CGWC Orlando Injury Attorney Blog

Orlando, Florida

Why Is There So Much Nursing Home Neglect? - Saturday, April 25, 2009

Why is there so much nursing home neglect in Florida? Why do so many nursing home patients fall, suffering broken bones and unnecessary surgery that lead to an early death? Why do so many parents and grandparents in nursing homes get horrible bedsores that become infected and lead to deadly blood poisoning? Why do so many nursing home patients look like their hair hasn't been combed in months or their clothes changed in days? Why do so many nursing homes smell like they haven't been cleaned?

Properly taking care of nursing home patients takes time and an adequate number of nurses, nurse assistants, aides and dietary personnel. Our Florida legislators know this because some years ago, they instituted safe staffing requirements to ensure patients in nursing homes received at least 2.9 hours of care per day. But last year, the Florida Legislature suspended enforcement of these safe staffing laws, apparently with a wink and a nod to the wealthy nursing home industry and its powerful lobbyists.

Recently, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) surveyed health care workers and found that 80% reported that a nursing home resident's health or safety had been put in immediate jeopardy as a result of staffing shortages. Because of short-staffing of nursing homes, their employees find it impossible to deliver proper care to nursing home patients, causing needless suffering.

If a loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse, call CGWC for a free legal consultation to find out about the legal rights of nursing home residents.

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Head On Collisions Most Deadly - Sunday, April 19, 2009

Head on collisions are the most deadly types of motor vehicle accidents. Just this weekend, two drivers were killed when they collided head-on, resulting in both vehicles bursting into flames, on Epcot Center Drive in Orlando, Florida. Most head on collisions are the result of an unintentional maneuver, crossing over the center line into oncoming traffic. Falling asleep at the wheel, for example, is a common cause of head on collisions, so many occur at night when drivers are fatigued. Avoid driving while tired, and be alert for places where head on collisions are most likely to occur, such as on sharp curves, and always maintain awareness of what oncoming vehicles are doing and watch for unanticipated movements

If you or a loved one is involved in a head on collision, you will need skilled legal help. Call CGWC for a free consultation.

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Watch For Motorcycles - Saturday, April 18, 2009

It's the season for avid bikers to get on the road on their motorcycles. There are over 4 million motorcycles on the roads of the United States. For the owners, this can be a dangerous season. Watch for motorcycles this spring and summer. Because they are smaller, narrower and generally of lower profile, it's easy for car drivers to miss them. So, if you're driving your car, remember to look left, look right, and look left again before pulling into an intersection. And always be alert for motorcycles. Motorcyclists should also be alert, and wear safety gear, such as helmet, eye protection, gloves, jacket, trousers, and proper footwear. To learn more about motorcycle safety, visit the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration for more tips.

If you're involved in a motorcycle accident or car accident, don't try to navigate the legal and insurance world alone. Get a free consultation from the experienced auto accident attorneys at CGWC.

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Prevent Drownings - Sunday, April 12, 2009

Just in the last month, four children have drowned in Central Florida pools. It seems like every year about this time, tragedy strikes another family in the form of a pool drowning. In Florida, drownings are the number one cause of death for children between the ages off one and four. Ninety six children under 14 years of age drowned in 2007 alone in Florida. Child drownings are a big problem in Florida. Yet, most drownings are preventable.

Anytime children are in or around homes with pools, hotel pools, or public pools, supervision is a must. Parental supervision for toddlers who can't swim has to be job one. And if you think you and other parents may be distracted, it's a good idea to hire sitters or life guards to help.

Sometimes, drownings are preventable and are due to the negligence of others entrusted with the safety oof children. If that happens, an experienced injury or death attorney like the attorneys at CGWC can help. Call for a free consultation.


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What To Do About Uninsured Drivers - Saturday, April 11, 2009

According to the Insurance Journal, uninsured drivers are not just a problem, they're a big one. While it is impossible to know for sure how many drivers are uninsured, Some estimates are as high as one in every three drivers. Since only no fault medical and wage loss benefits and minimum property damage insurance are mandatory for most cars in Florida, an even higher percentage of drivers here have inadequate coverage, including little or no bodily injury liability coverage, which covers other people they may injure in an auto accident. That's right. Most drivers in Florida are NOT required to have insurance that pays you if they cause an accident and hurt you. Bodily injury liability coverage is not required for family automobiles in our state.

We all know what a chance we take in Florida everytime we get on the road, and uninsured drivers place you at even more risk of financial ruin from an accident that's not your fault. What can you do about this? Make absolutely sure that your family or business automobile has uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. UM/UIM coverage takes the place of no coverage on the driver at fault, or inadequate coverage. Be sure you elect stacking UM/UIM, too, if you own more than one vehicle so that you can get the UM/UIM benefits under all your cars if you're in an accident. Don't victimize yourself. Call your agent now and find out if you have UM/UIM coverage. If you don't, get it. If you're in an accident, the chances are very, very good that the other driver will have either no liability coverage, and it is almost certain that the other driver will have too little coverage if your injuries are serious.

If you've been injured by an uninsured motorist, don't assume your policy doesn't protect you either. Call CGWC for a free consultation, and we'll review your automobile insurance policy and make sure you're getting all the benefiits you're entitled to receive.

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Preventable Falls Fatal For Seniors - Tuesday, April 07, 2009

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons says one out of every three citizens over the age of 65 experiences a fall. Falls are the leading cause of injuries to senior citizens. Many of these falls are fatal. In 1995 alone, falls caused the deaths of almost 8,000 senior citizens. The number of elders dying from falls has increased to over 17,000 in 2005. Falls are particularly dangerous for vulnerable senior citizens who are often already burdened with health issues of aging, such as weaker bones, heart disease, diabetes, and other medical conditions that increase the chance of complications and death.

Whether a fall occurs in a shopping mall, a retail store, an assisted living facility, a nursing home or a hospital, it is likely that it should have never happened. Florida law imposes an obligation upon retail stores to regularly inspect their premises for safety, and the standard of care in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilties imposes the duty to take extra precautions to prevent falls in elderly patients. If you or a loved one has been the victim of serious injury from a fall, know your legal rights. Call CGWC for a free consultation.

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CGWC Partner Nominated Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America - Friday, April 03, 2009

CGWC partner, Ronald S. Gilbert, has been nominated to become a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel Of America. The LCA is an invitation only honorary society in which membership is limited to a very few honored triall attorneys. There are only 3,500 Fellows in the LCA, less than one-half of one percent of all the lawyers in America. When seeking nominees for the LCA, its board seeks highly qualified lawyers who have demonstrated excellence in trial practice. Fellows are invited to become members of LCA after being evaluated for their effectiveness and accomplishments in the field of litigation and trials, and their ethics in the practice of law. Congratulations Mr. Gilbert!

If you've been hurt in an accident, you deserve an experienced and highly qualified attorney. Call CGWC for a free Consultation.

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Medical Examinations For Defendants In Lawsuits Meant to Mislead Jurors - Wednesday, April 01, 2009

When you're injured in an accident, you don't expect is to end up in court asking a jury to decide your fate. Especially when you weren't at fault, you expect the other person's insurance company to treat you right and offer you a fair settlement. After all, that's what they're there for, right? You also don't expect to have to go to trial and have a jury of folks who don't know you decide your fate. And the absolute last thing you ever expect to see is a doctor, hired by the insurance company, to come into court and try to mislead that jury into believing that you're not injured or that your injuries are not as bad as you, your family and your friends say. But that is EXACTLY what you will face if you file a lawsuit after being injured in an accident.

These medical examinations by doctors hired by the insurance companies are called "independent" medical examinations by the insurance industry. If your future wasn't so important, calling these examinations "independent" would be laughable. But when you've been hurt, it's no laughing matter when a doctor who has no intention of helping you or treating you is paid thousands of dollars for a few minutes of work, just to come sabotage your case in front of the jury deciding it. All after taking the same oath to tell the truth that you take when testifying in court about what really happened to you. It's disheartening and discouraging to our clients when they watch a member of the medical profession sell their testimony for thousands of dollars, but judges and lawyers become accustomed to it as a part of the game insurance companies play to minimize what they pay to injury victims. Most often, the attorneys at CGWC see the same doctors time and time again, year after year after year, and we know what their report will say before we see it.

If you've been injured in an accident, you may have to file a lawsuit, be examined by one of these doctors, and possibly go to trial. You need an attorney who is experienced in discrediting these hired guns for the insurance industry. The attorneys at CGWC are experienced in showing jurors what these doctors are really about. Contact CGWC for a free consultation.

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