Blog - CGWC

Have A Safe Prom and Graduation Year - Saturday, May 10, 2008

This is the time of year when teens across the country and in Florida are preparing to celebrate graduations and prom nights. It's natural for teens to celebrate with alcohol. No matter what adults say, we all know it is going to happen. The safest practice is to acknowledge it and do what you can to make it a safe celebration.

Statistics show clearly that teen injuries from automobile accidents increase during the prom and graduation season. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles acknowledges this fact and suggests that teens, parents, and school administrations work together to make sure teens can celebrate this wonderful time in their lives and stay safe on Florida's streets and highways at the same time.

First of all, teens must understand that Florida law enforcement agencies have a zero tolerance for driving under the influence and that drivers under age 21 with a blood alcohol level of only .02 or more will have their license suspended for six months. Parents and teens should also remember these rules:

• Don't drink and drive;
• Don't get into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking;
• Buckle up - it's the law;
• Keep cell phones on so parents can reach you, but don't talk or text while driving;
• If you need help or assistance, call your parent or a trusted adult, and if it's an emergency, call 911;
• Limit the number of passengers in a vehicle to minimize distractions;
• If possible, have parents or transportation companies provide chauffeur services.

Cars and Bicycles Make for Deadly Mix - Thursday, May 08, 2008

Bicyclists are at risk for very serious and life threatening injuries or death whenever struck by a automobile or other motor vehicle due to the relative lack of protection a bicyclist has available in a crash. Bicyclists account for about 2% of road deaths and injuries. According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, about 700 to 750 bicyclists died in traffic accidents from 2000 to 2004.

Here are ten ways bicyclists can avoid being struck by automobiles:

1. Get and use a headlight and rear light on your bike.
2. Get and use a loud horn on your bike.
3. Get and use a mirror.
   
4. Slow Down.
5. Avoid drivers' blind spots.
6. Don't ride on the sidewalk.
7. Don't pass on the right.
8. Look behind you before turning either right or left.
9. Wear something bright...even during the day.
10. Don't ride against traffic.

Orlando 4th Worst City For Commuters - Friday, May 02, 2008

According to a Forbes magazine report, Orlando ranks as the fourth worst city for commuters in the nation. The lack of public transportation leads to long and time consuming commutes. Central Floridians know that going to work can also be dangerous. Rarely a day goes by that doesn't involve lengthy delays caused by traffic accidents. Some cause serious injuries, requiring complete shutdown of lanes on major thoroughfares and toll roads. On occasion, hospital helicopters are the only way the seriously injured can be provided emergency care before it's too late. Just today, the Beach Line, S.R. 528, was closed eastbound until hospital helicopters and wreckers could care for the injured and clean up the roadway after a rollover accident

Be careful in Orlando's rush hour commute. Don't make split second decisions in a rush, only to regret them for a lifetime. If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident, a trucking accident, a motorcycle accident or any other motor vehicle accident, call CGWC for a free consultation.

Will The Supreme Court Save Florida's Workers? - Saturday, April 26, 2008

Senate Bill 50A went into effect in 2003. Most folks haven't heard of it and probably don't know what it means. But this law has done more to harm the access of injured Florida workers to the worker's compensation system, worker's compensation benefits, wages, and adequate health care than all the many bills and laws enacted over the past 20 years. Most of these laws have had the effect of further restricting the rights of workers, under the guise of reducing insurance premiums of their employers. This bill has given insurance companies free reign to destroy the lives of injured workers in Florida. It so severely restricts attorneys' fees for worker's compensation claimants that many lawyers won't take worker's compensation cases due to caps on their fees. Meanwhile, there are no caps at all on the fees that can be paid to the insurance companies' lawyers.

Emma Murray, injured on the job in 2003, has asked the Supreme Court of Florida to find the law unconstitutional. Her attorney worked on her case for about 85 hours and was warded only about $ 8.00 per hour under the new law. This law is unfair because it allows the foxes to guard the henhouse. The insurance companies, as a practical matter, hold the keys to the worker's compensation system. The Supreme Court of Florida recently heard oral arguments in Emma's case, and others are pending. CGWC hopes that the Supreme Court strikes down this manifestly unjust and unconstitutional law and give Florida workers' a more level playing field in the workers' compensation system. If you have been injured on the job, call CGWC for a free consultation.

Avoid Head-On Collisions - Saturday, April 19, 2008

The worst nightmare of most drivers and occupants is a head-on collision. Head-on collisions are not only terrifying to envision, but they are, in fact, extremely deadly. Avoid head-on collisions by following some general principles.

• Pay attention.
  
• Think before you react when faced with highway situations. Remember, you're often traveling at hundreds of feet per second. React wrongly, and it could be fatal.
  
• Anticipate potential situations, particularly at curves and at intersections.
  
• Avoid distractions like talking on the phone and jamming to music.
  
• Look far down the road so you can see oncoming automobiles and trucks long before they can be a problem.
  
• Watch for erratic behavior of other drivers and pay special attention to them.
  
• Use headlights or day driving lights.
  
• Don't hug the centerline.

If despite your best efforts, a last second collision is unavoidable, be sure to veer right, not left. Whether it's the oncoming motor vehicle, or a stationary object off the road, do your best to strike with a side collision or glancing collision, rather than head-on. If you or a loved one has been involved in an automobile accident or, worse, if you have lost a loved one in a head-on automobile accident, know your legal rights. For a free consultation, call CGWC.

Quality of Hospital Care in Florida Below National Norm - Monday, April 14, 2008

Two recent federal reports on hospital care in America conclude that Florida's hospitals fall below national norms. These two recent federal reports used completely different methods of assessments in reaching these conclusions. The Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services both issued reports recently showing that hospitals in Florida lag behind the rest of the nation in quality of care.

Nursing Home Residents Deprived Of Right to Jury Trial - Sunday, April 13, 2008

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, more and more nursing home residents are being forced to give up their rights to a jury trial when they sign agreements admitting them to nursing homes. Many nursing home admission agreements now include "arbitration" clauses in which residents waive their right to jury trial against the nursing home in the event they are abused, neglected or victimized by nursing malpractice or some other medical mistake.

The Wall Street Journal says the nursing home companies are benefiting from such agreements. The cost of settling cases has begun dropping, even as claims of neglect, abuse and poor treatment increase. According to a study done last year, the cost to these companies dropped by more than 35% per case from 1999 to 2006. The arbitration approach is not limited to the nursing home industry. Many industries are beginning to write arbitration clauses into their boilerplate contracts in order to cut litigation costs and avoid the judgment of juries.

Be sure you know what you're signing when admitting a relative to a nursing home. Buried in the admission agreement may be an arbitration clause that gives up your loved one's rights, including the right to a jury trial, even if they are recklessly abused or neglected in the nursing home.