Uncategorized

We Stand With SWFL after Hurricane Ian

October 30, 2022 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

When it comes to helping in the wake of Hurricane Ian, each of us at Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner are committed to doing whatever we can.

For more than 50 years, Bruce L. Scheiner has fought for the rights of Southwest Florida residents. Our large staff of attorneys, paralegals, investigators and support personnel live and work right here in Southwest Florida. We are working shoulder-to-shoulder to help family, neighbors, co-workers and complete strangers with basic needs as we all begin the process of rebuilding our beautiful community, better and stronger.

In addition to organizing assistance efforts and working with organizations in our communities, we have partnered with law firms who focus on property damage claims to help ensure Southwest Floridians get the experienced legal help they need during this trying time. We are here to help devastated homeowners who need assistance with hurricane claims. As areas of Southwest Florida regain power and return to some measure of normalcy, let’s not forget some will be working toward recovery for years, while others will never recover from the devastation wrought by this generational storm.

Height of Hurricane Season a Risk for Drivers in SWFL

September 26, 2022 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We are entering the height of hurricane season in Southwest Florida, and all eyes are on the big storms. Activity in the Atlantic has local residents bracing for catastrophic property damage, flooding, and power outages. However, residents should not overlook more commonplace threats while prepping for “the big one.” The near-daily thunderstorms that define fall in Florida make it one of the most dangerous times of the year for motorists.

Sudden storms are the norm in our state, often causing blinding rains, reduced traction, and flooding that can challenge even veteran drivers. Due to these hazards, we encourage you to service your vehicle and check your tires for adequate tread. Florida’s mild winters eliminate the early spring and late fall maintenance schedules followed by motorists in much of the rest of the country, and it is easy to be caught off guard by rapidly changing road conditions. In addition, intense summer temperatures and blistering asphalt can quickly degrade tires when tread and traction are most needed. Ensuring your car is ready for inclement weather is the best way to combat difficult road conditions due to Florida storms.

Weathering the Storm: Safe Driving in SWFL

While the winter months are most challenging for northern motorists, drivers in South Florida must cope with severe storm conditions from June until November, with some outliers striking in the off-season.

Safe Driving Best Protection from Summer’s 100 Deadliest Days

June 28, 2022 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days for travel. While gas prices are at record highs, there are no indications that families are cutting back on travel plans this summer after two years of pandemic related isolation and restrictions.

Our car accident lawyers and Fort Myers have been representing families dealing with the serious injury or death of a loved one in Southwest Florida for more than half a century. In most cases, these “accidents” are entirely preventable. In fact, they are most often caused by the same dangerous driving behaviors we see over, and over, and over again. We have written about them often, but we encourage you to take a moment to read them and make safe driving a topic of family conversation. There are real, concrete steps each driver in your household can take to drastically reduce the chances of being involved in a life-altering motor vehicle collision.

Review your Homeowner’s Liability Policy

June 26, 2022 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers often remind motorists about the importance of auto insurance, particularly the need to purchase policies with significant liability limits of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident at a minimum, and higher limits are recommended and typically available for a modest increase in premiums. Likewise, uninsured motorist/uninsured motorist coverage, which is optional in Florida, offers vital protection to you and your family in the event you are involved in a collision with one of the many uninsured or underinsured drivers on the road.

But we spend less time talking about your homeowner’s liability insurance, which is also a critical component when it comes to protecting the financial well-being of you and your family. The increasing challenges facing Florida homeowners when it comes to purchasing and maintaining homeowner’s insurance has been a frequent topic in the news lately. But those challenges are related to the storm damage portion of your policy as hurricanes become more common and power powerful along the coast each year.

Motorcycle Safety Month Opens Summer Riding Season in SWFL

May 31, 2022 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

May is motorcycle safety awareness month. It is also the start of the summer riding season in Southwest Florida.

While Florida weather permits year-around riding, it also exacerbates the risks, both because motorcycles are on the road all year, and because the never-ending ride breeds complacency among motorists who, because they see riders all year long, might not see them at all.

The truth is the vast majority of motorcycle accidents involving a motor vehicle are the fault of the vehicle’s driver. But that does not mean motorcyclists are powerless when it comes to reducing the risks. Our motorcycle injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral have been representing riders and their families in personal injury and wrongful death claims for half a century. And there are a number of lessons we have learned over the years when it comes to safe riding on the roads of Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.

Neighborhood Fatality a Reminder of Risks Close to Home

October 5, 2021 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

A Cape Coral man died last week after being pinned between two vehicles along a neighborhood street, NBC-2 reported.

The man was putting tools into the back of his vehicle when a Nissan Sentra driven by a 26-year-old man struck him, pinning him between the two vehicles, according to authorities. The driver said he couldn’t see because of sun glare and condensation on the windshield. Neither speed nor impairment are believed to be factors in the crash, according to authorities.

Floridians do not have to deal with snow and ice. So there is little excuse for leaving the driveway with obstructed views. Take a few moments to clear fog and condensation from your windows. If your windows fog while en route, pull over to the side of the road and give your defrosters a chance to catch up.

External Distractions a Factor in Many Traffic Collisions

January 24, 2021 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Our New Year’s look, Staying Safe on Florida Roads, has examined many of the ways drivers are distracted inside the vehicle, including cell phones and other electronic devices, eating and drinking, and engaging with passengers.

But an often overlooked contributing factor in collision causation is distractions and obstructions outside the vehicle. These can range from road construction, to previous collisions, to the actions of other motorists, to special events, and people carrying sign boards and intersection advertising.

Our car accident attorneys in Fort Myers and Cape Coral know such distraction is a contributing factor in a substantial number of serious and fatal traffic collisions each year. In some cases, such distractions may be reported by initial investigators, but in many other cases, these contributing causes go unreported.

Please Don’t Drink and Drive

December 29, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Please Don’t Drink and Drive.

Probably the 10,000th time we’ve written that message on our blog but it bears repeating: Please don’t drink and drive.

Not during the busy holiday season full of opportunities to imbibe. Not after the new year. Not ever.

COVID Increasing Risk of Bicycle, Scooter and E-Vehicle Injuries

September 14, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

COVID-19 restrictions continue to increase demand for bicycles, scooters, and e-vehicles. Purchases have reached record highs and an increasing number of rental options are also reporting high demand throughout South Florida.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Association is among the organizations highlighting the increased need for bicycle and e-scooter safety campaigns amid the coronavirus pandemic. This is true in vacation and resort locations like Southwest Florida, and in large urban centers where residents continue to flee the subway and other public transportation options, in favor of bicycles and scooters.

Our injury lawyers in Cape Coral and Fort Myers continue to see an increase in the number of incidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists and scooters. This was true even before the pandemic’s social distancing restrictions increased the popularity of such open-air independent and environmental friendly modes of transportation.

Boating Popularity Continues to Soar in SWFL

June 22, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Southwest Florida boat dealers and marinas are reporting significant increases in boat sales and rentals as families look for COVID-friendly alternatives for vacation and leisure.

In April, our Fort Myers boat accident attorneys reported in Boating Injuries a Pandemic Risk that an increase in boaters – particularly an increase in novice boaters – would likely lead to an increased risk of reportable accidents during Southwest Florida’s summer boating season, which is typically the slowest time of the year.

Florida is a boater’s paradise. The state’s 1 million vessels puts more boats off Florida’s coast than anywhere else in the nation, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. But with all that fun in the sun comes an assumption of risk, and potential liabilities.