Firm Donates Food and Supplies to Venezuela

Once again, Steinger, Iscoe & Greene comes together to help those in need! This time, across the globe.

We heard about the current humanitarian crisis taking place in Venezuela. Poverty has escalated to an all-time high in the past 6 months. Food is scarce. People are starving. Children have died. Parents do not eat so that they can feed their children. Families can go 2-3 days without eating food. They can’t buy soap or detergent. It’s a very sad situation.

So we set out to do something about it. We partnered with Luke 14 Homeless Outreach and, as a group, our SIG family filled four large boxes to help the people of Venezuela. Check out all the food and supplies our office gathered in just two short days!

SIG Employees Volunteer to Feed the Hungry

The Steinger, Iscoe & Greene Fort Lauderdale Team rallied together to help feed the hungry and in-need. Our employees volunteered for Luke 14 Homeless Outreach to serve food and distribute clothing to the men, women and children of our community.

Luke 14 Homeless Outreach is an organization in Fort Lauderdale, FL that hosts an event twice per month where they provide a sit-down meal and other necessities (clothes, toiletries, etc.) to homeless and hurting individuals.

Steinger, Iscoe & Greene Cares about real people and local issues. We strive to help uplift our community and bring hope, even if it is to just one individual. #SIGCares

Steinger, Iscoe & Greene Supports PBG *All Star* Baseball

The attorneys and staff of Steinger, Iscoe & Greene live locally and enjoy supporting local community organizations and youth sports. This year, Steinger, Iscoe & Greene Injury Lawyers is proudly supporting the Palm Beach Gardens Baseball and Palm Beach Gardens Youth Athletic Association. We look forward to seeing the ALL STAR teams, from T-Ball to 15 years old, play in local, District and State tournaments.

Palm Beach Gardens Baseball is a charter member of Cal Ripken / Babe Ruth Baseball League. This organization consists of 1 million participants with over 50,000 teams, and is widely considered as the premier national youth baseball program.

Florida Legal Help after a Brain Injury

Before his accident, Casey was a popular kid. He was a swimming champion in his high school, putting in long hours of training that resulted in wins at meets – and some impressive muscles. On top of the swim team, he kept his grades up so well that his parents allowed him to enter a drag race at Palm Beach International Raceway.

It was his last sporting event.

Casey’s car didn’t stop at the finish line, instead crashing into a row of tires in a gravel pit. The force of the impact took a serious toll on his brain, forever changing his life according to The Palm Beach Post.

What happened to Casey is just one of many brain injuries that happen in Florida every year. Most are caused by car accidents. Victims of any kind of accident should seek legal help to get compensation, but when brain injury is involved there are extra obstacles:

• The victim of a brain injury is often unable to make independent decisions. It can be hard for relatives to know what’s best to do for them, or to find the energy to pursue a legal case.
• A traumatic brain injury is generally life-altering. The emotional cost on both the victim, and their family, is tremendous – something that no amount of money can make up for.

At Steinger, Iscoe & Greene we routinely walk families through their legal options after a brain injury is endured by a loved one. Money can’t replace what was lost, but we know that the medical costs of a brain injury are among the highest bills most families will ever see. In some cases, brain surgery and rehabilitation are more expensive than a new home.

The results of a brain injury can be far more than pain and lost time or money – it can often involve the loss of crucial aspects of a loved one’s personality, or their ability to move and function in the world. No matter what the circumstances of the accident, our job is to help take as much of the burden off you as possible.

Casey now enters the swimming pool on a lift, in his wheelchair for physical therapy. Slowly, he’s learning to kick his leg with his father helping him. Casey will never make a full recovery, but he hopes to regain as much of his movement as possible. In Casey’s case, like so many others, having the best care could make a crucial difference.

You’re not alone. If you’re coping with a brain injury, please call us for a free consultation. The lawyers of Steinger, Iscoe & Greene are here to help.

How to Avoid Bike Accidents in Florida

It seems like not a week goes by without another serious bicycle accident in Florida, and all too often these accidents end in death or serious, life-altering injury. At Steinger, Iscoe & Greene we routinely see clients who were injured when riding their bicycles, usually by a car or truck that wasn’t paying attention.

Unfortunately, Florida remains one of the least bicycle-friendly states, and Miami in particular has one of the highest rates of bicycle and pedestrian accidents in the country. While this is slowly changing, the reality is that bikers need to look out for themselves and make safety a priority. Many of us here at the firm are avid bicyclists and bike in to work, but there are times it can be challenging – or even downright scary – to be on the road with only two wheels.

Here are some tips that can make biking a lot safer:

• Helmets: You knew we were going to say it – but it deserves to be said. Whether to wear a helmet is still hotly contested in the bicycling community but doctors agree it helps prevent brain injury, which is life-changing.
• A mirror: While everyone talks about helmets, few people mention a rear-view mirror. For less than $20 you can have a small mirror installed on your left handlebar, which lets you see what’s coming up behind you. This is easily one of the best investments a bicyclist will ever make.
• Alertness: It’s tempting to wear earbuds or even talk on the phone while bicycling, but your wits are all you have standing between you and tons of speeding metal. Minimize distractions and stay alert.
• Visibility: Lights aren’t strictly needed during the day, but they do help – and at night they are an absolute must. Be as reflective as possible and keep both a front and rear light on during night rides.
• Proper maintenance: Learn how to handle basic maintenance for your bike and stay on top of it. The brakes should be tight, the wheels properly inflated and everything should work smoothly. A well-maintained bike is a safe bike. 

Safety parties and courses are available in Florida, and many bike shops will provide maintenance lessons. If you are injured in a bicycle accident, take steps to protect yourself: don’t apologize or accept blame. Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible after the accident. You may be owed compensation for your injuries or damages to your bicycle.

 

With DWIs, prevention works better than prosecution

In 2011, Florida’s intoxicated drivers caused more than 20,000 accidents resulting in nearly 1,000 fatalities. About 30,000 people a year are convicted in the state for DUI, with 2,274 cases in Miami alone, reports the Huffington Post.

The root cause of drunken driving accidents is the driver, not the alcohol. Since driving while intoxicated is often a symptom of alcoholism, diagnosing and treating alcohol abuse will directly lower the number of DWI drivers on our roads.

We all have an obligation to intervene when we see a friend, coworker, or family member abusing alcohol or drugs, but it is Florida’s doctors and nurses who can best identify patients who are at risk for alcohol abuse.

The American Medical Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine support the routine screening for alcohol misuse by primary care doctors and brief counseling interventions for those who screen positive.

Men who drink in excess of 14 drinks a week and women who consume in excess of 7 drinks a week are at high risk for alcohol abuse, according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

With more focus on screening potential alcohol abusers, we can prevent and eliminate alcohol related traffic accidents and fatalities in Florida.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, the Miami personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

Workers sue parent company for compensation

According to a Miami lawsuit, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and other restaurants operated by Darden Restaurants violated federal labor laws by underpaying thousands of servers, reports the Miami Herald.

The lawsuit seeks potentially tens of millions of dollars in back pay and other compensation for past and current employees who worked from August 2009 to the present.

“Darden has a companywide pattern and practice of paying its employees below minimum wage and less than what the law requires,” the lead lawyer said. “We’re seeking not only to correct the wrongs that have occurred at Darden, but hopefully this will stimulate change across the country.”

There are similar lawsuits around the country, but the one filed in Florida is the first seeking to represent all Darden workers at its four major brands: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Long Horn Steakhouse, and The Capital Grille.

Filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the lawsuit claims against Darden include:

• Servers showed up for shifts as scheduled but were not allowed to clock in until customers began arriving.

• Employees who worked beyond 40 hours a week were not paid 1.5 times their regular pay as required.

The Orlando-based company’s website said it has more than 2,000 restaurants in North America that employ about 180,000 people.

If you or someone you know needs work-related representation or workers’ compensation benefits, the Miami personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

Bikes recalled after causing falls, injuries

About 12,000 bicycles have been recalled, according to Local 10 News. After receiving reports that the bikes’ faulty front forks caused riders to fall, Specialized Bicycle Components, which equipped the forks on several bike models, said that riders should immediately stop riding the bikes.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commissioner, there have been four reports of riders suffering facial fractures, head and shoulder injuries, and cuts and bruises. These injuries have led to a nationwide recall.

Manufactured in China by Kinesis, the forks are primarily found on Specialized’s Globe bike model, but riders should double-check their forks just to make sure. The brand name “Specialized” is on the lower frame tube, and the model name is on various locations on the bicycle frame.

Sold in various colors, including gun, silver, black, khaki, navy, bone, blue, charcoal, burgundy and gold, the recalled models include the following: Globe Elite, Globe Sport, Globe Sport Disc, Globe Centrum Comp, Globe Centrum Elite, Globe City 6, Globe Vienna 3, Globe Vienna 3 Disc, Globe Vienna 4, Globe Vienna Deluxe 3, Globe Vienna Deluxe 4, Globe Vienna Deluxe 5 and Globe Vienna Deluxe 6 bicycles.

Riders can take the defective bicycles to any authorized Specialized retailer for a no-cost installation of a free replacement fork.

If you or someone you know has been injured by a defective product, the Miami personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

 

Florida drivers keep crashing into post offices

So far this year, eight motorists have crashed into post office buildings in Florida, according to NBC News.

The top causes for the accidents are that drivers step on the gas pedal instead of the brakes or that they accelerate when they believe that the vehicle is in reverse.

In June 2011, an 89-year-old woman drove her 2002 Subaru Outback all the way through a post office building in Oldsmar, the Tampa Bay Times reported. She told police that she had no memory of the accident. Damage to the building was $250,000.

So far in 2012, in Indian Rocks Beach, Wimauma, Goldenrod, Lakeland, and Punta Gorda, five out of the eight accidents that have happened involved drivers mistakenly stepping on the gas instead of the brakes.

To avoid further such accidents, postal officials have released a set of precautions.

Avoid distracted driving, check to see whether your foot is on the gas pedal or the brake pedal, and check to see if the vehicle is in park, reverse, or drive are some of the other precautions that the post office officials offer to drivers.

These precautions are good advice for all of us to follow as we drive on busier streets with more distracted drivers.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, the Miami personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.

Steinger, Iscoe & Greene Getting Bigger and Better

With 30 lawyers in our firm, Steinger, Iscoe & Greene was ranked as one of the top 100 law firms in Florida by the Daily Business Review.

The ranking was based both on voluntary disclosures from the law firms themselves and on extrapolated data from the firms’ websites. Rankings are also based on total number of attorneys in the firm.

The firms that the Daily Business Review surveyed have a major presence in Florida. Some are national firms that generate substantial revenue in Florida. Gross revenue represents legal fees billed and collected in the firm’s latest fiscal year.

“Of counsel lawyers” are counted with associates as salaried employees whose compensation is an element of the overhead costs of a law firm when revenue per lawyer is calculated. Profit per equity partner is an average.

The Daily Business Review is the official court newspaper for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County. Its superb service, court newspaper designation, as well as over 80 years of service have earned the Daily Business Review the reputation as South Florida’s most reliable source.

This year Steinger, Iscoe & Greene was ranked 76 in the top 100 law firms. Last year in the same survey, we were unranked.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, the personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Iscoe & Greene may be able to help.