Bagen Law Blog

Man charged with hit-and-run, a third-degree felony, and then released from the Columbia County jail on $5,000 bond.

The majority of dog bites that occur around the United States, are negotiated between the dog owner, their insurance company and the victim. About 5 million U.S. Citizens are bitten annually, but only 16,000 claims are pay outs from insurance companies. Every year from May 19-25, we celebrate National Dog Bite Prevention Week. This annual celebration is designed to educate dog owners and consumers, on the proper way to prevent dog bites.

How do I know if I am a personal injury victim?

There are two general guidelines to determine if you are a personal injury victim. First, you must have sustained injury to your person or property. The other qualifying factor is that this harm was inflicted by someone other than yourself.

Many personal injury claims slip through the cracks because victims are ignorant to the fact that a personal injury claim does not have to be physical. For example, if you have been assaulted, there does not have to be physical proof; there just must exist sufficient evidence that the assailant intended harm. Furthermore, cases where slander causes emotional distress can also present a valid personal injury case.

Gainesville has recently received negative publicity following a devastating pile up on I-75 that resulted in the death of ten people as well as the hospitalization of 18. This isolated incident is just one example of the increased rate of auto accidents in the area, and residents are desperately searching for answers as to why this is occurring.

One common hindrance in the Gainesville area is the low visibility during morning driving. Early morning fog is prevalent in this area, and it can significantly affect a driver's ability to see what lies ahead. In the case of the recent pile up, a mixture of smoke and fog prevented unsuspecting drivers from seeing the danger that was right ahead of them.

A recent rash of motorycle accidents have reminded local residents why bike safety is important. It's often been said that tragedy comes in three. That's exactly the case for the three Gainesville bikers who lost their lives or were injured after severe motorcycle accidents.

A fishing trip turned deadly Tuesday morning when an airboat capsized in the Rodman Reservoir.
The 64-year-old operator of the boat was killed in the accident, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Joy Hill said. His 50-year-old fishing companion received minor injuries.

Investigators are still looking for the driver that struck a motorcycle and killed the rider in Georgia. It was late Sunday night when Tahj Robinson, 22, was riding his 2011 Suzuki around 10:00 p.m. when he was struck by a 2011 Saturn at the intersection of Canal Road and Golden Isles Parkway.

Floridians are demanding reform for personal injury protection (PIP) due to an increase in fraudulent claims. Governor Rick Scott and SEO Jeff Atwater joined a band of consumers, business leaders, law enforcement officials, and concerned citizens in Tallahassee on January 25, 2011 to discuss the need to “put the brakes on accident fraud and abuse.”
According to a joint statement filed by the concern parties, “PIP [is] is the domain of those who exploit the broken system in order to enrich themselves at the expense of consumers – further illustrating the the PIP system is long overdue for meaningful reform and the Legislature must act this session to end the nearly $1 billion fraud tax and stop accident fraud.”
The coalition to fight PIP fraud urged lawmakers to include the following reforms in a final bills: