Miami injury lawyers

July 18, 2017

Ambulance Chasers: What To Do If You Are Contacted By A Case Runner

Attorneys, especially personal injury lawyers, often suffer from a bad reputation among the general public. One of the most ubiquitous stereotypes about the profession is that of the “ambulance chaser.” The term brings to mind an image of a sleazy attorney in a bad suit hoping to make a fee by following an ambulance to the hospital and harassing the family of an injured person while their loved one lays in a hospital bed.

The vast majority of attorneys work hard to combat these negative and outdated stereotypes of the legal profession. Unfortunately, there are still a few lawyers and legal professionals practicing today who continue to give attorneys a bad name. At Gerson & Schwartz, P.A., our Miami car accident lawyers work hard to give clients the best legal representation possible, without the high-pressure sales tactics that lead to unfair characteristics of the legal profession.

Ambulance Chasing Is Illegal

October 24, 2016

Can You Sue Someone for Road Rage?

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

This week, news outlets reported that Matthew Apperson was sentenced to twenty years in prison for shooting at George Zimmerman during a 2015 road rage incident. Apperson allegedly followed Zimmerman in his vehicle while flashing his lights and honking his horn. At some point, Apperson moved into the lane next to Zimmerman and fired into Zimmerman’s vehicle. Zimmerman was not shot, but he suffered cuts from the shattering of his car window. Apperson was convicted of second-degree murder. Of course, criminal charges are appropriate in such a situation. However, civil claims may also be filed against an individual, regardless of whether criminal charges have been filed for an incident. Miami personal injury attorneys seek justice for injury, accident and road rage victims who were injured by the reckless or careless acts of others.

When are civil claims appropriate? Civil claims involving injuries typically require three parts: A legal duty was owed to the victim, breach of the legal duty, due to that breach, the victim suffered damages. Generally speaking, road rage incidents are dangerous and can end up with serious or catastrophic injuries and in some cases fatal consequences. One source reported that 66 percent of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. Two percent of drivers have admitted to trying to run another driver off of the road.

Aggressive Careless Driving and Following Too Closely- Violations under Florida law

October 10, 2016

Plastic Surgery Medical Malpractice in Florid

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Florida has some of the highest plastic surgery rates in the country. One survey showed that Miami alone has 10 plastic surgeons per 100,000 residents. Thousands of cosmetic procedures are performed in Miami and the rest of Florida every year. In some cases, surgeons make errors that cause severe injuries to their patients. Sadly, many patients die due to the injuries they sustained during or after a plastic surgery procedure.

Medical malpractice cases are among the most complex civil actions that attorneys file. Pursuing them requires an in depth understanding of not only personal injury laws, but also the anatomy and physiology of the human body. To successfully pursue such a claim, a victim should seek a Miami personal injury lawyer with years of experience in these cases.

In a medical malpractice case, the patient must demonstrate three things: that the medical professional had a duty to the patient; that this duty was breached when the medical professional acted negligently; and that, due to this negligence, the patient suffered harm. Establishing the duty is usually straightforward—when a patient consents to a procedure, the doctor-patient relationship is established. To demonstrate negligence, a medical expert will need to testify and explain what the standard course of conduct is for the procedure in question and how the medical professional deviated from that standard.

May 20, 2015

Jury Selection Can Make or Break an Injury Trial

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

When preparing for a personal injury trial, it’s easy (and important) to focus on the evidence and testimony that will be presented. But what many personal injury attorneys often forget is a process that is perhaps the most important part of the personal injury trial: picking a jury.

Jury Selection

Jury selection has its own very complex set of rules and laws. And while everyone is in theory guaranteed a jury of their peers, that right is balanced with the right of parties to strike jurors, and challenge jurors, with and without cause.

April 30, 2015

Florida Supreme Court Allows Defibrillator Case to go to Jury

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

When someone suffers a heart attack, we normally think of that as a natural occurrence, unpreventable by anything that anybody could have done. However, while it certainly is a natural occurrence, more and more, law is evolving to recognize that certain property owners have an obligation to have working, operational defibrillators, and to provide training to those who may need to use them.

A tragedy during an athletic contest has now lead the Florida Supreme Court to expand significantly the instances where a defibrillator may be required.

High School Athlete Dies on the Field

April 22, 2015

Injury Victims Should Monitor Laws Regarding Arbitration

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

You may have heard in the news about how arbitration clauses are causing consumers difficulty when bringing claims against big companies. You may think arbitration is a threat to just consumer clients suing businesses for unfair trade practices. But more and more, it’s being used against those who suffer personal injury due to the negligence of another, as big businesses’ way of trying to deny victims the right to a jury.

What is Arbitration?

Arbitration is an informal proceeding where both sides present their evidence and a decision is made about the case. Unlike court however, the decision is not made by a jury, but rather, an arbitrator. The arbitrator also may not even be a judge, but may be a lawyer, retired judge, or other professional.

April 15, 2015

Non-Delegable Duties Are Important for Injured Victims

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Often when people are injured, the negligence involved multiple parties. A construction site can have contractors and subcontractors, stores may rely upon outside vendors, and apartment complexes may contract out with private security companies to handle security. Thus, knowing which entity to sue, and holding the right party responsible for your injuries, becomes crucial.

Delegating Duties

Often, companies will argue that they have delegated the duties they owe to the public or to you, to another company, and that company is the one responsible for your injuries. So, for example, a store that hires a separate maintenance company to clean their floors will point the finger at that company when you slip and fall because of the poorly maintained floors.

March 26, 2015

No Special Instruction For Patient With Object Left Inside of Him

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

One of the most frightening scenarios for patients who undergo a surgical procedure in a hospital is the possibility of having a foreign object left inside of them. A recent case discusses how and when the law protects those who fall victim to this kind of negligence.

Man Has Object Left Inside of Him

Recently, a man underwent a surgical procedure in a hospital, and a drain was inserted into him, a common procedure to allow drainage of excess fluids. A nurse eventually removed the drain. The man began experiencing intense pain for days afterward. What he didn’t know then, but eventually learned, was that a portion of the drainage tube had dislodged, and remained inside of his body.

March 11, 2015

Florida Supreme Court Upholds Negligent Security Verdict Against Apartment Complex

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

We’ve written in the past about the civil aspects of crime. A huge area of negligent security case law derives from crime that occurs at apartment complexes. Landlords aren’t insurers of tenant safety, but surely have an obligation to do what they can to keep foreseeable crime out of the complex, and provide basic safety measures for tenants to help prevent injuries.

A recent case decided by the Florida Supreme Court emphasizes how important nuanced facts are to negligent security cases. In the end, the court made a ruling that makes it a bit easier for victims to obtain reparation for injuries caused by a landlord’s failure to provide adequate safety.

Murder in an Apartment Complex Leads to Lawsuit

March 5, 2015

Florida Supreme Court Gives New Life to Liability Releases

by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

The Florida Supreme Court, in an important decision, has changed the way that so-called exculpatory clauses are interpreted. Its decision unfortunately broadens the effectiveness of these agreements, and thus, makes it harder for those catastrophically injured by the negligence of a business, or while on a business premises, to recover damages.

Exculpatory clauses are the contracts that you often sign that purport to waive any liability for the business for any injury that you sustain. They are often used on cruises, in gyms, in kids play areas, and in extreme sports. Simply put, you are agreeing not to sue the business if you’re injured when you’re there, or taking part in an activity.

Mother Injured on Vacation Starts Dispute Over Liability Release