Archive for the ‘ Steinger, Iscoe, & Greene ’ Category

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2
Apr

Changes Coming to Florida’s Car Insurance Laws

April 2, 2012

Curbing fraud in the state’s no-fault car insurance law was a top priority for 2012 for lawmakers and the governor, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

New legislation alters how drivers use their insurance, attempts to reduce crash-related lawsuits, and seeks to lower insurance rates.

After Gov. Scott signs the bill into law, some of the changes will begin this summer, but drivers won’t see their policies change drastically until 2013.

The measure (HB 119) includes a requirement that insurance companies reduce personal injury protection (PIP) premiums at least 10 percent by Oct. 1, and 25 percent by 2014.

PIP reform restores no-fault car insurance to its core mission, lawmakers say.

“My goal was to put PIP back into its original character as emergency treatment to get you back on your feet,” said Sen. Joe Negron, the Stuart Republican who helped craft the changes.

The Senator also said, “There is a strong alliance of senators who are going to hold the insurance companies’ feet to the fire and make sure they reduce rates dramatically.”

Tougher licensing standards for medical clinics, a new statewide anti-fraud task force, wider use of long-form accident reports, and stiff penalties for providers caught defrauding the system are some of the expected changes.

Read more.

Have you or someone you know been injured in a South-Florida or Miami car accident?

The Miami personal injury attorneys at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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16
Jan

Gene Hackman hit by motor vehicle while cycling in Florida Keys

January 16, 2012

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman suffered injuries after being hit by a pickup truck on Saturday afternoon in the Florida Keys, according to the Daily Mail.

The 81-year-old legendary star was struck while riding his bicycle on Islamorada Street, called the Old Highway, in Tavernier, Florida, around 3 p.m.

The truck came up from behind, and the impact knocked Hackman off his bike. He was thrown onto a grassy shoulder, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Because he was on an island, he was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital on the mainland.

Early reports that Hackman had suffered serious head injuries were dismissed by his spokeswoman.

She said, “Gene Hackman was taken to a hospital for routine tests after being bumped from behind while riding his bike today in the Keys.

“He’s suffered minor bumps and bruises and is already on his way home.”

Hackman was not wearing a helmet.

According to USA Today, the accident was far more startling than life threatening.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. No charges have yet been filed.

During a career that has spanned five decades, Hackman has won two Academy Awards and been nominated for three others.

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27
Dec

Cameras record vehicle crashes

December 26, 2011

“What these videos don’t show are the victims. Each year hundreds are killed and more than 100,000 are injured nationwide in red-light running related collisions,” said Charles Territo of American Traffic Solutions, Inc.

Territo is referring to the red light cameras videos, which catch cars crashing through Florida intersections, particularly in Gulfport and St. Petersburg.

American Traffic Solutions, Inc., provides a YouTube video of these crashes at red lights in Florida. Not for the feint of heart, the video includes a pair of Gulfport fender benders and ends with a high-impact crash in St. Petersburg.

The cameras are not just catching violators, but they are also providing stark visuals of car accidents caused by motorists who blow through red lights, according to Old Northeast Downtown St. Pete Patch.

In 2009, 62 Floridians were killed in red-light running related accidents.

Saving Lives

Red-light safety cameras change driver behavior and help save lives.

Each month, the state of Florida collects more than $3 million from red-light runners. This revenue is distributed to the general fund, the trauma center fund, and the brain and spinal cord research trust fund.

“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that over time, cities using cameras see a 24 percent reduction in red-light running related fatalities,” Territo said.

Read more.

Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida auto accident?

The Florida auto accident lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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16
Dec

Nationwide cell phone ban for drivers urged by NTSB

December 16, 2011

Based on a decade of investigations into distraction-related accidents, on Tuesday the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called for a nationwide ban on all cell phone use by drivers. This recommendation is the most far-reaching one to date, according to the New York Times.

The NTSB is urging states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices such as wireless headsets.

Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the NTSB, said the safety concerns were not just about keeping hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, but also about making sure people focus on the act of driving.

“It’s about cognitive distraction. It’s about not being engaged at the task at hand,” she said.

“It’s going to be very unpopular with some people,” she said. “We’re not here to win a popularity contest. We’re here to do the right thing. This is a difficult recommendation, but it’s the right recommendation and it’s time.”

Six states, including Florida, ban local officials from enacting laws which would ban cell phone use..

Florida state Sen. Jack Latvala told the St. Petersburg Times that there is “absolutely no chance” the state will ban cell phones while driving.

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Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida accident?

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9
Dec

Why is an eyewitness’s account so often unreliable?–part 2

December 9, 2011

Eyewitnesses’ accounts are partly unreliable because the brain does not retain many specifics and is highly susceptible to suggestion, reports the New York Times.

“Memory is weak in eyewitness situations because it’s overloaded,” said Barbara Tversky psychology professor at Columbia University’s Teachers’ College in New York. “An event happens so fast, and when the police question you, you probably weren’t concentrating on the details they’re asking about. When we don’t remember, we make inferences.”

The process of police questioning and prepping for trial can crystallize a person’s own faulty reconstruction.

One of the earliest and more famous experiments to demonstrate that memories are malleable was conducted by Elizabeth Loftus, an early pioneer of witness memory research and a psychology professor at the University of California, Irvine.

In a study published in The Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, she asked participants to view films of fender-benders in which no car windows or headlights were broken.

Later, the subjects who were asked how fast the cars were going when they “smashed” into each other–as opposed to “hit”–were more likely to report speeding and describe shattered glass that they never actually saw.

Read more.

Have you or someone you know been injured in a Florida accident?

The Florida personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

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