According to news reports of the Titusville crash, a woman, her five daughters, her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s nephews – 11 people total – were piled into a Dodge Durango. The 34-year-old mother was behind the wheel. Suddenly, tire tread separation caused her to lose control of the vehicle on I-95 around 6:30 p.m. on Memorial Day.

The sport utility vehicle began to whip violently from side-to-side before it rolled over numerous times. One witness described the vehicle as launching some 25 to 30 feet in the air, before landing on a roof and spinning. Every single person inside the vehicle was ejected, including a toddler, who incredibly survived without major injuries, despite being thrown some 30 feet over a barrier wall. However, four of the five sisters did not live. 

The girls, ages 15, 14, 13 and 10, all perished. Three were pronounced dead at the scene and a fourth died later at the hospital. The 9-year-old sister survived. One had dreams of becoming a pediatrician. Another a cosmetologist. They were each remembered for their “beautiful spirits.”

The girls’ grandmother recalled receiving that awful call from her hysterical daughter, sobbing that she needed her mother because her girls were gone. The grandmother at first thought – even prayed – that it was a terrible dream.

Witnesses recall the woman and her boyfriend stumbling in the wreckage, trying desperately to locate each child. It took them time to find the toddler, given how far he’d been thrown.

Authorities say the vehicle was only designed to carry eight passengers. They later determined it was the left rear tire tread that separated.

Coincidentally, the crash occurred during National Tire Safety Week. The week is designed to raise awareness of tire tread safety ahead of long-distance summer road trips.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports improperly-inflated tires play a role in nearly 40 percent of all tire-related car accidents. That’s why they recommend checking each tire’s air pressure at least once a month. Most gas stations have air stations in which to fill up your tires.

With regard to tire tread, the main purpose of it is to separate the tire from water underneath so that vehicles don’t hydroplane. It’s imperative that drivers and vehicle owners check tires regularly for excessive or uneven wear. Safety experts recommend the “coin test.” That involves putting a quarter upside in the tire groove. If you can see all of Washington’s head, then it’s time to start shopping for new tires.You can do the same test with a penny.

While you’re checking the tire tread, give the entire tire a once-over. That means looking out for any bulges, cracks or cuts on the tire. Tires should be balanced periodically. Take a look at your vehicle manual to see if there are any specific recommendations for your exact vehicle. That manual should also contain information about exactly how much your tires should be inflated.

Authorities say the girls’ mother is not expected to face any charges, though she may receive a few traffic citations.That is nothing compared to the burden of grief she will likely carry with her the rest of her days.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

Four Leesburg sisters killed in Brevard crash, May 31, 2016, By Ryan Gillespie, Orlando Sentinel

More Blog Entries:

Car Accident Lawsuit Names Snapchat As Defendant, May 3, 2016, Miami Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The results were not good, though it should be noted that 2014 saw an exceptional decrease in the number of boating accidents. Still, our injury lawyers had hoped it would be the start of a trend. Apparently, it was not.

According to FWC’s preliminary figures:

• 2011 – 742 boating accidents
• 2012 – 704 boating accidents
• 2013 – 736 boating accidents
• 2014 – 634 boating accidents
• 2015 – 737 boating accidents

That means in a single year, Florida boating accident deaths rose by more than 16 percent. And nowhere was more dangerous than the waters off Miami-Dade.

According to the data, Miami ranked No. 1 for boating accidents in the state. We have 65,322 total vessels in this count – with nearly 63,000 of those being for recreational purposes – and there were 96 boating accidents last year. Those resulted in three deaths and 74 injuries. They also caused more than $3 million in property damage. While the statewide boating accident ratio is one accident for every 1,242 vessels, the rate in Miami-Dade is one accident for every 680 registered vessels.

Other counties across the state with high boating accident rates were:

• Monroe – 78 accidents
• Broward – 57 accidents
• Lee – 48 accidents
• Pinellas – 41 accidents

The two most dangerous months of the year for boaters were: May and July. June wasn’t too far behind. Two of the biggest boating holidays: Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, fall within those months.

These accidents primarily involved collisions with other vessels or fixed objects. Flooding/ swamping was also an issue, as were falls overboard and grounding. More than half of all boating accidents occurred while the vessel was in cruising mode.

In nearly 80 percent of the cases, the boat was privately owned. In 13 percent of cases, the FWC reported the boats were rented.

As one FWC official pointed out, “So many of these accidents could have been avoided if operators were simply paying attention.”

Indeed, 178 boating accidents were caused by no proper look-out/ inattention. Other factors cited included:

• Operator inexperience – 107 crashes
• Machinery failure – 77 crashes
• Excessive speed – 58 crashes
• Careless/ reckless – 54 crashes
• Weather – 39 crashes
• hazardous waters – 30 crashes
• Alcohol use – 28 crashes (drug use was cited in 3)
• Sharp turn – 16 crashes

Specific to Miami crashes, the top causes were:

1. No proper lookout
2. Careless/ reckless
3. Operator inexperience
4. Machinery failure
5. Excessive Speed
6. Weather
7. Improper anchoring
8. Violation of navigation rules

When it came to boating injuries, lacerations and contusions were by far the most common. Broken bones, head injuries, back injuries and burns were also cited in a significant number of cases. There were a total of 438 injuries reported in all of the 737 boating accidents.

Overall, the FWC and other law enforcement agencies doled out significantly more citations for uniform boating violations – 12,275 in 2015 versus 10,899 in 2014 – a 13 percent increase.

Given that machinery failure is an apparently growing problem (it wasn’t as prevalent in years’ past with regard to boating accidents), it’s worth noting that the U.S. Coast Guard conducts complementary vessel safety checks.

The FWC further encourages boaters to take a boater safety course, wear their life jackets (especially children) and make sure the operator stays sober and alert.

If you have been a victim of a traffic accident, call Chalik & Chalik at (954) 476-1000 or 1 (800) 873-9040.

Additional Resources:

2015 Boating Accidents Statistical Report, May 2016, FWC

More Blog Entries:

Car Accident Lawsuit Names Snapchat as Defendant, May 3, 2016, Miami Boating Accident Lawyer Blog

Macy’s customers are donating $3 at the store’s cash registers in return for a 15 to 25 percent discount on their purchases. Donations kicked off on May 16 and are being accepted leading up to Memorial Day on May 25, 2015.

The Cincinnati-based company has raised $5 million for “Got Your 6” in the past two years with around 1.7 million people having donated to the campaign. “Got Your 6” refers to the military phrase for “I’ve got your back.”

Employers are at times reluctant to hire veterans due to concerns over post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues posing a problem to employees and customers. “Got Your 6” works to dispel common misconceptions about veterans, along with helping them integrate with the community and empowering them to become leaders.

Efforts are also underway to make veterans an integral part of the American work force. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has compiled a group of 1,500 companies committed to employing veterans.

Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact a veterans lawyer, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800

Many of our clients our veterans and surviving spouses, on this day we honor their service to our country and the sacrifices that they, along with their families have made.

As a Michigan VA Accredited attorney, I am often taken aback at how many veterans need to fight so hard to earn the benefits that they have certainly earned, and often I wish that I didn’t have to get involved.  Often it’s my job as a VA Accredited elder law attorney to work to remove the roadblocks between veterans and their hard earned benefits, including aid & attendance.

Now, a question.  Do you know the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day? Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military, while Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving.

It’s my honor to serve those who have served.  Thank you, and Happy Veterans Day.

The post Happy Veterans Day appeared first on Estate Planning Lawyers | Elder Law Attorneys | Brighton | Novi | Livonia Elder Law Attorneys.

Holiday activities spark more driving — and, often, more impaired driving. 

The enforcement push was part of Operation Care, a nationwide effort focusing on impaired and aggressive driving. Michigan State Police said the additional enforcement was necessary for safety. According to authorities, 15 people died in crashes in Michigan during last year’s Memorial Day weekend.

The Memorial Day weekend enforcement … read more

“Every worker should be able to feel that their safety and the safety of their coworkers is a priority,” stated Waxahachie personal injury attorney John Hale. “But unfortunately, workplace safety continues to be a major concern in Texas.”
April 28, 2013 was Worker’s Memorial Day, during which a vigil was held for 56 workers fatally injured in 2012 in Houston workplace accidents and other Texas workers who had been killed. The spokesperson for United Support & Memorial for Workplace Fatalities, Katherine Rodriguez, stated that the ceremony was particularly meaningful in light of the deadly explosion of a fertilizer plant in West, Texas earlier this year.

According to the latest statistics, working in Texas is not without its risks. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor reported 4,693 fatal work injuries. Texas was at the top of the list of dangerous states in which to work, with 433 fatalities.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Shaw stated that the high number of fatalities in the workplace can be traced directly to substandard safety standards in the construction industry and the widespread use of undocumented immigrant workers who are not often afforded the same benefits as workers who are legal citizens.

Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston also attended Worker’s Memorial Day and told the assembled crowd that she would push for better workplace safety regulations for Texas.
Huffington Post ran a poll in the wake of the explosion which killed 15 people and injured more than 160 people in Texas in April. The poll asked readers to share how they felt about workplace safety.

Forty-four percent of poll respondents said that current U.S. workplace safety regulations were not strict enough. Only 26 percent responded that workplace safety regulations are about right, while 7 percent responded that they are too strict.

When asked what they thought would help prevent another accident similar to the one in West, Texas, 52 percent responded that stricter enforcement of existing safety regulations would be effective enough. Eighteen percent responded that stricter safety measures were needed.

At The Hale Law Firm, we have helped thousands of clients successfully prosecute their personal injury claims including auto accidents, wrongful death, dangerous products, brain injuries, burn injuries, and defective medical devices. Clients depend on their personal injury lawyers for guidance and legal advice across a broad range of personal injury accidents. To learn more, visit http://www.hale911.com/ or call 972.351.0000.