Articles Tagged with personal injury attorney

A new government audit points the finger at Medicare for failure to enforce federal law requiring immediate law enforcement notification of any sexual or physical abuse against nursing home residents. 

The Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General put forth an early alert on preliminary data on the issue, based on sizable samples from cases in 33 states. Just based on those results, the IG reports, there is a pressing and immediate need for rapid corrective action.

The IG is responsible for investigating abuse, waste and fraud within the health care system. This audit was part of a much larger investigation that is ongoing, so we can expect to hear more once researchers conclude their analysis.  Continue reading

The criminal and civil justice systems are separate and serve very different functions. While the criminal justice system seeks enforcement of our laws and ordinances, civil liability exists to allow individuals, families and businesses to be compensated for civil wrongdoings. In addition to serving different purposes, they also hold different proof burdens.

This is why a person can be deemed liable in civil court, even if they’ve been found not guilty in criminal court.

Recently, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that there must be separate determinations for immunity in civil Stand Your Ground self-defense cases and criminal Stand Your Ground self-defense cases. In other words, a finding of immunity in one does not automatically confer to the other. This settled the matter after several Florida appellate courts had reached different conclusions on this issue. Continue reading

Many personal injury lawsuits involve not just individuals, but also businesses. In fact, employers may be vicariously liable for the negligent actions of employees acting in the course and scope of employment. However, a recent decision by the state high court in Nevada held that individual members of a limited liability company cannot be held liable for the actions of a larger corporation just by virtue of being a member.

The decision does not directly impact Florida claimants, but state supreme courts often look to sister courts when considering similar legal matters, so it warrants review.

According to court records, plaintiffs filed their personal injury lawsuit after their son nearly drowned – suffering severe and lasting injuries – while at a wave pool at a water park. Plaintiffs alleged the water park and member LLCs contributed to their son’s injuries because the park failed to properly staff enough life guards. Continue reading

Landlords of residential properties – like most all property owners – have a responsibility to ensure their site is in reasonably safe condition for both tenants and visitors.

F.S. 83.51 requires that landlords to comply with all applicable building, housing and health codes and make sure all exterior walls, foundations, steps, porches, floors, doors and windows. Plumbing has to be in usable, workable condition, screens have to be in reasonable condition and they must also provide locks and keys and make sure common areas are kept in a safe, clean condition.

When they fail in their duty, they may be held liable for resulting injuries. The only real exception would be if a tenant is harmed by conditions created or caused by tenant’s own negligence or wrongful act or by the negligent/ wrongful act of the tenant’s family or other person on site with tenant’s consent.  Continue reading

Approximately 15 million Americans have food allergies, according to Food Allergy Research & Education, Inc., which further notes this potentially deadly condition affects 1 in 13 children under 18 (or two in every classroom). Approximately 90 percent of these allergies stem from milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish. Every three minutes, someone is rushed to an emergency department due to a food allergy reaction.

Food manufacturers, processors and distributors (including grocers, restaurants and schools) may be liable for a patron or consumer’s allergic reaction to food in a variety of circumstances. It’s not expected that these providers will be able to protect consumers from all harm. In general, in order to prove these entities were negligent, the plaintiff will have to show the manufacturer/ business breached a duty of care that caused the customer damage. There is no recognized duty that requires exclusion of all allergens in food products or to shield all consumers from potential allergic reactions.

That said, manufacturers, restaurants and other distributors may have a duty to warn customers about allergens, per the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. It’s the duty of a food allergic consumer (and/ or the parents) to avoid those allergens. However, providers need to list the common name of major food allergens in their listed ingredients (i.e., “whey” needs to be listed as “milk” or “lecithin” as “soy”). Alternatively, companies can indicate the product “contains” or “may contain” certain potentially allergic ingredients, which must be listed. Those companies that don’t label major allergens or do so inadequately can have their products subject to recall, and could be liable if someone suffers a severe reaction as a result of relying on that inadequate label or incorrect label. Continue reading

Almost every parent views their very top priority to be keeping their children safe. This is especially true in their first few years of life.

But now a new study published in the journal Pediatrics reveals a child under the age of three is injured every eight minutes in the U.S. due to accidents stemming from products. Researchers gleaned information from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System from 1991 through 2011. Over this 21-year period, there was initially a substantial drop in injuries of about 34 percent from 1991 to 2003, attributed largely to the sharp drop in baby walker/ jumper/ exerciser injuries. A number of these products were taken off the shelves and parents began to learn more about the dangers. However, this period of declining child product injuries was followed by a dramatic upswing from 2003 to 2011 of 24 percent. Most of these new cases were classified as closed head injuries and concussions.

In trying to determine the most dangerous products that require closer attention, researchers found the products that caused the most problems for young children to be:

• Baby carriers – 20 percent
• Cribs and mattresses – 19 percent
• Strollers and carriages – 17 percent
• Baby walkers/ jumpers/ exercisers – 16 percent

Continue reading

A slip-and-fall injury lawsuit out of Kentucky has just made its second trip to the state supreme court, with justices ruling the appeals court failed to consider the state’s “recent attempts to modernize” the open and obvious doctrine. Specifically, the state high court has issued a series of rulings in recent years that align with a newer philosophy on the doctrine that considers comparative negligence. 

The case is illustrative of the fact that the law, while often viewed as concrete and unyielding, is actually fluid and constantly evolving. Your personal injury attorney must be abreast of all these developments. And while the Kentucky Supreme Court decision doesn’t directly impact those in Florida, it’s important to note that state high courts often review the decisions of their sister courts when considering similar issues.

To understand this ruling, we must first outline the two key legal theories at issue: The Open and Obvious Doctrine and Comparative Negligence.  Continue reading