Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Serious Crash Follows Nightclub Altercation
Investigators believe that speed was the primary factor in a car wreck which occurred shortly after a shootout at an area nightclub. Several patrons exchanged gunfire just before closing time in a lounge parking lot on Cayuga Street. The shooters then sped away and headed down Interstate 275. Two of the three vehicles collided… Read More »
Legal Issues in Pedestrian Accidents
The first thing to understand about these incidents is that, in most cases, they are not accidents. People accidentally leave the water running. They do not accidentally run over pedestrians who are crossing the street. They also do not accidentally lose control of their vehicles, careen off the road, and strike pedestrians. Pedestrians usually… Read More »
Fireball Collision Kills Three People
Investigators believe that excessive speed was the primary factor in a Pasco County wreck which caused a vehicle to burst into flames. The accident happened in Hudson on Denton Drive. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a driver was operating “at a high rate of speed” and lost control of his vehicle. After it… Read More »
Rear-End Crashes: A Closer Look
Every year, vehicle collisions kill or seriously injure millions of Americans. A significant number of these wrecks are rear-end crashes. When a vehicle that’s moving almost at top speed smashes into a vehicle which is almost stationary, the injuries are usually very serious. Whiplash is a good example. In rear-end crashes, and other wrecks… Read More »
Dual Fatal Alcohol-Related Wreck in Tampa
A motorist admitted she was “tipsy” when she barreled across the center line and smashed into two oncoming vehicles. Investigators state that a 29-year-old woman from St. Petersburg was southbound on the Bayside Bridge when she crossed the median and crashed into a northbound vehicle and a northbound motorcycle. A passenger in that car… Read More »
Five Kinds of Nursing Home Neglect
Economics in general, and understaffing in particular, is the root of most nursing home neglect injuries. As many as 70 percent of Florida nursing homes are dangerously understaffed, mostly because the owners want to reduce expenses by reducing payroll. Furthermore, when nursing home workers leave, not all owners take the necessary steps to replace… Read More »
Teenager Dies in Sarasota Car Crash
Investigators believe that a driver lost control of his car immediately prior to a violent car wreck which killed one teenager and seriously injured three others. Shortly before 11 p.m., a 17-year-old driver lost control of his car near the intersection of University Parkway and Blithe Avenue in Sarasota. The car hit a culvert… Read More »
Insurance Company Defenses in Motorcycle Crash Claims
Every year, motorcycle crashes cost a staggering $16 billion. Medical bills and lost productivity (lost wages) account for most of these costs. The noneconomic losses these victims must deal with, such as pain and suffering, is almost impossible to calculate. Legal compensation is usually available for all these losses. To obtain fair compensation, a… Read More »
Distracted Driver Seriously Injures Five People
A driver’s over-reliance on a GPS navigation device caused a chain-reaction crash which sent several people to the hospital. According to police and witnesses, a woman was westbound over the Gandy Bridge as she looked at a navigation screen. So, she did not see three vehicles which were stopped in front of her. An… Read More »
Elderly Man Seriously Injured in Intersection Crash
An 83-year-old man who apparently pulled out in front of a pickup truck barely survived an intersection collision in Palm Harbor. The wreck occurred on U.S. Highway 19 near Curlew Road. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 83-year-old man, who was northbound, tried to make an unprotected left turn against traffic. When he… Read More »