Given how often individuals and businesses alike turn to social media for any number of reasons – including connection, access to a captive audience and marketing potential – it is, perhaps, not at-all surprising that social media activity is increasingly influencing various legal landscapes, including insurance claims. As more people share their lives on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and X, their digital footprints are proving to become valuable in the insurance industry, especially for companies facing challenges against denied claims. Proving misrepresentation One of the primary ways i ..read more

Car accidents are a frightening experience. The adrenaline rush and shock that may follow can mask underlying injuries, leading to a false sense of security. Imagine the devastating realization that what you thought were minor injuries resulted in limb amputation. If this kind of horrific scenario happens to you, you might wonder: Is there still hope for compensation? The answer is that there very well might be. Understanding liability and damages In Florida, personal injury claims follow a comparative negligence system, meaning the court will determine the percentage of fault each party bears ..read more

Several states on the West Coast have paved the way for greater protection of workers who operate outside. Specifically, when temperatures rise, workers in several states now benefit from legal protections designed to safeguard them from heat-related illness and injury. Work-related access to shade, mandatory water breaks and screening for heat-related health conditions are now the law in some parts of the U.S.  Unfortunately, Texas and Florida legislators have decided to “go another way.” Texas passed a law last year that prohibits local governments from requiring these kinds of protecti ..read more

Driving is an activity that requires a lot of focus. There are always hazards on the roadways at any time of day. Road users cannot afford to be distracted.  Nonetheless, distractions do occur and they can result in serious accidents. In fact, distracted driving is thought to play a role in up to 15% of accidents that result in injuries.  Outlined below are some of the most dangerous driving distractions:  Cell phone use  The most dangerous form of driving distraction is cell phone use. When a driver is on the phone or sending or receiving a text, they are paying little att ..read more

It often feels like there’s a focus on safety on American roads, and you would assume that those roads are getting safer. New vehicles have crumple zones, airbags, blindspot monitoring systems, backup cameras and plenty of other examples of auto safety technology. This should reduce the number of accidents that happen – and the number of fatalities. However, studies have found that the opposite is occurring. The fatal accident rate has been going up in recent years. For instance, there was a 16% increase between 2018 and 2022. The total fatalities for the year jumped from 36,835 all the way up ..read more

Slips and falls are very common, and even a fall from standing height on a wet floor can be very dangerous. Falls are the number one reason for trauma-related hospital admissions, and they can be outright fatal to older people – but people do not have to be elderly or frail to get seriously hurt in one. If you witness a loved one’s fall in a store, parking lot or anywhere else and want to help, there are a few things that you’ll want to keep in mind. Prioritize the victim’s safety Encourage your loved one to lie still so that they can assess how hurt they might be. It’s particularly important ..read more

In healthcare, charting and documentation aren’t just routine administrative tasks. They are crucial components of patient care and legal protection for healthcare providers. These detailed records serve as a comprehensive account of a patient’s medical history, treatment plans and care provided. In a medical malpractice claim, where a patient alleges negligence or substandard care, thorough and accurate documentation can be the key to a healthcare provider’s defense. Documentation can demonstrate what actions were taken, why they were taken and that the care provided abided by accepted standa ..read more

As a doctor, you know that not every patient you treat will leave content. Some enter with unrealistic expectations. Others do not react to the treatment you give in the way you or they expect and hope. You are also human and work under immense pressure, so you will not always make the perfect decision or perform to your best. Yet, it can be worrying to know there is always the chance an unhappy patient or their family will sue you. It is important to know that many claims fail because plaintiffs cannot prove that the things the law requires to uphold a claim of medical negligence are true. Yo ..read more

Semi-trucks use the same roads as smaller passenger vehicles and their drivers have to follow all of the same laws. There are even special federal statutes that apply to semi-truck drivers that would not apply to those in passenger vehicles. Those who drive commercial trucks need to undergo special training and maintain a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Despite those regulations, crashes between commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles are a common issue in Florida. In 2021, Florida saw more semi-truck deaths than most other states. 373 people lost their lives in crashes with semi-trucks ..read more

When a patient experiences an adverse outcome to a medical procedure or their condition suddenly worsens despite your best efforts, it’s only natural to want to express your sympathies to them or their family – but physicians have long been counseled against the practice for fear that their words would be used against them in a medical malpractice claim. Times have changed. Both physicians and lawmakers have come to realize that muzzling a physician when they want to communicate with a patient or their family can actually make a situation worse – not better. Thus, “apology laws,” like the one ..read more