Bagen Law Blog

Motorcyclists will soon be heading to Central Florida for Daytona's bike week. This annual event, now in its 73rd year, attracts motorcyclists from around the country and is known as the world’s largest motorcycle event. This year’s event takes place from March 7 to March 16 and is expected once again to draw a large crowd. It is easy to forget that motorcycle accidents can happen anywhere, even among the many experienced riders who will be attending Bike Week. For this reason, it is important for both riders and spectators to brush up on some some of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s tips before participating in any Bike Week festivities.  

We are now five months into Florida’s texting and driving law, but just how effective is it? Many Floridian motorists are still unaware of what the law’s details are. Many drivers do not take the law seriously. Since we still see accidents on our daily commutes, it is questionable whether or not the ban on texting has truly made a difference in our state. The lawyers at Steven A. Bagen & Associates are here to help you understand the current guidelines and future possibilities of Florida’s texting and driving law.

Unfortunately minors are just as likely to be victims to injuries caused by negligence as adults. Luckily, like adults, minors also have recourse. While they may not be able to bring their own claim, their guardian may bring a personal injury claim on their behalf if a minor is involved in an accident. 

The best means of documenting auto accident damage is adopting the mindset of an investigator hot on the trail of a breaking news story. Gather as much information as you can about the incident. The more evidence you are able to collect, the better off you will be when it comes to trying to get compensation from the insurance company regarding the damage your car sustained.

Document Any Damages Using Pictures

Pictures are worth a thousand words, potentially even a thousand dollars when it comes to gathering evidence from the crash scene. The insurance company claims adjuster is going to do everything he or she can to make your settlement as little as possible. They have numerous ways to do this, such as questioning any evidence that you present in the accident reports. Thanks to a slip & fall attorney in Ocala, FL, you can have someone who is working in your favor to make sure you receive everything you are entitled to and more. Steven A. Bagen Law Firm has offices in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.

When most people think of insurance fraud, they think of unscrupulous people scamming companies by filing fraudulent claims. But there is another side of insurance fraud, one that directly affects innocent people like you. These types of schemes and scams drive up your insurance rates and worse: create unsafe conditions that can leave you hurt, maimed or even dead. When searching for an attorney for personal injury cases, Gainesville residents should make sure that they speak with a lawyer who is well-versed in all types of insurance fraud so that you will receive every penny you are entitled to. Steven A. Bagen Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with offices in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.

Car owners are used to car parts getting old and needing replacement. However, tire aging is not necessarily a well understood auto condition. That’s because people either replace their tires when they go flat or when the tread life expires. However, what happens when a car owner buys tires and ends up with “new” tires that actually have been on the shelf for quite a while? A number of risks can occur with aging tires that tire shops don’t necessarily advertise with their product.

Tire aging is a process of structural degradation in a tire over time. Tires are made of steel radial and rubber molded together. However, time can cause separation of rubber layers as the rubber starts to dry out. Cracking and layer separation begin, even a miniscule level. Add in heat, road wear, sunlight and time when the tires are on the car, and the process accelerates. Warmer climate areas will see this process happen faster than colder climates. Ironically, keeping a car in the garage and not using it often can also contribute to faster tire breakdown as well. So, bottom line, an aging tire is a bad thing both ways.

It's amazing how some of the best drivers on the road turn into some of the most clumsy and irresponsible boat drivers on water. In reality, boats and boating traffic are regulated, boat owners have responsibilities, and being irresponsible with a boat can result in property, injuries, and even death in boating accidents.

Florida is a prime state for boaters, surrounded by water on three sides, and dotted with hundreds of lakes, as well as the Everglades. As a result, boaters with watercraft of all sizes and types will find a location that suits their fancy, enjoying a weekend on the water or making a living out of the waterways or both. However, just like the roadwayss and highways, the waterways have risks that boaters need to constantly be aware of. These include hidden underwater obstacles, above water risks, water currents, the weather, and most importantly, other boaters and water recreation users.

When you first set out to find a bicycle accident attorney Ocala, FL you are going to need to consider a lot of things. For one, you need to know from the beginning that bicycle accidents are the number one reason why children visit the emergency room. With the level of traumatic brain injuries that children incur while riding their bicycles, a helmet can be the difference between a slight amount of injury and something far more serious. Since 443 million people under the age of 21 years old participate in the activity of bicycle riding each year in the US, a large number of serious injuries could be prevented or lessened through the regular use of a helmet.

When a bicycle accident happens, there is a lot to do including, but not limited to, seeking the counsel of a bicycle accident attorney in Gainesville, FL. When an automobile and a bicycle meet at any speed, there is bound to be damage done to the bicyclist. As the slowest and smallest participants in road travel, bicyclists are at a serious disadvantage. Some cyclists have even taken the step of adding to the legal aspects of their cases by installing small video cameras on their bikes, so there is no longer a need for eyewitnesses or for a jury to believe the cyclist's side of the story in court.

Steven A. Bagen Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with offices in Gainesville and Ocala to serve the surrounding North and Central Florida areas.

Without a doubt, one of the hardest cases a lawyer will ever tackle is a medical malpractice lawsuit. Whether representing a defendant or a plaintiff, the job of representing a malpractice case is one best left to experienced lawyers. The reason medical malpractice situations are difficult to represent is because there are many laws and guidelines to follow, making some malpractice cases nearly irrelevant in court.

To prove a death or injury was sustained as the result of negligence on the behalf of an attending physician, surgeon, pharmacist, or any other medical staff takes years of experience and resources. Due to the massive number of malpractice lawsuits over the years, strict laws have been passed and are heavily enforced. These laws serve to help those in the medical profession have a fair shot of defending their innocence. Unfortunately, these laws mean that many people that have suffered from a legitimate injury or death as a result of medical malpractice are often left uncompensated.