GOLDLAW – West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyers, Car Accident, Slip & Fall – Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb

Tag: Death

  • Was an AED used in 14-year old high Hezekiah Walters’ sudden death?

    Was an AED used in 14-year old high Hezekiah Walters’ sudden death?

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Tuesday, June 11, students at Tampa’s Middleton High School were engaged in after-school football drills when 14-year-old Hezekiah Walters suddenly collapsed. Coaches quickly called 911, and he was taken to a local hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead.

    Walters collapsed about 30 minutes into an outdoor practice that included weightlifting and wind sprints. Medical examiners are still determining his cause of death, but heat stroke and exertion-related heart attacks caused 9 out of 13 football-related deaths in 2017.

    “We are devastated by the death of one of our students,” said Tanya Arja, a spokesperson for the county’s public schools. “This student was an amazing young man who was loved by his friends, teachers and staff at school.”

    It’s not clear from initial media reports whether an AED (automated external defibrillator) was deployed, or attempted to be deployed. AEDs are used to shock the heart when it is in defibrillation, or in other words, when it is in cardiac arrest and not beating properly. In Florida, all public schools are required to have an AED, and it’s a good safety precaution to have a mobile AED nearby any time students are exercising.

    If the school did not have an AED, or if an AED was not retrieved or attempted to be used, or if the AED had malfunctioned, there may be a liability case against the school for wrongful death.

    Florida Schools Need to “Get the Message”: Have an AED on Hand At All Times!

    We have litigated dozens of cases against schools, hospitals, sporting facilities, and other public places for negligence in not having or not using an AED when a victim on premises suddenly succumbs to sudden cardiac arrest. The laws in Florida are nuanced, and this type of litigation is very difficult. That is why it is important to hire an experienced attorney in this area of law.

    Experts say having an AED (defibrillator) on hand at athletic facilities can help save a life if an athlete experiences a sudden cardiac arrest, as paramedics may not arrive in time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Jacksonville Resident Maria Ocasio Killed in Hit-and-Run Collision with Tractor Trailer

    Jacksonville Resident Maria Ocasio Killed in Hit-and-Run Collision with Tractor Trailer

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Friday morning, March 15, Jacksonville resident Maria Ocasio, 50, was killed after a tractor-trailer struck her car on Highway 17 in Fleming Island, Florida.

    Florida Highway Patrol officers say Ocasio was driving south around 7:15 AM when the tractor-trailer tried to move into her lane. The trailer hit Ocasio’s car, sending it off the roadway and onto the median, where it struck a support pole. The truck’s driver, Johnny Gratta, 68, continued south until he was stopped by authorities.

    A Clay County deputy witnessed the crash and attempted to aid Ocasio before chasing after the truck. Sadly, Ocasio was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The deputy later caught up with the truck and pulled it over, then arrested Gratta for leaving the scene of a crash resulting in a fatality. Troopers say Gratta is cooperating with the investigation.

    If there was negligence on the part of the semitrailer driver or the truck’s manufacturer, Ocasio’s family may have grounds to move forward with a civil Wrongful Death case.

    The Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. is dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries due to the negligence of others. Our attorneys have more than 170 years of combined experience investigating and representing those who have suffered tragic loss or severe injuries.

    If you know a surviving family member of a person who was killed in a trucking crash, please encourage them to give our firm a call immediately. The consultation is completely free, and there is no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Federal Agencies Investigate Fatal Crash Between Tesla and Semitrailer

    Federal Agencies Investigate Fatal Crash Between Tesla and Semitrailer

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Friday, March 1, a crash involving a Tesla and a semitrailer led to the tragic death of the Tesla driver, 50-year-old Jeremy Banner of Lake Worth. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced on Monday, March 4, that they a three-person team would conduct a safety investigation. An NTSB spokesperson said the team had already visited the crash scene, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating the crash.

    Although the NTSB did not give specifics of their investigation, the crash is similar to one that occurred near Gainesville in May of 2016. In that incident, the driver of a Tesla Model S died when his vehicle went under a semitrailer and its roof was sheared off. After investigating that crash, the NTSB found design limitations in the Tesla’s autopilot system contributed to the accident.

    The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office accident report for last week’s crash doesn’t specify whether the Tesla’s autopilot feature was in use at the time of the accident. Tesla has said previously that while its autopilot and emergency braking features are meant to help motorists, drivers should still keep watch the road and be prepared to take control.

    Jeremy Banner died at the scene of the accident, and the semitrailer driver was unhurt.

    If there was negligence on the part of the semitrailer driver or the auto manufacturer, Banner’s family may have grounds to move forward with a civil Wrongful Death case. It is within the rights of the family to consult an attorney to investigate all possible claims of negligence, and to protect them from the insurance companies that may try to obstruct them from compensation they may be entitled to.

    The Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. is dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries due to the negligence of others. Our attorneys have more than 170 years of combined experience investigating and representing those who have suffered tragic loss or severe injuries.

    If you know a surviving family member of a person who was killed in an auto crash, please encourage them to call our firm immediately. The consultation is completely free, and there is no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Reports of Rising Deaths on Railroads in Florida Increase Need for Lawyers

    Reports of Rising Deaths on Railroads in Florida Increase Need for Lawyers

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    The Sun-Sentinel reported this morning on that the death toll on railroad tracks in South Florida has nearly doubled in 2017 from 2016.

    The report cited data that showed through September of 2017, twenty-three people lost their lives due to suicide or accidental death in collisions with trains operated by Tri-Rail, CSX (shipping), and Florida East Coast Railway, on which Amtrak passenger trains operate.

    Compared to only 14 deaths in all of 2016, twenty-three in only nine months is a staggering increase.

    Why is this important to our law firm? The reason is that some of these incidents may be legitimate personal injury death claims. The surviving family members could hold the owners and operators of these dangerous machinery accountable if there was negligence involved on the part of the owners.

    Our law firm has handled several of these cases this year

    Of the twenty-three death cases recorded in South Florida in 2017, our law firm has represented the families in several of those cases. Because of confidentiality for both the family and the defendants, we will not go into any specific details on any of those cases.

    However, there is some information insight we can provide.

    Firstly, the operators of the rail line are responsible for ensuring that the rail line is operated in a safe manner. That may mean that the trains and commuter lines be operated within established speed and guidelines. That also may mean keeping their premises blocked or cordoned off from pedestrian, vehicle, or bicyclist traffic at dangerous or populous intersections.

    If any safety measures were breached during the operation of any rail line, whether it be logistical train lines operated by CSX, or commuter lines operated by Tri-Rail or Brightline, and the result is that someone was killed, that may be a personal injury case.

    Brightline Train waits for passengers
    A Brightline train waits to board passengers. The problem with railroad deaths is only expected to rise as Brightline comes into full service from Miami to West Palm Beach.

    Another interested point to note is that these rail cars, especially the newer, faster, and more technologically advances rail cars like Brightline, are deceivingly quiet. Though the report released today cites some portion of the deaths being linked to suicide, it’s entirely possible for someone to stumbled upon the rail line, and be killed un-expectantly.

    These are extremely difficult cases to prosecute in civil court, which is what our law firm does on behalf of the families who lose loves ones due to accidental and fatal encounters with trains throughout South Florida.

    But we do our very best to pursue justice on behalf of our clients. If we can prove negligence was a factor, we will relentlessly pursue these operators.

    As with all potential personal injury matters, families of loves ones who have lost someone should call our law firm to find out if we can help. Consultations are completely free, and there is no cost or fees for our firm to begin working on the case. We are only paid if we secure a settlement or verdict on behalf of our client.

  • Apartment Complex Owner Where UF Student Falls to his Death Could be Negligent

    [team_member name=”Craig Goldenfarb, Esq.” position=”Founder & Owner” url=”https://800goldlaw.com/our-firm/our-team/craig-goldenfarb” email=”info@800goldlaw.com” phone=”561-697-4440″ picture=”https://800goldlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CMG-Headshot2017-WEB-e1513700985348.jpg” googleplus=”/” linkedin=”” facebook=”/” twitter=”/craiggoldenfarb” youtube=”/personalinjurycg” pinterest=”/” lastfm=”/” instagram=”/” dribble=”/” vimeo=”/”]
    Craig Goldenfarb, Esq. is the founder and owner of the Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. in West Palm Beach. Mr. Goldenfarb has exclusively practiced plaintiff personal injury law since 1995. Mr. Goldenfarb handles cases involving wrongful death, nursing home abuse, AED litigation, and other catastrophic injury cases.

    [/team_member]

    For the second time since February 2016, a University of Florida student has fallen to his death from an apartment complex within close proximity to the university grounds.

    Ian Burns, a senior studying engineering at the public university, fell from a balcony at the University House Apartments complex this past weekend. No explanation has been provided in public accounts regarding the circumstances of his death.

    It is such a bizarre and horrific event, that it should be a rare occurrence – so why has it happened twice at the same university in less than two years?

    What is to blame for Ian Burns’ death?

    While an investigation into Ian’s death remains ongoing, details regarding what happened to Ian will remain unknown. But there are a number of potential scenarios in which the terrible fall could be the result of negligence, and perhaps therefore constituting a personal injury case.

    The personal injury perspective of the wrongful death case

    As wrongful death lawyers, one of the firs things our investigators and lawyers would look into is whether the complex owners were negligent in their construction, or maintenance or care of the building.

    For example, if the railing on the third story was shorter than building code standards allow, or if there was a defect in the railing, that may have contributed to the fall.

    Or perhaps a failure in the construction of the balcony or the railing could have made for an unforeseen hazard that led to the fall.

    Unfortunately, the family will have to wait to find out. But hiring a personal injury lawyer to conduct their own evaluation of the facts could lead to a potential wrongful death lawsuit against the building’s owners, or the property manager’s company.

    This is not the first time a UF student has fallen to his death from an apartment complex balcony

    In 2016, 20-year old Chance Wolf fell to this death from a 6-story apartment complex balcony, not far from the complex in which Ian Burns lost his life.

    Security footage from that building showed Chance falling over a railing that was described as only being about “waist-high”.

    Our skilled personal injury lawyers often look for patters in cases that are similar, such as these two incidents. A pattern of negligence in the construction or care of the building would be awfully disturbing, especially if it’s the same Defendant, or if there are two Defendants somehow linked to each other.

    It’s important for the families of those lost in terrible tragedies like these to explore all legal options they may have available.