Articles Posted in Car Accident

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The Perazzo Law Firm serves victims injured from accidents involving Texting & Driving in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties

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Ever since the smartphone started riding shotgun in 2007 with the launch of the first iPhone, texting and driving has been an ever-growing cause of motor-vehicle related accidents in modern cities around the world. Negligent cell phone use while behind the wheel of cars, buses, trucks, recreational and construction vehicles is said to account for some 2.0 million accidents per year. According to statistic reports, over 650,000 motorists are distracted by cell phone use during daytime driving. Reports show that close to 400,000 individuals are hurt each year from texting and driving related incidents, with 25% occurring in major U.S cities such as Miami.  According to research conducted throughout 2018, 69 % of motorists between the ages of 18 and 64 admit to using their cell phone while driving and admitted to being aware of the increased chances of crashing. A recent survey by AAA, revealed that 94% of teenage motorists admitted to ignoring the dangers that negligent cell phone use while driving represent. Teenagers also rank at the top when it comes to texting and driving fatalities, with more than 58% of all fatal accidents involving negligent cell phone use. Sadly, everyday in the USA, 11 teenagers die in texting and driving related accidents.

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crash-car-1180834-300x242The Perazzo Law Firm Shares Latest, Important Developments Regarding PIP Insurance

Orange County, Florida – PIP insurance or Personal Injury Protection, has the world of motor vehicle insurance providers on tenterhooks as the Supreme Court rules against an insurance company and in favor of the Florida Hospital Medical Center in the 5th District Court of Appeal. Personal Injury Protection(PIP) is mandatory insurance coverage for all registered vehicle owners in the state of Florida and serves to cover up to $10,000 in medical bills, damages, or losses stemming from a motor vehicle accident regardless of which driver was legally found at fault. Nevertheless, not everything is as simple as it seems as insurance providers as well as healthcare providers are all looking out for their best economic interests. Thus was the underlying basis for the PIP case brought on by the Florida Hospital Medical Center, which held the Progressive Insurance Company liable for $200 in unpaid reimbursement for medical services rendered to one of their policyholders. A Progressive Insurance customer, a car accident victim, suffered personal injuries that accounted for $2,781 in hospital expenses. According to the official court records, his PIP insurance policy had a $1,000 deductible which the hospital subtracted before calculating the total amount using the formula under Florida PIP law. It turns out that the insurer did not apply the same method for determining the legitimate amount owed to the hospital and reached a total amount due of $868. This $200 difference, brought-on by subtracting the car accident victim’s  $1000 deductible, prompted the legal battle by the Florida Hospital Medical Center. The case, which has insurance providers around the USA on edge, ruled against the formula used by the insurer company to calculate the amount owed. The decision was based on the grounds that the insurance company should apply the deductible to the overall charges in line with the statutory provisions. The ruling will ultimately lead to all insurance providers in Florida ultimately having to pay more to hospitals and healthcare practitioners treating motor vehicle accident victims.

So where does PIP stand now? The new rule states (in a nutshell) that the deductible needs to be exhausted at the start. Statutorily, the minimum deductible is $1,000, so the first $1K is the responsibility of the insured person and the insurance provider doesn’t have to pay it. Until now, the insurance company was spreading out the deductible.

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The Perazzo Law Firm Serves Car Accident Victims on Miami-Dade Roadways

State Road 826, also known as the Palmetto Expressway, stretches thirty miles through the greater Miami area starting in Kendall and passing through cities such as Hialeah, Doral, and others until reaching the shores of North Miami Beach. The Palmetto Expressway has a heavy flow of traffic with the most congested areas being those near Miami International Airport and intersections leading into and from US1 and interstate 95.

This past Monday morning, a state trooper traveling Northbound on the Palmetto Expressway mysteriously flipped over at the NW 58th Avenue and shut down traffic for hours. The Florida Highway Patrol officials that arrived to the scene reported that the trooper suffered minor injuries and that he was wearing his seatbelt when his police vehicle flipped out of control. The authorities are trying to determine if another vehicle was involved in the roll-over accident on the Palmetto Expressway.

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The Perazzo Law Firm Serves Car Accident Victims in Miami-Dade and Broward County. 

Miami-Dade: Self-driving cars are no longer a thing of the future, in fact, they are quite common in many parts of the modern automotive world. In Germany, for example, self driving cars doing 120 mph on the autobahn with the “drivers‘ holding conference calls, is a growing trend. Though many motorists may consider self-driving cars unnecessary, their eminent arrival into the US car market looms. This has sparked some debate over how American motorists may be affected by self driving cars and the effects on urban life. From a sociological perspective, CAV’s or Connected Autonomous Vehicles, could take-away from the pressure that everyday driving causes many motorists, such as anxiety, road-rage, and reduced quality of life. Furthermore, if properly equipped, self-driving vehicles can turn a vehicle’s interior into a meeting room, dining room, living room, and even a bedroom, from where you can watch t.v. and even have sex. With a person’s vehicle turning into someone’s second home, anything could happen. According to a recent study by the The Journal of Sex Research 60 percent of Americans have given car sex a try. With self-driving vehicles, sex behind the wheel can take place while cruising down a Florida highway or down any Miami avenue, just as long as you have tinted windows. Thus, a new study reveals that sex behind the wheel with the vehicle in movement should come to no surprise to urban residents, as driverless cars would be operated by computers and provide ample room for beds. Though not yet popular, CAVs are expected to become a household word by 2020, when a mass rollout of CAV is expected to hit modern cities and draw appeal from motorists. But what effect will CAVs have on urban life and rural life? Experts state that the use of CAVs will reduce travel times and lower the pollution levels left behind by contemporary motor-vehicles, as well as reduce the tension felt by drivers stuck in traffic jams and chaotic driving conditions. But what about sex? CAV’s may replace hourly hotels as a spot for a quick romantic encounter. With less space being occupied by seats, the interior can have a sofa or even a bed, much like a limosine but without a driver.

The Effects of Driverless Cars on Urban Life

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Personal Injury Law Firm Serving Rideshare Claims for Compensation from Uber Accidents in Miami

dont-hurl-girl-1549143-300x189Miami: Uber fraud involving fare adjustments to clean-up bodily fluid stains left behind by passengers is on the rise in Miami. This most recent scams involves Uber passengers being blamed for soiling the Uber driver’s vehicle with vomit. In other words, an Uber passenger will get dropped-off just fine, then notice an added fee tacked-on to their bill, holding the passenger responsible for soiling the Uber driver’s vehicle. The fee ranges from $80 – $150 depending on the Uber driver’s personal scam level. Sadly, there is not much the passenger can do but to contact the Uber helpline and receive a reply that does nothing to revert the clean-up fee, as it’s basically the Uber driver’s word against the passengers. In Uber’s defense, there exist rides in which passengers do indeed get sick during a ride for reasons which may go from motion sickness, to passengers boarding with an excess of food, alcohol, or narcotics in them. Whatever the case, Uber vomit fraud indeed exists in Miami. But what to do to prevent Uber vomit fraud? Firstly, report the case to Uber via the help button on the Uber website. Unfortunately, this may prove useless as the fraudulent Uber driver may have already submitted bogus photos of his/her soiled vehicle seat. Vomit is not alone when it comes to fraudulent clean-up claims by Uber drivers on unsuspecting Uber passengers. Liquids such as beer, wine, whiskey, blood, and even urine are on the clean-up list. As well as muddy footwear or soiled clothing leaving stains or odors. An Uber spokesperson has stated that they are looking into possible fraud cases to safeguard passenger satisfaction. However, it’s hard to prove whether or not a passenger does indeed dirty an Uber driver’s vehicle. The spokesperson added; “With 15 million trips a day, Uber is unfortunately not immune to these types of incidents.” Perazzo Law suggests passengers to send several emails to resolve their complaints by notifying Uber that there was no incident. After that, it’s a matter of waiting for Uber to investigate and determine whether or not to refund the clean-up fee. Sadly, not many bogus vomit claims go in favor of the passenger, with reported incidents of Uber canceling a passengers accounts on account of their legitimate gripes.

Perazzo Law sheds light on How Safe Uber really is?

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Miami and North Miami Beach Personal Injury Law Firm Serving Victims of Traffic Related Accidents on Suburban Streets   suburban-street-1388617-300x225

Rush Hour Mayhem Menacing Suburban Residents in Miami: Speeding and reckless driving is stirring mayhem in some of the most chill parts of Miami-Dade and South Florida. Coral Gables, for example, saw a pick-up truck lose control and barrel head-on into someone’s living room, leaving skid marks on the front porch. With driver’s on edge behind the wheel, seeking shortcuts while glancing down at their cell phones in a frantic attempt to reach their destinations quicker, joggers, bikers, pedestrians, and even homeowners need to be on high alert. Many residents of tranquil Miami-Dade and South Florida neighborhoods have been speaking out about the rage with which motorists are speeding through their quiet streets. One such neighborhood is Coral Gables, with has become a popular shortcut for those trying avoid Bird Avenue, Granada Boulevard and Riviera Drive. Apart from speeding, rush-hour motorists are blowing stop signs, dodging dog walkers, and acting as if cars were phone booths on wheels, with total disregard for the safety of pedestrians, joggers, and dog walkers. Coral Gables is not alone when it comes to rampant drivers cutting through the quiet streets. One of the main reasons for the sudden increase in the motorist mayhem is Waze, which helps anxious drivers find alternate routes with which to avoid traffic jams. Sadly, Waze is pointing these mad motorists into the easy-going arteries of South Florida suburbia. The result has been nothing but appalling to local residents, many of whom have suffered personal injury and property damage as a result of reckless and negligent motorists. In the meantime, city planners and engineers are scrambling for ways to calm frantic motorists down and lower the speeds at which they are operating their vehicles through suburban streets. Measures such as Traffic Calming, need to be taken in order to slow the steady rise in motor vehicle accidents in places such as Coral Gables, Palmetto, Coconut Grove, and many more suburban areas throughout Miami-Dade and South Florida. Speed bumps, speed cushions, raised intersections, as well as trees strategically placed along roadways are some of the options for preventing ravaged motorists from reaching havoc on pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, etc., that want to feel safe as they stroll, jog, or bike down their local suburban streets. A senior project manager at an engineering firm hard at work trying to ways of slowing motorists down in many major cities around the world, has found that roundabouts and speed tables are effective ways of forcing drivers to slow down. Lowering speed limits and adding street signs are also possible deterrents, however, motorists don’t always obey speed limits and street signs are hard for motorists to spot when they are distracted by cell phone use while behind the wheel. Sadly, building speed bumps and other measures are costly. Thus, building one speed bump on every street can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of taxpayers  money. Ironically, local suburban residents that once cursed the presence of potholes on their streets, are now considering them a blessing; simply cause they slow down speedy drivers. South Miami has taken measures to slow down traffic by building speed bumps and posting ‘No-Right-Turn-at-Rush-Hour’ signs at strategic locations. Furthermore, the city is planning to narrow-down wide streets and it is in the process of painting “Sharrows’ which are markers painted on sidewalks so that pedestrians and bike riders can share common spaces. Residents main concern is for the children that play on the streets, the mothers pushing strollers, and those that once felt safe in suburbia, now at risk of being run-over by the maddened flow of rush hour traffic relying on Waze to show them the fastest way home.

If you, a family member or friend has been hurt in a car accident or suffered property damage as a result of an incident involving a motor vehicle in Miami, the Perazzo Law Firm urges you to contact us ONLINE for a FREE initial consultation.

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Miami and North Miami Personal Injury Law Firm Serving Wrongful Death Claims from Drunk Driving accidents in Miami

Chipley Florida: A 37-year old drunk driver from the Tampa area was behind the wheel of his pick-up truck heading northbound on State Road 77 when his vehicle swerved onto the shoulder where three utility workers were carrying-out repairs on power lines damaged by the devastating hurricane that swept through the south-west part of Florida last week. The fatal accident occurred Wednesday evening as the three workers, one of whom worked for West Florida Electric with the other two deceased employed by Lee Electric Construction Inc., were run over and killed by the drunk driver, who fled the scene after the incident. The drunk driver was caught shortly after by the Washington County Sheriff’s office and arrested by State Troopers. The drunk driver faces criminal charges ranging from DUI, manslaughter, vehicular homicide to fleeing the scene. If convicted, a long stint behind bars awaits the drunk driver that took the life of the three utility workers.

The Perazzo Law Firm has ample experience handling Hit and Run accidents that involve drunk drivers. In fact, most motorists that flee the accident scene, usually do so because of either driving drunk, driving without insurance, without a driver’s licence or driving a stolen vehicle. See Hit and Run accidents in Miami for further info into how to handle Hit and Run accident claims and what a Personal Injury lawyer can do to assist hit and run accident victims and families.

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Miami and North Miami Beach Law Firm Serving Personal Injury Victims in Miami.

Miami: A 24-year old motorist behind the wheel of a Toyota truck was the perpetrator of a hit and run this past Sunday when he ran over a pedestrian on a Miami sidewalk. According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the Toyota split the scene after running the pedestrian over and was chased down by a man aboard a Onewheel XR, which resembles a motorized one-wheel skateboard. According to Miami police reports filed in according to eyewitness testimonies, the man who rode onto the sidewalk and ran into the pedestrian, was charged with serious bodily injury and possession of marijuana. The man who chased down the culprit of the hit and run, caught up to Toyota and used his board to smash the driver’s side window, while reaching inside the vehicle and cutting the engine. When the police arrived to the scene and searched the vehicle’s interior after apprehending the culprit of the hit and run crime, they found marijuana.  The hit and run driver was arrested and released on a $8,000 bond. According to official reports, the driver has a history of moving violations that dates back to 2012.

If you, a family member or loved-one has fallen victim to a hit & run incident, the Perazzo Law Firm urges you to contact their Miami or North Miami Beach offices ONLINE or CALL (786) LAWS-411 for a FREE initial consultation.

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Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Accidents Victims on Miami Highways and Streets

rain-drops-on-car-glass-1555448-300x225 Behind the Wheel in the Rain: Even at slow speeds, a car crash may occur when driving along slippery or flooded Miami streets; basically because car brakes do not respond as effectively when wet and drivers may fail to detect bad road conditions such as potholes, obstacles, or curbs, all of which can cause motorists to lose control of their car and lead to personal injury. Furthermore, the increase in cell phone use while driving amid foggy windshields and rainy roads is leading to more and more car accidents.

Given our professional experience representing clients that crash their car or are crashed into on Miami highways and streets, we encourage motorists and passengers to contact a Personal Injury Lawyer immediately after the police file their report and any injuries that require immediate attention are attended to. Many times, regardless of whether or not there are evident signs of personal injury, there may be consequential injuries that may take time to reveal themselves. Some of these injuries may include Brain or Spinal Cord Injuries as a result of sudden impact to the head or whiplash.

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The Perazzo Law firm Miami and North Miami Beach Car Accident Attorneys offer best advice after a car accident involving negligent Cellphone use while behind the wheel of a car.

It’s a hard fact that motorists just can’t seem to be able to avoid using their cellphones while driving,  be it either texting, leaving or listening to voice messages or yapping while behind the wheel of their car, truck, or even their motorcycle or ATV. Florida ranks 2nd in the USA when it comes to accidents resulting from negligent use of cellphones behind the wheel, and despite cellphone use being worthy of a moving violation, it is in fact a secondary offense which can lead to a citation once pulled over for a primary offense. Nevertheless, negligent cellphone use related accidents are on the rise on Miami streets and highways, with many of them leading to serious personal injury. The car accident lawyers at the Perazzo Law Firm have vast experience representing injured parties that have fallen victim to motorists negligently using their cellphones while driving.

Hard Facts About Negligent Cell Phone Use behind the wheel.

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