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

Tag: Wrongful Death

  • Robert Strickler Killed in Boat Crash Caused by Boat on Autopilot in Florida Keys

    Robert Strickler Killed in Boat Crash Caused by Boat on Autopilot in Florida Keys

    On Friday, February 21, Robert M. Strickler, 83, who was visiting from York, Pennsylvania, died in a boat crash in the Florida Keys.

    Authorities say Strickler’s boat was anchored while he fished, and was struck by another boat running on autopilot. The operator of that boat and a passenger, as well as the operator of Strickland’s anchored boat, suffered minor injuries.

    Strickler was an attorney who belonged to the York County Bar Association for more than fifty years, and is remembered by friends for mentoring others and fighting for his clients.

    “It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Attorney Robert M. Strickler,” the YBCA tweeted Saturday. “Gone from our sight but never from our hearts, he will be truly missed. Our condolences are with his family, friends, and colleagues. Details on services are pending.”

    Sadly, boating accidents are not uncommon in Florida. Just the week before Strickler’s accident, a teenager died when the boat he was riding on hit a channel marker off Islamorada and he was ejected from the craft. In 2015, Florida led the nation in boating deaths with 52 fatalities. There are many causes of boating accidents, including distracted pilots, boating under the influence, and mechanical failures.

    Crashes like Strickler’s, involving an autopilot, have become more common due to increased use of the technology. According to the BoatUS Marine Insurance Program, Electronically Aided Collisions (EACs) are increasingly problematic. They note that boaters should always have a lookout keeping an eye on things when using the autopilot feature. However, autopilots can be risky even with an experienced lookout at the helm. BoatUS cited one claim where a 37-foot powerboat ran over a 19-foot fishing boat on Lake Michigan, even though the boat operator had left an experienced boater as lookout while he went downstairs to check a map. The lookout simply failed to see the smaller boat—until the powerboat ran into it, throwing three riders into the air and killing one of them.

    Last year in San Diego, two boaters had to be rescued after they set the autopilot on their boat and went to sleep. The boat proceeded to crash into a cave off Point Loma, leaving them stranded until rescue crews could arrive.

  • Thomas Eades of Tequestra Killed After Car Rear Ends Motorcycle on the Turnpike

    Thomas Eades of Tequestra Killed After Car Rear Ends Motorcycle on the Turnpike

    Thomas Eades, 63, of Tequestra died on Wednesday, February 19, when his motorcycle was rear-ended on the Turnpike in Palm Beach County.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the three-vehicle wreck happened around 6:40 PM, near mile marker 81 and the Atlantic Avenue exit. Eades was riding a 2019 Harley-Davidson Road Glide behind a 2006 Ford F-150. There was a 2014 Honda Civic behind Eades’ motorcycle. For some reason, the Civic crashed into the rear of the motorcycle, sending it crashing into the F-150 and ejecting Eades. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Unfortunately, Florida is the deadliest state in the country for motorcycle riders. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 586 people died in motorcycle crashes in Florida in 2016 alone. Many motorcycle accidents involve vehicles turning into the path of a cycle, simply because they don’t see it. For this reason, drivers are urged to “Look twice and save a life.”

    However, this is usually not the cause of rear-end accidents. These types of crashes are commonly caused by speeding, distracted driving, road rage, fatigued driving, and driving under the influence.

    FHP officials say charges are pending in the accident case.

  • 4 Family Members Killed After Pickup Truck Rear-Ends Van Near Disney World

    4 Family Members Killed After Pickup Truck Rear-Ends Van Near Disney World

    A Disney vacation ended in tragedy for a Massachusetts family on Tuesday, February 18.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say that Julie Smith, 41, of Whitman, Massachusetts, her five-year-old daughter, Scarlett, her 11-year-old son, Jaxon, and her mother, Josephine Fay, 76, all died after a pickup truck collided with the back of their van. The crash happened on Route 429 in Kissimmee, not far from Disney World. Julie and Scarlett Smith and Josephine Fay were all pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Jaxon was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, and died on Wednesday from his injuries.

    There were eight people in the van at the time of the accident, including Julie Smith’s husband and father, who had only minor injuries. Her two other daughters—one of them Scarlett’s twin—were not hurt.

    “This is one of the most horrible things that a law enforcement officer has to do,”Lt. Montes of the FHP said of delivering the terrible news. “We brought our victim advocate in. We had support teams come in due to the significance of the crash and the number of family members lost. We were there to support whatever they need.”

    The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District, where Jaxon was a student, will have counseling available for students and teachers struggling with their grief.

    Charges are pending against the driver of the pickup truck.

  • Maria Yohany Alvarez Jimenez Struck and Killed By Car While Riding Bicycle in Boca Raton

    Maria Yohany Alvarez Jimenez Struck and Killed By Car While Riding Bicycle in Boca Raton

    Maria Yohany Alvarez Jimenez, 26, was killed in Boca Raton on Saturday, February 15, after a car struck the bicycle she was riding.

    Officials from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO) say Alvarez Jiminez was heading west across State Road 7 north of Palmetto Park Road, not long after 9 PM. She was struck by a 2018 Infinity QX60 heading north. The car’s right bumper hit the bike’s front wheel. As a result, Alvarez Jiminez was thrown onto the hood of the car, then hit the side mirror. Local fire rescue crews were called, and pronounced her dead on the scene. Police then spent a few days trying to identify her.

    The driver, Iris Tallerie, and a passenger in the car were unhurt.

    Unfortunately, Florida leads the country in deaths of people riding bicycles. In fact, another bicyclist in Boca Raton died on Wednesday, February 12, after being struck by a train. Deaths of bicyclists over the age of 20 have tripled in Florida since 1975. One study found that 38 percent of these tragic deaths are caused by either a cyclist or motorist failing to yield the right of way. Many drivers who hit bicyclists or motorcycle riders say they simply didn’t see them.

    “Motorists and cyclists play an equal part in sharing the road,” says AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins in a news release. “While motorists need to eliminate distractions and watch for people on bikes, cyclists can do their part by wearing a helmet and bright-colored clothing.”

  • Construction Worker Killed After Being Hit by Car on I-95

    Construction Worker Killed After Being Hit by Car on I-95

    An early morning accident on Interstate 95 in Miami led to the death of a worker doing construction nearby on Sunday, February 16.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the accident happened around 2 AM on Sunday, in the southbound lanes near 62nd Street. They report that a black SUV crashed into a white Toyota sedan. The collision sent the SUV flying into the nearby construction zone, where it struck a worker. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

    Sadly, construction site injuries and deaths are not uncommon. The Bureau of Labor statistics reports there are about 150,000 construction site injuries every year in the US. Annually, more than 300 people die in work-related accidents in the state of Florida alone. The most common causes of construction site deaths and injuries are falls and interactions with equipment, but failing to secure a work site can lead to all sorts of accidents.

    Companies that set up construction close to a major highway like I-95 need to be careful to protect workers from accidents involving vehicles. This may include things like putting up the proper signage, diverting traffic when crews need to work on the road itself or very close to it, and making sure workers are kept a safe distance from moving traffic in all situations.

    Drivers should also be especially careful driving in or near highway work zones. In some areas, fines for traffic violations increase in these areas in order to ensure drivers continue at a slow and safe speed.

  • Woman Hospitalized After Being Struck by Fort Lauderdale Transit Bus

    Woman Hospitalized After Being Struck by Fort Lauderdale Transit Bus

    On Thursday evening, February 13, rescue crews transported a woman to a local hospital after she was struck by a Broward County Transit bus in Fort Lauderdale.

    Officials say the accident happened on the overpass with Interstate 95, around 9:20 PM. According to their report, the woman was crossing the overpass when the bus hit her. She was then taken to the hospital as a trauma alert, and her condition is unknown.

    Large vehicles like buses can cause serious injury when they hit other vehicles, or pedestrians. Florida has “common carrier” laws that bus owners and operators are required to follow to ensure the safety of passengers and pedestrians alike. In some situations, public transit drivers have to follow slower speeds. They are required to focus on driving and minimize conversation with riders. In some cases, there are on-duty hourly limits to prevent drivers from operating a public transit vehicle while overly tired.

    In Florida, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) usually doesn’t apply to situations involving injuries caused by public transit vehicles. As these large vehicles may cause serious injury, the victims may find themselves with piles of medical bills for their injuries.

  • 2-year-old Killed When Driver Crashes Into Vendor Tent near Homestead

    2-year-old Killed When Driver Crashes Into Vendor Tent near Homestead

    On Friday, February 14, 2-year-old Anthony De Leon died after being pinned under a car that crashed into a vendor tent.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) say the boy was with his mother, who was selling Valentine’s Day gifts in a parking lot vendor tent. A 2019 Dodge Charger, driven by 42-year-old Hanskabell Amargos, was heading north on U.S. 1 near Southwest 296th Street a little before 1 PM. For unknown reasons, the car veered into the parking lot and crashed into the tent. Sadly, De Leon was pinned under the car. Bystanders rushed to help, including the owner of a nearby auto body shop, who ran over with a jack and tried to get the car off the little boy. First responders arrived and took De Leon to a local medical center, where he later died.

    Sadly, Florida leads the nation in deaths of pedestrians being hit by cars. These accidents typically happen on or near roadways, but as we see in this case, people in parking lots may be killed if a car veers off the road for any reason.

    Annually, the US averages nearly 400 children a year killed from being hit by a car. Most are not in tents when this happens, but their short stature makes them difficult to see. Drivers are always advised to look carefully, especially in parking lots where young children may dart out from between a row of cars unexpectedly.

  • Two Teenagers Die in Alcohol-Related Wreck on I-75

    Two Teenagers Die in Alcohol-Related Wreck on I-75

    A Saturday morning crash led to the deaths of two teenagers after an impaired underage driver hit another vehicle then crashed into two trees.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) responded to the accident scene near milepost 24 of I-275 on Saturday, February 8. They say a Toyota Camry driven by 18-year-old Erinasha Jones was attempting to change lanes when it crashed into a Chevrolet Silverado driven by 38-year-old Ernesto Leon. The Camry spun across the interstate, went off the road, and crashed into two trees. Leon and a passenger in the Silverado were unhurt.

    Jones and two passengers, Jiana Minaya, 16, and Keeoshia Edwards, 17, were taken to a local hospital. Sadly, Minaya and Edwards were later pronounced dead. Jones is in her serious condition. FHP troopers say she was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

    Edwards, whose family includes thirteen siblings, was a student at Lakewood High School. The school says grief counselors are available for students struggling to deal with the sudden loss.

    “The young lady that was driving, there’s not bitterness in our heart against her,” said Edwards’ grandfather, Robert Benjamin. “This driving and drinking at that age and texting on the phone and stuff, we’re having a lot of tragic accidents with those people.”

    Because drinking and driving is a serious risk for teenagers, under Florida law, providing alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 is illegal. In some situations, people may be liable for alcohol-related crashes if they knowingly provided alcohol to a minor, or were aware of alcohol being served to minors on their property and didn’t act to stop it.

  • Ilija Jovanovich of Port Charlotte Killed After Car Pulls Into the Path of Motorcycle

    Ilija Jovanovich of Port Charlotte Killed After Car Pulls Into the Path of Motorcycle

    Ilija Jovanovich, 59, of Port Charlotte died on Thursday afternoon after a car pulled into the path of his motorcycle.

    Officials from Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) say the accident happened shortly after 3 PM on Thursday, January 30. Their report says a 1998 Mercury Sable was facing south on Biscayne Drive, stopped at the intersection of SR-776. Ilija Jovanovich was riding his motorcycle westbound on SR-776 in the inside lane, approaching the intersection of Biscayne Drive. The Mercury Sable, driven by Shanni Cardoso, 31, of Port Charlotte, moved into the intersection of SR-776, directly in front of the motorcycle, according to FHP. This caused the motorcycle to hit the left front end of the car.

    Jovanovich was thrown from the motorcycle and landed in the paved median. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Florida has the highest rate of motorcycle rider deaths in the country. In 2016 alone, 586 people in the state died while riding on motorcycles. These accidents can be caused by a wide variety of factors, from run-ins with wildlife to drunk or careless driving. Many drivers of cars and other large vehicles that hit motorcyclists say they simply didn’t see the biker. All drivers are urged to “look twice, save a life.”

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  • Efrem Dwyanna Crawford Killed in Fiery Crash Involving Two Semi Trucks Near Okeechobee

    Efrem Dwyanna Crawford Killed in Fiery Crash Involving Two Semi Trucks Near Okeechobee

    Efrem Dwyanna Crawford, 49, of Pahokee, died Wednesday following a fiery crash with two semi trucks southeast of Okeechobee.

    Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officials say the crash happened about 6:30 AM, near the Lake Okeechobee shore, along U.S. 441, about 2 miles northwest of the Martin County line.

    According to the police report, Crawford was driving northbound on U.S. 441 in a 2005 Freightliner 18-wheeler. A 1997 Peterbilt 18-wheeler and a 2017 Jeep Patriot were heading southbound. The Jeep slowed to turn off, and the Peterbilt, driven by Ivan Cruz, 58, lost control and swerved to the left, hitting the Jeep’s left rear.

    The Peterbilt then veered into the northbound lane, hitting the Freightliner and causing both 18-wheelers to go up in flames. According to the FHP report, Crawford died in the cab of his truck as it burned. Cruz was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The Jeep went off the road and hit a parked car, but the driver was unhurt.

    Sadly, big truck accidents like this one can cause serious injury and death. In 2017 alone, Florida saw nearly 32,000 accidents involving large trucks. Of these, 27 resulted in fatalities, 57 people were incapacitated, and 1,053 suffered other injuries. Because large trucks can weigh up to 30 times more than a passenger vehicle, it’s easy to see why they can cause so much damage. Companies that use these large vehicles have a duty to ensure they are properly maintained, and that their drivers are thoroughly trained and follow all safety regulations.