Wrong Way Car Accident Takes Lives of Two Girls on Sawgrass Expressway

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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?

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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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Fatal Hit and Run Accident Involving a Motorcyclist

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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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Death-Related Hit & Run Auto Accident in Hialeah

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SOUTH FLORIDA HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

Recently, Hialeah Police were forced to track down an alleged offender of a hit and run incident which took place at a public bus station. The awful event, which killed one waiting bus passenger and caused injuries to another, occurred outside of a fast food restaurant with patrons inside taking sight of this horrific tragedy. What the Pollo Tropical guests at the 49th Street and 16th Avenue store location witnessed will be embedded in their minds for a very long time. After the victim was struck while at the bus stop, his body was flung through the restaurant’s drive through. The store location immediately closed the facility due to the circumstances.

What has surfaced through reports is that the alleged offender, Henry Paz, fled the scene following the impact with the two victims. Witnesses claim that the vehicle that the suspect was driving, a Toyota Camry had a flat tire and he was driving away on the rim. During the investigation by the Hialeah Police Department, an officer responded to a nearby call of a person in need of a tow truck because of a flat tire within an hour of the hit and run accident. Upon arriving to the tow truck call, which was less than a mile away from the unimaginable scene, officers first came in contact with the alleged offender.

After putting the pieces of the puzzle together, officers arrested the suspect for the hit and run accident and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident with a death and serious injury. Statements from Police later indicate that Paz admitted to drinking alcohol prior to entering his vehicle that evening. The charges that the suspect faces may be amplified by the results of the blood alcohol tests that were administered to him following his arrest.

REASONS PEOPLE FLEE THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT

There are many reasons why a person might actually flee the scene of an accident. Some of those reasons include:

• No Driver’s License
• No Proof of PIP Insurance • Impaired Driving • Criminal Warrants
• Stolen Vehicle • Fear of Consequences

HIT AND RUN ACCIDENTS ARE OFTEN FATAL

When a loved one is killed in such a horrific manner, justice is many family members’ number one goal; however, civil litigation many times follows such events as well. Lawsuits for wrongful death are filed when someone has caused a negligent killing of another person. With as much heart ache that is felt by the family of the victim, there can be an equal amount of stress involved with expenses that are generated from the death of their loved one.
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Swimming Pool Accidents In South Florida Can Be Prevented

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The Florida summers bring residents and visitors of the state some of the most perfect weather found across the nation. Though some may consider the humidity to be a deal breaker when it comes to outdoor activities, there is no greater relief from the sun’s rays than a quick dip in the pool. We all remember being young and trying to escape the thick summer air by going to our backyard, or community pool, to engage in all the fun activities associated with swimming pools. Most Floridians are raised to appreciate the dangers that come with being around pools; however, year after year, we are left dealing with horrific tragedies that result from accidents and negligent conduct involving swimming pools. Unfortunately for parents, it is children who suffer the most injuries with regard to our summer heat refuge.

In order to try and protect our children from what many of us may consider being a living nightmare, it is important that we educate kids from an early age on the importance of swimming pool safety. The state legislature has indicated that drowning is the number one cause of death of children in this state, and it should be our number one goal as parents and adults to try and change this fact as best as possible. There is a variety of swim lesson courses available to everyone in every county in Florida. Placing our children in swim classes as soon as possible should be our priority given that we are a state that is surrounded by pools, lakes and oceans.

Some programs, such as ones offered through the YMCAs across the state, provide lessons for children as early as six months old. This may sound extreme to some; however, the harsh reality of losing a child to an accidental drowning has to be the most extreme loss one could suffer. These type of programs get children acclimated to being in water, and provide basic knowledge of treading water and getting to the pools edge until an adult can get to them. The simplest techniques that our children can absorb from an early age may be the difference in saving their lives. Also, being certified in CPR training can help to eliminate the time it may take for rescue services to arrive on scene. When we are knowledgeable on how to treat a child who is not breathing due to drowning, we are taking steps towards reducing the number of deaths attributed to swimming pool accidents.

Additionally, home owners and operators of public and private swimming pool facilities need to follow the strict guidelines put in place for the safety of everyone around pools. Mechanisms used to alert us when children have entered a pool area are available for those who own pools. Placing lockable gates around pools is the obvious preventative measure to keep young children away from the water when supervision is unavailable. The unfortunate reality is that even when we take every precaution to prevent our children from being injured around pools, there are still situations where the negligent conduct of a third party is the cause of the harm. Children will always be attracted to pools. It is our responsibility as adults to do whatever we can to help protect them from those unforeseen and devastating swimming pool accidents.
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Florida Drunk Driving Accidents and the Victims Involved

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Losing a loved one is the hardest thing that a person can go through. When someone you care about is no longer here, the emotions that you go through can be extremely overwhelming. Those emotions are amplified when the person you love has fallen victim to the actions of a drunk driver. In 2011 alone, there were over seven hundred fatalities attributed to drunk driving in the state of Florida. The careless decision made by a person who drinks and drives creates life altering effects for many different people. The legal consequences that a drunk driver will take on, the costs to tax payers to prosecute a drunk driver, and the grief that the family of a victim will be forced to deal with, are all examples of different lives which are effected by drunk driving accidents.

From the day that we first get behind the wheel of an automobile, we are taught that consuming alcohol prior to driving can severely increase our chances of getting into a collision. As a preventative measure to encourage drivers not to drink and drive, promoting the penalties that one can incur from driving impaired, could work to deter a person from driving drunk. When we first receive our Florida Driver’s License, we consented to alcohol testing by law enforcement who believes us to be impaired. Failing to comply with such testing will result in an automatic year suspension of our driving privilege. However, there are harsher penalties involved with failing these alcohol tests conducted by the police, even for a first time offender.

First Time Penalties Associated with DUI

Monetary Penalties Ranging from $250 up to $500
• Possible Community Service Hours • Up to One Year of Criminal Probation
• Jail Time of up to Six Months; Nine Months where a Minor is in the Vehicle • Six Month Minimum Suspension of Driver’s License
• Twelve Hour DUI Safe Driving Course
In Florida, there are over fifty thousand tickets issued annually for DUI penalties. Of those tickets, the State has more than a sixty percent conviction rate, which means that our court system is extremely busy prosecuting DUI offenders. With as many DUI cases as Florida has, you can bet that there is a high cost to state and local expenses in dealing with making sure these drunk drivers receive proper penalties for their crime.

Florida DUI Convictions in 2010 According to DMV Records

• Miami – (Miami-Dade County) – 2,274 • West Palm Beach – (Palm Beach County) – 1,561 • Ft. Lauderdale – (Broward County) – 985 • Tampa – (Hillsborough County) – 3,256 • Jacksonville – (Duval County) – 2,222 • St. Petersburg – (Pinellas County) – 1,824 • Orlando – (Orange County) – 1,383 • Melbourne – (Brevard County) – 1,072
There can be no confusion as to the amount of money that is spent annually on convicting DUI offenders. Though it is an obvious necessity to try and penalize these drivers for their actions, it should remain concerning to us as tax payers that the costs allotted for prosecution of DUIs remains consistently high.
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Controversy and Investigation over Medtronic Bone Infuse

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Thumbnail image for bone graft image.jpgThroughout the past few years, Medtronic has been the target of negative publicity with its grafting product, Bone Infuse. Articles in medical journals have been published, disclosing Medtronic as a company that has been less than forthcoming regarding their private studies and the findings those private studies have produced. The side effects that were demonstrated in those studies showed severe complications with their synthetically created protein when used in bone grafting procedures. Additionally, it was shown that Medtronic’s researchers were paid in royalties and consulting fees annually, in some cases exceeding twenty million dollars ($20,000,000.00).

There have been multiple articles published by The Spine Journal exclusively with regards to Medtronic and its Bone Infuse product used in grafting procedures. Also, The United States Senate conducted an investigation in 2011, based on medical journal entries which were alleged to have been written by physicians paid by Medtronic. The journal entries stated no mention of possible side effects in using Medtronic’s Bone Infuse product in grafting procedures. The reality is there were issues with the product, including problems which had potential of causing death. As a result of the investigation by the United States Senate, considerations were made to require all drug companies to publicly reveal payments they made to physicians in the Physician Payment Sunshine Act.

The United States Department of Justice had already begun their own investigation on Medtronic prior to the light being shined on their testing. In fact, the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Medtronic and claimed that the company was paying physicians for their recommendations to their patients in the use of Bone Infuse. It was claimed that Medtronic was conducting this type of business for over five (5) years. Medtronic was also accused of financing get-away trips as indicated in the lawsuit. The civil case was settled in 2006 for forty million dollars ($40,000,000.00).

Eventually, Medtronic made arrangements to have independent studies conducted by Yale University on its product, Bone Infuse. The studies were made to review the clinical trials which Medtronic conducted since 2002 on its product as well as the reports made by the FDA.

Medtronic Lawsuits

There have been multiple lawsuits filed against the company Medtronic throughout the course of the past few years. A few of those lawsuits include:

December 2008: A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of a woman in California. The woman received Medtronic Infuse as a part of her surgical procedure. Following the surgery, the women fell into a coma and eventually died. The allegations in the suit provided that there was a failure to warn of possible risks when using the product for off-label purposes, and because Medtronic promoted this type of off-label use, which had never been approved by the FDA, it was asserted that they were liable for her death.
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Aaron Hernandez Murder Charges – Wrongful Death Lawsuits Could Be Coming Soon.

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In light of the recent developments involving NFL player and ex-New England Patriot, Aaron Hernandez, regarding his arrest for the murder of Odin Lloyd, many people have been left with a variety of questions as to ‘what is going to happen next’.
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When you hear a charge like murder, you may be quick to only consider the criminal aspect of the judicial process involving both the victim and the alleged perpetrator; however, where there has been a criminal charge for murder, often times there will be a civil lawsuit filed for wrongful death as well. Knowing the distinction between the legal terms “murder” and “wrongful death” is the first part of having a true understanding of the difference. As we take a look at what each term means, and what case penalties can result in either a civil or criminal action, we will begin to see the significant purposes each serve in our legal system.

Murder charges and lawsuits are filed and brought before a criminal court as a violation of the law. There is a statute in place that will tell you exactly what elements of the crime must be proven by the state in order to convict an alleged murderer. The burden of proof that must demonstrated by the state for each element of the crime in order to convict the accused is ‘Beyond a Reasonable Doubt’. If the prosecution leaves any doubt as to any of the elements of the crime murder being established, then a jury cannot find a person guilty of that murder. If a person is found guilty of murder in a criminal case, the penalty will be restriction from freedom and possibly death depending on the jurisdiction.

Wrongful death lawsuits are civil actions which usually are brought forth by the estate or relatives of a deceased victim. When a claim is filed, in order for a plaintiff to be successful, they must demonstrate to the court that the defendant was responsible for the deceased’s death through a careless, deliberate, or negligent act. Civil lawsuits carry a different burden of proof than criminal cases. In a civil suit, proof by 51% or more is considered acceptable. So as long as a jury believes more-likely than not that a defendant is responsible for the victims death, they can award monetary damages to the person bringing the suit.

Being that the Hernandez case is still an ongoing investigation into the actual crime itself, there is not much that can be definitively said as to what will transpire in the upcoming months. What can be said is that given the financial situation of high profile athletes like Aaron Hernandez, it is highly likely that at some point, Odin Lloyd’s family may bring a civil lawsuit against Hernandez’s estate. The landmark case that best illustrated this possibility is the OJ Simpson case.
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