Gainesville Personal Injury Law Blog

How can I find a good home contractor?

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in construction law on Saturday, September 14, 2019.

If you own your home in Florida, there may well come a time when you need or want to hire a contractor to do some work for you. Even the homeowner who is eager to dive into remodeling projects on their own may choose to use a professional for certain jobs. It can be a bit scary to think about how to choose a contractor, especially if you have heard horror stories about people being taken advantage of by contractors who are not completely honest. However, there are steps you can take to avoid falling into this type of situation.

As recommended by Consumer Affairs, one of the first things you should do is to make a short list of contractors who are fully licensed and insured, including carrying workers' compensation insurance. Any contractor who fails to have these things should be off your list immediately.

Eating while driving: A deadly distraction

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.

Nearly every driver has faced the same challenges – desperate to save time and multi-task while behind the wheel. Unfortunately, anything that takes attention from what's going on around the car can ultimately be dangerous to us and other drivers. Distractions can be lumped into numerous categories and while Florida has several laws in place to punish cell phone use, drivers can still be distracted by eating, reading, personal grooming, manipulating a GPS unit, manipulating in-car audio systems and arguing with passengers.

Workers struggle in increasing temperatures

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in workers' compensation on Monday, September 2, 2019.

Florida residents enjoy warm weather virtually all year long, making it a popular place for people to vacation and to relocate to from colder climates. However, the sun and heat that brings many enjoyable experiences can also put people who work outside at risk of developing heat-related illnesses. In some extreme situations, workers across the country have even died as a result of these experiences.

USA Today recently reported on this growing problem, made worse at least in part by the earth's rising temperatures due to global warming. This is leading many workers to wonder what rights they have and how they can remain protected and safe at work. Unfortunately, there are not currently any federal laws that outline safety standards for employees as they relate to heat or sun exposure.

Florida expressway closed after fatal collision

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in personal injury on Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

As devastating as the effects of a car accident can be for those involved and their families, the consequences can be much more far-reaching. A predawn car crash involving two vehicles on Florida's Sawgrass Expressway earlier this week killed one driver and injured another. Not only that, but a portion of the expressway also remained closed for five hours thereafter due to debris from the crash blocking the southbound lanes.

Because the crash is still under investigation, authorities could not release any information as to its cause. However, they were able to describe what they found at the scene. They observed one of the vehicles facing east in the center lane after rolling over. Its driver, a 37-year-old woman, escaped the crash with only minor injuries. It is not known whether she went to the hospital or received any medical treatment. The other vehicle had collided with a guardrail, resulting in damage to its front. It had also sustained heavy damage to its rear. Authorities found it facing east in the grass median. Its driver, a 38-year-old woman, did not survive.

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale?

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in personal injury on Sunday, August 11, 2019.

After learning that a loved one has been involved in an accident in Gainesville, you are likely overjoyed to hear that they have survived. Yet they may not be completely “out of the woods” yet (particularly if they suffered a brain injury). Traumatic brain injuries can be as minor as a concussion (from which line can recover in just a few days) to serious injuries that can leave one in a persistent vegetative state for the rest of their lives. Yet how are you to know what the outcome of your family member or friend’s TBI may be?

Clinicians use a test known as the Glasgow Coma Scale when treating patients who have suffered TBIs. This test measures the extent of a brain injury by observing a person’s response in the following areas:

Eye-opening
Speaking
Motor response

Understanding food product recall classifications

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in personal injury on Saturday, July 27, 2019.

Consumers in Gainesville are likely confident that the food products that they purchase at the grocery store or order at a restaurant are completely safe (why else would they be made available for consumption?). Yet the fact that several such products are recalled every year in the U.S. dispels this notion. According to information shared by the United States Department of Agriculture, 125 such recalls were initiated in the U.S. in 2018 alone.

When one learns that they have consumed a recalled food product, they might reasonably panic thinking that their health has been compromised and their lives could potentially be in danger. While their fears are justified, not every recalled product has the potential to cause serious harm. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration breaks down product recalls into the following three categories:

Class I: These recalls involve products whose consumption presents the potential for serious adverse health consequences or even death
Class II: These recalls involve products whose consumption may cause adverse health consequences, yet the effects of which are likely temporary
Class III: These recalls involve products whose consumption is unlikely to cause adverse health consequences

Drunk driving still a problem in Florida

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in personal injury on Saturday, July 6, 2019.

If you are like a lot of people in Florida, you look forward to the summer months for all of the celebrations and freedom to be enjoyed at that time of year. However, you are also likely aware that summer holidays and festivities offer yet more opportunities for people to consume alcohol and still make the choice to drive. Drunk drivers continue to plague Florida's roads and highways despite the strict laws and public awareness campaigns.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in each year from 2013 to 2017, alcohol was stated to be a contributing factor in 27% or 28% of all vehicular fatalities statewide. Over that time, the number of lives lost at the hands of drunk drivers rose for three consecutive years between 2013 and 2016 and dropped slightly in 2017 but the 839 deaths that year still exceeded the number of deaths in 2013 by 167.

5 tips for motorists driving in heavy rain

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Many people move to Florida from states with real winters because of the warm weather and sunshine. The ability to avoid driving in months of snowy and icy road conditions also is a big perk.

However, for those new to the Sunshine State or those visiting or spending their first full summer here, Florida weather can impact driving safety. In Florida, torrential downpours in the late afternoon, often right around rush hour, are common. Also, because of the humidity and fluctuations in temperature, Florida is prone to fog and low visibility conditions.

Terminating a contract "for convenience"

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law posted in business law on Monday, July 1, 2019.

Your company's business contracts offer a strong sense of security primarily for two reasons: first, they seemingly guarantee that you will have work to do while your contract is in place. The second reason is that should your contractual partner in Gainesville attempt to end your contract early, you may be able to sue for breach of contract. Most of the company representatives that come to see us here at Moody Salzman Lash Locigno Attorneys & Counselors at Law believing that an organization has to have cause for terminating a contract. Yet that may not be true in every case.

Companies can indeed cite convenience when deciding to end a contractual agreement. Essentially, this means that they view it as no longer being convenient for them to do business with. Some common reasons cited for terminating a contract for convenience may include:

A company deciding it no longer needs the products or services you offer
You being unwilling to renegotiate the terms of your current contract
A company deciding to produce the products or services you offer in-house
A general breakdown in your business relationship

Conagra products recalled

On behalf of Moody, Salzman, Lash & Locigno, Attorneys & Counselors at Law on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Conagra Brands made the headlines recently, and unfortunately not with good publicity. They have announced a recall for their chicken and rice products, due to a misbranding issue and the failure to declare specific allergens. The recall affected over 2,800 pounds for chicken and rice product.

What was the reason behind the recall?