Florida Legal Blog, Courtesy of Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA
Read personal injury blogs from previous months: January 2009

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Danger in the Workplace

Often times, companies and large corporations overlook worker safety issues in the hopes of cutting costs and making large profits.  This is done at workers’ expense, subjecting them to personal injury and pain and suffering when something goes wring.
Workplace injuries can be devastating for workers and their families.  One area where these severe personal injuries can occur is in factories and refineries.  One year ago, a blast at the Imperial Sugar refinery, the second-largest in the nation, killed one worker and severely injured his brother, who was working next to him. 
The blast 14 people and injured 40 others.  Still, our country has no federal regulations restricting the buildup of fine dust particles that can form explosive clouds in confined areas.
Without federal regulation, we are left to monitor these large companies through the judicial system.  Personal injury lawsuits can talk to companies in a manner that they can understand – dollars and cents. 
While we realize that no amount of money can adequately compensate injured people and their families for personal injuries and wrongful death, money damages can get the attention of companies and force them to look out more for worker safety.
If you have been seriously injured, or if a family member was killed, in a workplace event, the company may have been negligent, and we invite you to contact a Tampa personal injury attorney at Dennis Hernandez & Associates.  We will investigate and aggressively prosecute your claim in an attempt to get you the medical attention and the money that you deserve.
 - Tampa Personal Injury Attorney

Monday, February 9, 2009

Slow down and be careful

It may sound simple common sense, but speed on the roads is a recipe for disaster.
According to police reports, last Thursday night in Lakeland, Florida, two people died in a car crash that may have been the result of street racing.
Investigators say that Jason Torres of Lakeland was driving a 1992 Honda when he lost control and slammed into a concrete pole on County Road 540A.
The two other people in the car, Pedro Rivera, 28, and Cedrick Green, 29, were killed.
Torres, only 23 years old, was taken to the Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment of a facial cut and back pain.  Reportedly, a witness told police that the car appeared to be racing another vehicle before the crash.  Police also say alcohol may have been a factor.
Torres has told investigators that he was not the driver.
Not only is street racing and drunk driving dangerous for the racers and the drinkers, these things cause dangers for otherwise safe drivers on the road.  If you have been seriously injured as a result of street racers or drunk drivers, contact a personal injury attorney from Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA.  These personal injury lawyers handle real cases and strive to get real results, working to get you the medical treatment and the money that you deserve.
 - Tampa Personal Injury Attorney

Friday, February 6, 2009.

Man’s Best Friend or Worst Enemy?  Dangerous Dogs.
Americans have historically had a tremendous attachment to their dogs.  However, controversies caused by the growing problem of dog bites have communities from coast-to-coast struggling in trying to address dog attacks.  Some communities have banned certain “dangerous breeds”, like pit bulls.  Other communities, however, have “punished the deed, not the breed” by passing ordinances dealing with dogs with violent histories.
American emergency rooms treated an estimated 310,000 people for dog bites in 2007. However, many more dog bites do not result in hospital visits and are not reported.
While most dog laws are local, Ohio has a 1987 state law requiring owners to confine purebred pit bulls as “vicious dogs” and buy at least $100,000 in liability insurance.  12 states prohibit breed specific restrictions and bans.
If you have suffered serious personal injuries from a dog attack, contact a Tampa personal injury attorney from Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA.  These personal injury attorneys will strive to obtain the medical treatment and the money that you deserve.
- Tampa Personal Injury Attorney

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Be Careful With Your Guns         

Sheriff's officials say an 11-year-old Florida boy died from a gunshot wound to the forehead after he and friends were playing with a loaded gun that went off.
On February 2, 2009, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office identified the Lake Worth, Florida, youth.  Deputies say a 9-year-old was holding the weapon when it fired Sunday, Febryaru 1, 2009, but that five children under 18 and one 18-year-old were present.  Sheriff's office spokeswoman Teri Barbera says the children were playing with a laser on the weapon when it discharged.
An investigation revealed the gun, a Glock .40, had been stolen from a car in West Palm Beach in January.  No charges had been filed, but the sheriff's office will turn over the investigation to the State Attorney's Office for review.
This is a tragic reminder of the dangers that guns can pose when left in the hands of children.  If you are a gun owner, please take the appropriate precautions to lock your gun and keep it out of the reach of children.
- Tampa Personal Injury Attorney

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Peanut Butter Processing Problems

The United States Food and Drug Administration has inspected a peanut butter and peanut paste processing facility in Georgia and has found salmonella at various places in the facility.  The FDA also found mold growing on the ceiling of the Peanut Butter Corporation of America’s facility.  Salmonella and mold can cause serious illness and, in cases like this, the company responsible for placing contaminated products into the market place may be held liable for the personal injuries caused.
The FDA’s inspectors found that the company did not “manufacture foods under conditions and controls necessary to minimize the potential for growth of microorganisms and contamination.”  The FDA also cited the Peanut Butter Corporation of America for “failure to maintain equipment, containers and utensils used to convey, hold, and store food in a manner that protects against contamination.”  Reportedly, the company did not clean a peanut paste line contaminated with salmonella for roughly three and a half months after it first became aware of the contamination. 
Read the report:  FDA Peanut Inspection Report - Blakely, GA
If you have been harmed by product contamination, or any other defective product, contact the Tampa personal injury attorneys of Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA.  With offices in Tampa and Sarasota, these personal injury attorneys represent their clients throughout the State of Florida regarding personal injuries resulting from defective products.
 - Tampa Personal Injury Attorney

Monday, February 2, 2009

Hurry up and wait.

While the Sarasota and Tampa personal injury attorneys of Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA, often times hear about traffic crashes when their clients describe their injuries and they study police reports, they also monitor current and ongoing traffic issues.  One tool to help you plan your trips and get up-to-the-minute information about traffic conditions and car crashes is the web site: www.511tampabay.com.
Remember, it is possible to avoid many car crashes and the resulting personal injury if you allow yourself enough time, plan your route and drive defensively.  If, however, you are involved in a car crash caused by someone else’s negligence, feel free to contact the Tampa personal injury attorneys of Dennis Hernandez & Associates, PA.  These personal injury lawyers handle real personal injury cases all around Florida and strive to obtain real results for their clients who suffer personal injuries.
- Tampa Personal Injury Attorney