Michael V. Barszcz, M.D., J.D.
May 9th, 2012
This month, various organizations and local governments are spreading the word about sharing the road with motorcycles and avoiding motorcycle accidents. Florida Governor Rick Scott officially recognized Motorcycle Awareness Month by issuing a proclamation, which declared:
- Motorcycles are an increasingly popular means of transportation
- The scenery of Florida make it an ideal spot for motorcycle touring
- Motorcycles are popular for their fuel efficiency
- Many people are riding motorcycles for commuting and recreation
The Governor’s statement goes on to say that, because of the prevalence of motorcycles on Florida roadways, appropriate driving behavior must be developed to encourage long-term motorcycle safety and prevent auto accidents. According to the statement, more than one million Florida drivers have a motorcycle endorsement on their license.
To share the road with motorcycles, please remember to:
- Signal turns and lane changes well in advance
- Check for motorcycles before making left turns at intersections
- Check your blind spot before changing lanes
- Yield the full width of the lane to motorcycles
Techniques to share the road reduces car vs. motorcycle accidents and the catastrophic bodily injury those accidents can cause.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Orlando, Florida that was not your fault, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, MD, JD, to schedule a consultation.
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April 27th, 2012
Anyone can cause an auto accident by becoming distracted from the task of driving; however, teenagers are often pointed to as being the most likely perpetrators of distracted driving. It is important to remember that adults, too, engage in careless behavior leading to catastrophic accidents. By showing our teens how to drive safely now, we can prevent the injury, expense, pain and emotional suffering often resulting from car accidents.
A recent study from Bridgestone Americas shows teenage girls are 15 percent more likely than teenage boys to engage in risky driving behavior. Such behavior includes:
- Texting
- Talking on the phone
- Adjusting the radio
- Playing music at high volumes
- Eating
- Talking to passengers
According to Pew Research Center, the percentage of adults who text while driving is nearly the same as the percentage of teens who text and drive.
The end result of auto accidents caused by driver distractions is serious injury, as well as the expense to treat those injuries. Regardless of state laws pertaining to distracted driving, or the absence of those laws, all drivers have certain responsibilities behind the wheel. If you or a loved one has been injured by a careless driver who shirked these responsibilities, you deserve compensation for the expense and harm caused.
If you have been in an auto accident in Orlando, Florida, or the surrounding areas, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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April 18th, 2012
Young passengers are the least likely to say something to a driver who is texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, according to US Department of Transportation (DOT) survey results announced earlier this week by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Cell phone use while driving is a common cause of auto accidents and puts teens at serious risk of catastrophic and fatal injuries.
The survey was conducted by DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and included information from more than 6,000 drivers from across the country. The survey seems to show teens and young people are particularly at risk for distracted driving car accidents:
- Only one-third of young passengers would say something to a driver using a cell phone, while half of drivers age 65 and older would say something.
- Drivers age 18 to 20 report the most cell phone involvement in car accidents and situations that almost resulted in a car accident.
- Drivers younger than 25 years old are two to three times more likely to send or read a text while driving, a common driver distraction.
- The number of reports of texting while driving dropped with increasing age.
Teen drivers can seriously injure themselves and their passengers when distraction causes a car accident. Promoting educational and awareness-raising measures is an important part of preventing violent auto accidents that can abruptly change the course of a young person’s life.
If you or your teen has been injured in a car accident in Orlando, Florida caused by someone else’s distracted driving, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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April 11th, 2012
In 2010, more than 3,000 people were killed in auto accidents caused by distracted driving, according to Distraction.gov, the official US government website for distracted driving awareness.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This month, law enforcement agencies in some states are cracking down on texting and other sources of driver distraction. Currently, 10 states, as well as DC, have banned texting and talking on a cell phone while driving.
Careless drivers who take their eyes away from the road endanger not only themselves, but passengers, other drivers and pedestrians as well. Distracted driving occurs anytime a driver’s attention is taken away from the task of driving. Car accidents can result from distraction caused by:
- Reading a map
- Applying make-up
- Talking to passengers
- Using a cell phone
- Changing radio stations
If you suffer a catastrophic injury in a car accident caused by a distracted driver, you deserve to be compensated by the negligent driver for the expense of your injury.
If you have been injured in an auto accident in Orlando, Florida, or the surrounding areas, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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March 29th, 2012
Medical malpractice claims can stem from incidents in busy, high-stress hospital environments. Most hospital employees are hard-working, talented individuals who perform life-saving and health-promoting feats every day; however, rare instances of hospital negligence can lead to:
- Aggravation of a health condition or injury
- Physical disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
In recent news is the story of a 3-month-old girl whose finger was severed by a hospital nurse last year at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center. The nurse accidentally severed the young girl’s finger while removing an IV with scissors. Sadly, a surgeon was unable to reattach the girl’s finger because of the small size of her blood vessels. The mother has filed a lawsuit alleging hospital negligence.
The crux of any medical malpractice claim is whether the medical professional deviated from accepted standards of care. If the attorney in this case can prove the nurse was being negligent, and severed the child’s finger as a result, the family may be successful in recovering compensation.
The mother and her attorney seek damages of more than $15,000, and have named the hospital and the nurse as defendants.
At the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., we believe in the abilities of the many skilled and knowledgeable health professionals across the state of Florida. Our attorneys represent legitimate medical malpractice claims stemming from the blatant disregard for the medical field that occurs when a healthcare worker is negligent in his or her duties.
If you have been seriously injured as a result of medical malpractice in Orlando or any other city in Florida, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation with our experienced malpractice lawyers.
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March 22nd, 2012
In Florida, 769 lives were saved by seat belts in car accidents in 2010. Nationwide, seat belts saved 12,546 lives that year. These numbers come from a statistical summary released earlier this month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The summary is titled “Traffic Safety Facts: Crash Stats.”
The summary goes on to state 69,000 lives have been saved by seat belts in auto accidents between 2006 and 2010. Numbers of lives saved are estimates based on the effectiveness of the devices.
Car accidents can cause a number of deadly injuries, including:
The NHTSA estimates another 3,341 lives could have been saved nationwide in fatal auto accidents if the victims had been wearing seat belts.
Even the most responsible drivers can be injured in a car accident caused by another motorist. Buckling up may be a critical component in avoiding a devastating tragedy. Even when we take every available precaution, serious injuries can still happen. If you were injured because of another person’s negligence, you deserve compensation for your expenses.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Orlando or another Florida city, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation with experienced accident lawyer Michael V. Barszcz.
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March 13th, 2012
This past Friday marked the beginning of Bike Week in Daytona Beach. During this 10-day event, bikers from all over the country will come together in Central Florida to celebrate motorcycle culture.
The event is expected to bring over half a million bikers to Central Florida, which may lead to a rise in motorcycle accidents.
With more motorcycles on the road, Bike Week has been known to cause numerous fatalities in years past. Although connecting motorcyclist deaths directly to Bike Week is not always possible, these fatalities have spiked significantly in certain years. In 2006, more than 20 people were killed in accidents involving motorcycles during Bike Week.
Recent years have seen declines in Bike Week-related deaths. Last year, only two fatalities were thought to be related to the event. In 2010, it was four fatalities. Some accidents have occurred this year as a result of unfavorable weather, but so far fatalities have not occurred.
If you are visiting Central Florida for Bike Week, stay safe and avoid car and motorcycle accidents by:
- Wearing a helmet.
- Never driving your motorcycle while intoxicated.
- Remaining vigilant for pedestrians, especially in crowded Bike Week venues.
- Avoiding tailgating or riding between lanes, both of which may make it difficult for motorists to see you.
- Maintaining a safe distance.
- Reducing speed in rain and other inclement weather conditions.
If you are a responsible cyclist who has been injured by a careless motorist in an auto accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your injury-related expenses.
If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Orlando or the surrounding Central Florida cities, please contact experienced accident attorney Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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February 28th, 2012
During the beginning of this week alone, two people were killed in motorcycle accidents in the state of Florida.
In Volusia County, a 50-year-old woman was killed when her motorcycle was hit from behind, according to WESH Orlando. The motorist who hit her, who police suspect was driving an SUV, sped off without helping her. Yesterday in Brevard County, a 23-year-old man was killed after losing control of his motorcycle on a curve in the road, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
While all the details of these tragedies are not known, there have been many accidents like them in the past.
Although motorcycle accidents can certainly be caused by the motorist’s own error, this type of accident is also frequently caused by other negligent drivers, and sometimes by defective road designs. Other causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Distracted motorist fails to see motorcycle driver.
- Motorist misjudges the motorcycle’s speed of travel.
- Motorist fails to yield right-of-way to motorcycle driver.
To prevent car vs. motorcycle accidents, remember that cyclists and other drivers have the same privileges and responsibilities on the road.
If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Orlando, Florida or the surrounding cities, please contact experienced accident attorney Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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February 15th, 2012
In a Valentine’s Day bus accident, the driver of a Ford pickup truck rear-ended a school bus and struck an SUV in Orange County, Florida, according to the Orlando Sentinel. At the time of the collision, the school bus was stopped to let children off.
Fortunately, neither the four children on-board the bus, nor the bus driver, were hurt. The pickup driver and his passenger did sustain minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. The SUV driver received some minor injuries as well.
Although this particular pickup truck was following too closely, many Florida motorists illegally pass school buses on a daily basis, creating a scenario in which pedestrian accidents become likely. There are nearly 9,000 illegal “pass-bys” of school buses every day in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
According to Florida law, you must:
- Stop when approaching a school bus with flashing red lights displayed and its stop sign extended.
- Not pass the school bus on the right or left sides until the light signals have ceased and the sign has been withdrawn.
Negligent drivers cause car accidents every day. Motorists who choose to drive carelessly threaten the safety and wellbeing of our children and ourselves, and the injuries caused can lead to considerable expense and emotional turmoil. In this rear-end accident, not only was the driver of the pickup truck ticketed for careless driving, he was also ticketed for driving with a suspended license and without insurance.
If you live in Orlando or the surrounding Florida areas and have been injured in a car accident that was not your fault, please contact experienced injury attorney Michael V. Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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February 9th, 2012
A 9-year-old boy was left critically injured after he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle. A 50-year-old man was killed when he was struck head-on by someone attempting to pass in a no-passing zone. Eleven people were killed in a massive pileup on Interstate 75, another 18 went to the hospital.
These are just a few of the auto accidents that have occurred in Florida recently. The devastation caused by car accidents is always unexpected. Surviving drivers of the I-75 pileup reported dramatically limited visibility when driving into a thick wall of smoke and fog. There was no way to anticipate the catastrophe that lay ahead.
While car accidents just about always take us by surprise, most accidents are also preventable. The consequences of preventable auto accidents can have far-reaching, life-changing effects. Injuries may cause loss of life, permanent physical impairment, or mental disability from traumatic brain injury.
If you were involved in a preventable car accident that was not your fault, you deserve compensation for the impact your injuries have had on your life. Horrific, catastrophic auto accidents are unfortunately often the result of someone’s carelessness, and negligent drivers should be held accountable for the tragedies they cause.
If you live in Orlando, Florida and have been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, please contact experienced auto accident attorney Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.
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