AnnMarie Jenkinson, Esquire 6/14/2010 Comments(0)

Car Accidents - What To Do If You Are In One

Being in a car accident can be a frightening experience. However, it is important for you to take certain steps to make sure your rights are protected. Insurance companies are businesses. They have to answer to shareholders about how much money they make every year. One of the ways they please the shareholders is to keep the payouts low on accident claims. It is for this reason that the insurance companies will do everything in their power to minimize the value of your personal injury claim. Our...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 6/14/2010 Comments(0)

The McDonald's Coffee Case - What Really Happened

There is a lot of misinformation floating around concerning the famous McDonald's coffee case. Most trial attorneys have encountered at least one prospective juror who has mentioned this case as an example of a frivolous lawsuit. A case, most believe, where a lady got millions of dollars for spilling coffee on herself while trying mix and drink her coffee while driving. These are not the actual facts of the case. Here is the accurate version of the facts of the case. Stella Liebeck of Albuquerqu...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 5/5/2010 Comments(0)

Should Florida Ban Texting While Driving?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are over 800,000 automobiles being operated by someone utilizing a hand-held cell phone or PDA at any moment during the day. It’s no wonder why 23 states, Guam and D.C. have passed anti-text messaging laws banning texting while driving. www.ghsa.org . You may ask where Florida stands on this very hot issue? Even though the federal government has been urging states to ban texting while driving, Florida has yet to pass su...

Read More
AnnMarie Jenkinson 5/5/2010 Comments(0)

A Sad Lesson in Child Safety

I read a sad case that tragically involved the death of an 11 year old girl who was killed while walking to her bus stop. It seems the young girl had been the brunt of teasing and bullying at her bus stop and on her bus. The girl's mother met with school officials and they agreed to assign her to a different bus and new bus stop. The child was required to to cross a busy street to get to the new stop. Sadly, the girl was killed when she was struck by a car while crossing the street to get to the...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 5/5/2010 Comments(0)

New Slip & Fall Law Signed by Governor Crist

On April 14, 2010, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed into law a new requirements for proving injury cases caused by slip & falls. This law adopts older Florida law that was developed by years of judicial decisions. Prior to this law, recent changes made it easier for injured persons to prove their cases. A person injured in an accident has the burden of proving the negligence of the person they alleged caused the injury. This new law provides that if a person slips and falls on a foreign...

Read More
Mark A. Risi 4/15/2010 Comments(0)