Hit and Run Accident on Interstate I-195

A story in the news recently brought home how reckless and irresponsible some Florida drivers can be. At approximately 1AM on a Friday morning, an unidentified driver struck a pedestrian in the eastbound lanes of I-195 near North Miami Avenue, and then kept going, leaving the victim in the middle of the road. It is possible that inclement weather may have played a role in the accident, but due to the lack of witness accounts and the driver leaving the scene, the cause is unclear.

Although the Highway Patrol is actively searching for the driver – seeking a vehicle with extensive damage to the front end and possibly a broken headlight – no witnesses were able to give a description of the hit-and-run vehicle, so they do not have any identifying information such as make, model, year, or even color. FHP is requesting that anyone with a possible lead call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers (305-471-TIPS).

Leaving the Scene of a Car Accident

In the case of any Florida vehicle accident, all drivers involved are required by law to remain at the scene to render aid if possible, as well as exchange insurance information, await the arrival of the police, and generally take responsibility for their actions – even in the case of a single-car accident not causing harm to another person. The penalties for leaving the scene can be severe. Unfortunately, all too many times drivers leave the scene of an accident for a variety of reasons: because they are intoxicated, uninsured, not licensed, driving someone else’s vehicle (borrowed or stolen), or know that they have outstanding warrants, for example.

FHP reports that hit-and-run accidents are on the rise in our state, with Miami-Dade and Broward Counties ranking first and second in number of hit-and-runs. Florida roads and highways are the scene of over ten percent of all pedestrian accidents in the US, and a startling number of these are hit-and-run cases. Personal injury and/or wrongful death often result from such accidents, and receiving compensation for such a devastating incident can be difficult, especially if the at-fault party left the scene immediately without taking responsibility for his or her actions. As an injured person or a surviving family member, you do have legal rights to compensation, from the responsible party and/or insurance companies of those involved. If you can identify the driver who hit you, you can sue for compensation for your injuries, as well as medical bills and lost wages.
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Wrong Way Car Accident Takes Lives of Two Girls on Sawgrass Expressway

Recently, a tragic story hit the news in Florida about two young Coral Springs women who were killed on the Sawgrass Expressway due to someone else’s negligent driving. Marisa Caran Catronio, the passenger in a 2012 Camry, died at the scene of the head-on collision that occurred when another driver entered the westbound Expressway lanes headed the wrong direction. The Camry’s driver Kaitlyn Nicole Ferrante died four days later.

21-year-old Marisa and her best friend Kaitlyn (20) were driving home from a night out at around 1:45 on a Sunday morning, when a Hyundai Sonata going the wrong way on the Sawgrass hit them head on, killing Marisa at the scene and sending Kaitlyn to the hospital, where she remained on life support for four days until finally succumbing to severe head injuries. The driver of the other car survived the crash with serious injuries.

The heartbreaking story of two best friends killed in a collision went viral when it was found that the driver of the Sonata that hit them was allegedly a self-professed recreational marijuana user who often drank to excess. A Twitter account believed to be that of the driver showed multiple posts about drug use and getting drunk – including the message “2 drunk 2 care” which was posted just hours before the collision that took the two girls’ lives. Police are including the Twitter account in their ongoing investigation into the crash, but so far charges have not been filed in the deaths.

Although drugs and/or alcohol may have had a part in this tragedy, Marisa’s father Gary Catronio says that safety measures are needed to keep other drivers from entering the wrong side of the highway in the future. Mr. Catronio hopes to launch a campaign in his daughter’s memory to get onramps equipped with flashing warning signals or even spike strips to prevent accidents like the one that killed his daughter.

The NHTSA reports that an average of 350 people die each year in wrong-way freeway crashes, with drunk driving identified as one of the main culprits. Other lapses in judgment may also be a partial cause – talking on a cell phone, texting, eating, drinking, changing music or falling asleep at the wheel. Missing or ineffective signage may also contribute to the danger of head-on collisions such as this one.
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Is Jackson North Medical Center Covering Up a Fatal Accident?

Woman dies after dose of medicine she was allergic to

Leonor Parede was taken to Jackson North Medical Center after complaining of symptoms related to high blood pressure. Relatives are saying that Parede told the paramedics she was allergic to penicillin while they were on the way to the hospital. The family is also claiming she informed the staff about her allergies when she arrived at the hospital.

Once Parede was checked by doctors, they informed the family that she needed antibiotics. The doctors then went ahead and gave her the medication. Shortly after she received the medication, Parede had a severe reaction. Family members say she was sweating profusely, appeared flushed and was burning up. When Parede’s son alerted the doctor that she was allergic to penicillin; the doctor’s surprise reaction made it very clear that a mistake had been made.

Once the bad reaction passed, the doctors went ahead and administered more medication. This time, the reaction seemed even worse. It began with Parede screaming for help, then her blood pressure dropping all the way down to 36. It seems that despite informing multiple people about her allergies, Parede was given penicillin.

Hospital mistake may have resulted in death

The family did their part and told the paramedics and staff about the victim’s allergy. While the woman was at Jackson North Medical Center, she experienced multiple bad reactions – including convulsions after the second dosage of medication. Family members stood by as they watched the woman progressively get worse. Her blood pressure and pulse were dropping and family members were rushing to get doctors. Many believe that the woman was already dead and yet hospital staff members waited hours to give them the bad news.

Once they were given the news of their loved one dying, the family told the staff not to move the body. Unfortunately, the family found out later that the hospital had moved the body the following evening to the coroner’s office and were already performing the autopsy.

Now, the family wants answers. They cannot understand why the hospital allowed the woman to die when they were notified of the penicillin allergies from the very beginning. It seems as though multiple things went wrong, starting with the paramedics possibly not making note of the allergies when they were first informed.
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Slip and Fall Accidents in Walmart

Walmart stores are known for their “Big Box” status – similar to Sam’s Club, Costco, or Home Depot. 24 hours a day, Walmart shoppers can find almost anything, from fast food and groceries to auto parts, electronics, and even garden equipment. Not all of these big box stores are perfectly maintained, and the mix of all of those different retail goods and services under one giant roof can lead to hazardous conditions where customers or employees can have a dangerous slip and fall accident.

Retailers of any size are required by law to maintain their stores and parking lots in clean and safe conditions to protect their employees and the public from injury or death. Walmart stores are immense and open 24 hours a day. This makes maintenance a challenge and also costs money and employee time. When management is negligent by not remaining aware of maintenance issues – or purposely cuts corners to save money – slip and fall accidents are more likely to occur.

A slip and fall accident may be caused by liquid on the floor, slippery items like crushed fruit, greasy spots from fast food preparation, small items such as spilled dog kibble or cat litter, or even boxes or signage left on the floor. Hazardous conditions such as these should be spotted, designated as hazardous with a caution sign, and thoroughly cleaned up within a reasonable amount of time from the spill. If this does not happen, then the store management can be found to have been negligent, failing to properly maintain, inspect, and operate their store in a reasonably safe condition, and failing to warn approaching customers of hazards.

A customer or employee who suffers injury from such an accident may very well have a personal injury case on their hands, and may sue for damages. But Walmart is not only a big store, it is a giant corporation, with an extensive legal department and customer claims division – so anyone dealing with Walmart in a legal situation should immediately seek the services of an attorney.

A personal injury attorney knows what evidence, information, and types of witness testimony are needed in order to win a slip and fall case against a giant like Walmart. They can demand surveillance videos of the area in which the fall occurred, request copies of maintenance records from Walmart itself as well as any maintenance company who did repairs on faulty equipment. The attorney can also deal with the claims department, medical personnel and insurance agencies, so the only thing you have to worry about is healing from your injuries.
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Fatal Hit and Run Accident Involving a Motorcyclist

In Fort Lauderdale, a motorcyclist was killed by a car traveling on Broward Boulevard. The motorcyclist was traveling east and was struck by a small car turning into a shopping plaza. A police spokeswoman said the car cut him off. Police know the car was a 2008 Ford Focus, though that is the only information they have. The motorcyclist, Kevin E. Gilliam, Jr., was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

Mr. Gilliam was wearing a helmet and safety gear. He was doing all he should have been doing. However, when the car made the left turn into the shopping center without paying mind to the motorcycle, he didn’t stand a chance. Now, the family of the motorcyclist is urging the driver to turn himself in since it was a hit-and-run. They are grief stricken and unable to move past this event because they do not know what happened and are trying to understand how a person can simply hit someone and keep driving as though there was no accident.

What to Do if You Are Involved or Witness a Hit and Run Accident

Some of the most common reasons for a driver to flee the scene of a car accident may include the motorist driving without insurance; they may have a warrant out for their arrest or operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. In some cases the driver might simply leave the scene because they are afraid of the consequences they may face due to causing an accident.

Depending on the severity of the accident, the victim may have a chance to identify the other vehicle. If this happens, they should attempt to get a good look at the following:

• The license plate • The driver • Make, model and color of the vehicle • Other identifying details: bumper stickers, unique rims, after market items.

The family of the victim has the ability to hire an attorney on behalf of their loved one in order to seek justice for the accident that occurred. Any kind of vehicle accident falls under the jurisdiction of personal injury law. In this case, because the accident was fatal, the family of the motorcyclist should speak to a wrongful death attorney who also has experience with hit and run accidents.
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