Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

Uber is back in the news — this time after more than 100 drivers are accused of sexually assaulting and abusing customers.

Earlier this year on our Florida Injury Lawyer blog we examined the increasing number of personal injury cases resulting from traffic collisions involving ride-sharing services.

Now, a CNN investigation has found 103 Uber drivers in the United States have been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing passengers, many of whom were intoxicated and had used the service for a safe ride home. More than 30 drivers have been criminally convicted and dozens of criminal and civil cases are pending.

The death of two construction workers in Naples last week is a stark reminder of the risks and consequences of Southwest Florida’s building boom.

The men were installing a temporary elevator shaft on a Gulf Shore Boulevard high-rise when the scaffolding crumbled beneath them. Naples police report the men fell more than 100 feet. State and federal authorities will investigate.

Construction is among the most dangerous occupations nationwide. The number of deaths has continued to climb as the economy has recovered and Lee and Collier counties have returned to boom times. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report 309 Florida workers died in job-related accidents in 2016, up from 272 in the previous year.

It’s Bike to Work Week as safety advocates and cycling enthusiasts encourage people nationwide to enjoy the spring weather with a bike ride. Events will culminate with Bike to Work Day on Friday May 18.

The League of American Bicyclists reports 40 percent of daily trips in the U.S. are less than two miles. The number of bicycle commuters has increased more than 60 percent in recent years with the increasing popularity of cycling and fitness. When it comes to weather, few areas are more conducive to year-around riding than Southwest Florida. However, the area’s booming growth has often left infrastructure struggling to keep up with the increasing number of residents who want safe routes to ride. 

Our injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral began the month with a three-blog series for Motorcycle Safety Month, which is also in May. It’s a timely reminder for most of the country, where motorcycle riders and cyclists hit the roads with spring weather. However, in Florida the risks are year around — as illustrated by the fact that the Sunshine State continues to be among the most dangerous places in the nation for all riders on two wheels.

The motorcycle accident lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner have built a solid reputation in the Southwest Florida riding community through more than 4 decades of courtroom and community advocacy for the rights of riders and their families.

We know most motorcycle accidents involving other vehicles are the fault of the vehicle’s driver. We know safety is a primary concern for most riders and that the vast majority of motorcyclists in Southwest Florida are safe and responsible riders — or at least desire to be as safe and responsible as possible while riding. 

Still, more riders are killed in Florida than in any other state — 555 rider deaths in 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month nationwide.

The safety of motorcycle riders is often in the hands of other motorists.

Blaming riders — assuming most injured riders were acting in a reckless or unsafe manner — only assures that you are at increased risk of causing a serious or fatal accident.

The statistics speak plain truth and have for decades: Most motorcycle accidents that involve another vehicle are the fault of the vehicle’s driver.

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month as authorities look to remind motorists to watch for riders, and riders to put safety first, as the summer riding season begins.

The motorcycle injury lawyers at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner have spent more than 4 decades building a reputation among Southwest Florida riders — for advocacy both in the courtroom and throughout our local communities. Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner has been the primary sponsor of Cape Coral Bike Nights for more than a decade and also sponsors and supports many other local riding events along Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Federal statistics show motorcycle riders are 27 times more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a traffic accident, compared to occupants of a passenger vehicle. For riders, there is no such thing as a “minor” motorcycle accident. Virtually all accidents involve often serious injury — and fatalities are commonplace. In most cases when a motorcycle accident in SWFL occurs involving another vehicle, fault is assigned to the vehicle’s driver.

You should be paying better attention during afternoon rush hour.

The News-Press used Metropolitan Planning Organization data to determine the afternoon commute is likely the most dangerous part of your day, and certainly the deadliest time of day on Southwest Florida roads. 

The news came as a surprise to some, who guessed the morning drive was deadliest, as motorists fought for space to get to work on time while waking up to the radio and their morning coffee.

A recent traffic death on Daniels Parkway illustrates the growing danger of rear-end underride accidents in Southwest Florida.

A 31-year-old Fort Myers man was killed when his Volkswagen slammed into the rear of a stopped dump truck at the intersection of Daniels Parkway and Plantation Drive, according to The News-Press. Photos of the accident show the devastating results often typical of this type of motor-vehicle collision. 

Our truck accident lawyers in Fort Myers have seen an increase in these types of collisions as the economy in Lee County has continued to rebound.

Residents in one Fort Myers neighborhood are blaming lack of a traffic signal for a high rate of intersection accidents.

FOX4 reports residents contend the intersection of Winkler Avenue and Aldermans Walk Boulevard needs a traffic light, but only has a stop sign. 

Speeding is also an issue but residents argue a traffic light would help. School children are common in the intersection during peak hours and hundreds more homes are slated to be built in the community. The group started a petition on Change.org, urging the city to take action. The city had yet to respond at the story was reported.

Authorities are urging motorists to use caution when traveling through road construction zones as the spring tourism season reaches a peak and we approach the summer travel and construction season.

Road construction accidents are a common risk throughout South Florida as these zones are dangerous for both motorists and road-construction crews working to accommodate the areas incredible growth. Typically, as the traffic begins to thin with the end of season, an increasing number of orange construction barrels begin appearing on the roads just in time for summer. 

Construction Accidents Endanger Road Crews