Uber and Lyft Auto Accidents- How are they different from other auto accidents?

Michael Damaso / 03-03-2020 / Auto Accidents

Ride sharing services have become a popular mode of transportation today. In fact, 36 percent of Americans surveyed by the Pew Research Center said they have used some type of rideshare service, such as Uber or Lyft. However, the role that they play in auto accident cases is still being determined. Liability is a bit […]

Michael Damaso / 12-18-2019 / Auto Accidents

Being involved in a car accident is a stressful event but dealing with insurance companies after the accident can be just as frustrating. Following the trauma of a serious car accident, a person is often in a state of emotional shock, and at the same time getting treatment for multiple injuries. Insurance companies will often […]

Michael Damaso / 11-12-2019 / Auto Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into the cause of Tesla fires due to a defect in the vehicles’ batteries. This investigation covers Model S and Model X Tesla vehicles that were manufactured between the years 2012 and 2019 and were sold in the United States. The term “investigation” is […]

Michael Damaso / 11-05-2019 / Auto Accidents

Central Florida’s interstates, roads and highways are some of the most dangerous in country. Approximately 395,000 car accidents happen on Florida roads every year, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. I-4 has been named as the most dangerous interstate in the country, based on fatalities per mile. According to MetroPlan Orlando, the following intersections […]

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Michael Damaso / 10-14-2019 / Auto Accidents

Florida drivers should not be surprised if they see driverless vehicles out and about on the roads. A new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis will make it possible for self-driving vehicles to operate without a human at the wheel. The law took effect on July 1, 2019, and it allows self-driving vehicles without a […]

Thomas Dennis / 07-13-2018 / Auto Accidents

If you said “smaller is more dangerous,” you may be on the right track. According to AutoGuide, cars like the Hyundai Accent and the Kia Rio, both small sedan style cars, are the most unsafe cars in the US for 2018. However, there is a safe zone in average sized cars and then the […]

Thomas Dennis / 06-04-2018 / Auto Accidents

Florida Car Accidents: Is anyone at fault or was it the rain? The roads in Orlando get flooded in more ways than one during the summer months. According to the National Climatic Data Center, for the months of June to August, the average rainfall in Florida is more than seven inches per month, making […]

Thomas Dennis / 06-04-2018 / Auto Accidents

Summer is the most dangerous time to be out on the road. The automobile and educational group, AAA, calls the days of summer, starting from Memorial Day, the 100 deadliest days. From 2011 to 2016, over 1,000 people died at the hands of teenage drivers in the 100 days following Memorial Day. That’s about […]

Michael Damaso / 05-04-2018 / Auto Accidents

According to the Florida DMV, there are more than 200,000 car crashes in Florida annually. That’s more than 500 accidents per day. While I-4 is the shortest of the major highways in Florida, the East Central Florida Planning Council found that the section from Daytona to Orlando has the highest percentage of accidents occurring and […]

Doug / 07-14-2015 / Auto Accidents

The ongoing recall of Takata Airbags is back in the news again after more vehicles have been added to the recall effort. According to Automotive News, this past Friday, June 10, 2015, the 2008-2010 Dodge Challenger is now being added to the list of recalled vehicles. The Challenger is being recalled to repair the diver’s […]

Doug / 06-02-2015 / Auto Accidents

In a public-private partnership with GEICO, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) unveiled a new campaign to help curb the problem of distracted driving on Florida’s roadways. Sixty four different “Safe Phone Zones” were designated on various roadways throughout Florida. A map of all of the “Safe Phone Zones” throughout Florida can be found online […]

Doug / 04-07-2015 / Auto Accidents

Attorney Nicholas Primrose Presents for End Distracted Driving Organization at Local High School On Tuesday, April 7, 2015, our attorney, Nicholas Primrose, traveled to Winter Springs High School to present to students about Distracted Driving as part of the Florida Justice Association and End Distracted Driving organization’s “Student Awareness Initiative.” End Distracted Driving is an […]

Doug / 03-26-2015 / Auto Accidents

If you have a teen driver in the home and haven’t seen this video from AAA, then stop everything and watch it right now. Then, go get your teen driver and have them watch it as well. AAA recently released this video along with a report on the latest trends in teen driving and accidents […]

Doug / 02-25-2015 / Auto Accidents

In the State of Florida drivers are required to stop and remain stopped until pedestrians cross at crosswalks, but unfortunately the failure of drivers to properly yield to pedestrians is responsible for 20% of all pedestrian deaths and injuries in the Orlando area. Of the incidents resulting in injury or death, 35% occur within marked […]

Doug / 02-13-2015 / Auto Accidents

Bob Simon, CBS New correspondent, was killed in a car accident in New York City on February 11, 2015. He had become well known for his work on 60 minutes, as well as his international reporting throughout his career. Members of the newscast world, from Scott Pelley of CBS to Anderson Cooper of CNN, have […]

Doug / 02-11-2015 / Auto Accidents

Whether you are a tourist on vacation or a Floridian on the way to work, a new study encourages you to remain cautious on the roads. The personal finance website, WalletHub.com, has released the results of a study, which analyzed several risk factors, such as minimum auto insurance coverage requirements and percentage of uninsured drivers, […]

Doug / 10-07-2014 / Auto Accidents

Nearly 2 million people in the United States live with the loss of a limb. Of those 2 million people approximately 45% represent individuals who lost a limb* due to some sort of trauma, while 54% represent amputations due to vascular diseases, such as diabetes. Traumatic amputations usually are a result of factory, farm or […]

Doug / 10-01-2014 / Auto Accidents

Immediately following an accident victims are often faced with the need for medical care, expenses incurred as a result of medical care, wage loss, and injuries that can be long lasting or permanent. Regardless of the accident or incident which caused the injuries, often the Plaintiff is stuck with expenses and required to live with […]

Doug / 09-23-2014 / Auto Accidents

For many years the relationship between age and driving behavior has interested safety researchers and administrators. Generally it is common knowledge that there are higher risks associated with teenage drivers. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teenage deaths across the United States. Citation rates for 16 year olds is 1.8 times higher than drivers […]

Doug / 09-18-2014 / Auto Accidents

Following almost a decade of problems, which led to at least 13 fatal accidents, an internal probe has failed to find any evidence of intentional cover up of the ignition-switch issues that have resulted in massive recall. Although the investigation uncovered no cover up, it did reveal “a pattern of incompetence and neglect”. GM failed […]

Doug / 09-17-2014 / Auto Accidents

All of the schools throughout Central Florida are back in session. Everyday hundreds of thousands of children are waiting for buses, walking on our sidewalks, and crossing streets. Not to mention there is a whole new batch of teenage drivers getting ready to get behind the wheel. The importance of safe driving is heightened during […]

Doug / 08-19-2014 / Auto Accidents

The dangers of texting and driving are widespread knowledge, yet unfortunately many drivers on the road today continue to text while driving. Aside from the catastrophic injuries that texting and driving can cause, one Florida driver is seeing the side-effects in a $4.3 million judgment. Cacilia Carter from Bunnell, Florida was a passenger in a […]

Doug / 06-17-2014 / Auto Accidents

One of the most important things to consumers when they are looking to purchase a vehicle is safety. Car owners want the security of knowing that should they be involved in a collision the vehicle they are in is going to provide protection from serious bodily injuries and possibly death. Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing […]

Doug / 06-12-2014 / Attorney

Over the weekend, the country woke to news that famed comedian, star of NBC’s 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan, along with a handful of others, were involved in a deadly multi-vehicle collision on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to authorities, the accident was caused when a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer crashed into a limousine bus carrying Mr. Morgan and […]

Doug / 05-30-2014 / Auto Accidents

In July 2011, two teenage cousins, Tanner Olsen and Trevor Olsen, were killed as a result of a head-on crash, in which a passenger in the other vehicle passed away as well. Survivors of the cousins brought suit against Hyundai, alleging that the collision was the result of a defect in the vehicle’s steering. It […]

Doug / 05-27-2014 / Auto Accidents

With Memorial Day marking the unofficial start to the summer, millions of people are making their way to Florida’s beaches to cool off and enjoy the sun. This past Memorial Day Weekend saw an overwhelming amount of individuals and crowds of people. Every year we’re faced with stories of tragic injuries caused by inattentive drivers […]

Doug / 05-20-2014 / Auto Accidents

The National Complete Streets Coalition released its latest report on Tuesday naming Orlando as the most dangerous metro area for pedestrians. Tampa, Jacksonville, and South Florida follow right behind, with Memphis closing out the Top 5. This map shows the number of fatalities due to vehicle/pedestrian accidents within Central Florida from 2003-2012. The Orlando-Kissimmee area […]

Doug / 05-15-2014 / Auto Accidents

The first sentence in the ABC News story should send chills to everyone who drives, “because of a badly flawed and archaic government recall system, millions of potentially dangerous recalled tires remain on the roads, on store shelves for sale, or simply unaccounted for.” In fact, the problem is so severe and the potential risk […]

Doug / 04-30-2014 / Auto Accidents

Ford motor Company (Ford) is recalling vehicles due to a manufacturing defects resulting in the seatbacks being insufficient to meet the requirements set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, “Seating Systems”. The affected vehicles include certain 2013-2014 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles manufactured August through September 2013, 2013-2014 Ford Escape […]

Doug / 04-15-2014 / Auto Accidents

Toyota has discovered a defect in certain model year vehicles including the 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris,2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla Matrix and General Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The defect which the company has discovered is that due to the shape and location of the FFC’s retainer (Flexible Flat Cable), a portion of the electrical connections […]

Doug / 04-10-2014 / Auto Accidents

In 2011, Mazda recalled 52,000 6 sedans of 2009-2010 vintage due to Yellow Sac Spiders having gotten into the fuel tank and weaved webs in the fuel tank vent lines, which caused the tanks to crack and leak. Yet again Mazda is faced with the same issue forcing it to recall certain model year 2010-2012 […]

Doug / 04-07-2014 / Auto Accidents

Recently, General Motors has made numerous headlines regarding the recall of the ignition switch in several of its vehicles. But General Motors is not the only American car manufacturer recalling defects in its automobiles. Chrysler announced the recall of all 2011-2014 Dodge Durangos and Jeep Grand Cherokees after concerns arose regarding brake failures. According to […]

Doug / 03-31-2014 / Auto Accidents

Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues a regulation requiring all vehicles to have rear-view visibility (i.e. backup cameras). This rule will apply to all vehicles under 10,000 pounds and must be accomplished by May 2018. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx released this statement with the ruling, “safety is our highest priority, and […]

Doug / 03-28-2014 / Auto Accidents

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. These types of distractions include: texting, using a cell phone or smart phone, talking to passengers, reading (including maps), using a navigation system, watching a video, or adjusting a radio, CD player, MP3 player, etc. (Distraction.gov). However, […]

Doug / 03-27-2014 / Auto Accidents

The SunRail trains are warming up and getting ready for their May debut across Central Florida, but faulty railroad crossing arms may lead to more injuries. So far, SunRail trains cross streets at 127 different locations, each one being another point for a dangerous collision. WESH investigated these crossing and uncovered that the SunRail crossings […]

Doug / 03-24-2014 / Auto Accidents

Last week, a man in Orlando was hit and killed while crossing Colonial Drive near John Young Parkway. WESH reported that the crash happened just past midnight and it does not appear initially that the driver was at fault. According to the report, 50 pedestrians were killed by cars last year in the metro Orlando […]

Doug / 03-21-2014 / Auto Accidents

General Motors has issued three new recalls, in addition to its previous recall of 1.6 million small vehicles due to defective ignition switches. The three latest recalls involve: Approximately 303,000 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana from the model years 2009-2014 in order to correct the material on the instrument panel to conform with federal standards […]

Doug / 03-06-2014 / Auto Accidents

The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority has taken a stance against wrong-way driving and hopes to end the issue on major toll roads. By investing in a study that will show the frequency of wrong-way driving instances, the authority will use the data collected to devise a plan to prevent its continuance. Haitham Al-Deek, an engineering […]

Doug / 02-17-2014 / Auto Accidents

Ford Motor Company has launched a recall of steering gears installed on model year 2011-2012 Explorers, which were service parts in September 2013 and January 2014. The gears that were installed may lock, preventing the driver from properly steering the vehicle. The defective steering components cause an increased chance of crash. “It is important to […]

Doug / 02-06-2014 / Auto Accidents

Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. (Roadtrek) has recalled certain model year 2013-2014 RSCM Motorhomes manufactured between February 2013 and December 2013 on Mercedes Sprinter van chassis. The manufacturer has acknowledged that during installation of the coolant lines, the front right brake line may have been unseated from the holder, which would allow the line to make contact […]

Doug / 01-27-2014 / Auto Accidents

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) will be launching a recall of its 2014 Acura RLX vehicles that were manufactured between August of 2012 and November of 2013. The reason for the recall is suspension failure. The company has become aware that during transportation to dealerships the bolts attached to the rear lower control arms to […]

Doug / 01-24-2014 / Auto Accidents

The Ford Escape is one of Ford’s most popular selling vehicles, but appears to be one of its most troubled as of late 2013. The company has recalled the 2013 Ford Escape due to problem that have cause a reported 13 engine fires. Ford officials have released a statement that a “misinstalled fuel line could […]

Doug / 01-23-2014 / Auto Accidents

Combi USA, Inc. (Combi) has acknowledged a defect affecting potentially 33,139 units of child restraints it manufactured between January 2007 and December of 2012. The defect affects model 8220 (Coccoro) and model 8836 (Zeus 360). The child restraints are anticipated to be recalled due to the harness webbing failing to meet minimum breaking strength requirements, […]

Doug / 11-27-2013 / Auto Accidents

Today is one of the biggest travel days of the year, and with a huge storm system running down the East Coast, it stands to be one of the more dangerous travel days of the past several years. Here are some tips to make sure you have a safe trip, if you’re the one traveling […]

Doug / 11-11-2013 / Auto Accidents

Two deaths were the result of a wreck on Florida’s Turnpike yesterday. This is just the latest reminder of just how dangerous it can be to drive in Florida this weekend. While we do not know what caused the driver of the vehicle to lose control and roll his truck over the median, we do […]

Doug / 10-23-2013 / Auto Accidents

With seemingly no exception, teens are worse drivers than adults. The accident and death rates of young people ages 15-24 is 14% higher than that of other drivers. Teens and young drivers are more likely to misjudge dangerous driving conditions, drive with distractions, and cause accidents than any other sector of drivers. Are you teaching […]

Doug / 10-16-2013 / Auto Accidents

There has been an increased focus on distracted driving lately. The is mostly due to the fact that more and more accidents being caused, or likely caused do to distracted driving. With all the toys and distractions available to us in our vehicles, and in the case of cell phones, in our pockets, this is […]

Doug / 10-11-2013 / Auto Accidents

Toyota has recalled Sienna minivans made in 2004, 2005, and 2007 through 2009 model years. The Toyota Sienna is the second-best-selling minivan in the United States market. A defect has been discovered inside the shift lever allowing a mechanism to break resulting in the vans shifting out of park without change in pressure to the […]

Doug / 10-11-2013 / Auto Accidents

As of October 1st, 2013, Florida has joined the majority of states in prohibiting texting while driving. In South Florida, Governor Rick Scott signed SB 52, legislation championed by Senator Nancy Detert for the past several years. In 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cell phone use. Over a million crashes a year […]

Doug / 09-16-2013 / Auto Accidents

In the United States, every day, nearly 30 people die in motor vehicle crashes that involve alcohol-impaired drivers. With higher statistics in other countries there are over 51 million deaths annually due to drunk or impaired driving. In 2010, 1/3rd of vehicle crash fatalities were the result of alcohol related crashes. 17% of traffic accidents […]