One of Fritz’s teammates said, “He was smart. Everyone loved to hang around Brandon. Another said, “Basketball was what he dreamed about. It was his life.” Fritz was known as a player who always wanted to win and hoped to play professionally one day. Brevard school leaders will have trained psychologists as well as crisis teams available.

It is so tragic when an accident like this one takes the life of a young person. Every year, thousands of people are killed or seriously injured in Florida auto accidents. If you or a loved one was involved in an auto accident, it is important to speak with an experienced Orlando auto accident lawyer who can get you the compensation you deserve to cover hospital bills, lost wages and other expenses. James. O. Cunningham has a proven record of success, and he has won numerous court awards and settlements for his clients. Call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today to schedule your free consultation.

It has been reported that a church van with seven residents and two workers inside lost control when traveling along a busy road. The van is apparently from a group home for adults with special needs. The van crashed into six cars at a stoplight and rolled over to its side. According to Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Kim Montes, all nine occupants of the church van in addition to the drivers of two of the other vehicles were taken to hospitals for treatment. Due to the size of the accident, Orange County Fire Rescue said that a total of 25 firefighting and EMS units responded to the incident. West Colonial Drive near 408 west to Powers Drive was closed by officials while the scene was cleared.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Orlando multiple vehicle accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer who can help you determine whether you have a case and deserve compensation from the at-fault party. Orlando auto injury attorney James O. Cunningham
has been helping accident victims for decades, and he can help you get the compensation you need to cover medical bills, lost wages and other expenses. Call 1-888-FLA-Auto (1-888-352-2886) or 407-425-2000 today to schedule your free consultation.

"They fled of their own volition, at high rates of speed," said Orange County Officer Jeff Williamson. "Our feeling is that what they were fleeing from what they thought was a law enforcement aircraft [they believed was following them]."

Thankfully, the accidents victims were not seriously injured in this multi-car accident, but lots of Orlando-area residents involved in auto accidents are not so lucky. They often suffer serious, life-changing injuries such as these:

• Paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Ruptured internal organs
• Crushed limbs
• Blindness
• Crushed vertebrae
• Severed limbs
• Other serious injuries that change the course of their lives forever

When someone is injured by a negligent driver, the victim has a right to seek damages against the at-fault party and his or her insurance company for compensation for the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Hospital bills that can quickly climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars
• Lost time at work
• The inability to enjoy favorite activities
• Necessary modifications to the home
• The costs of home health care or an assisted living facility
• The inability to work and provide for his or her family
• Diminished quality of life
• Other hardships caused by the at-fault party’s negligence

If you or someone you love is injured by a negligent driver or is injured in another kind of accident due to negligence, you have a right to seek damages. Sadly, many accident victims are approached by the negligent party or their insurer shortly after the accident and offered a modest check in exchange for signatures on some documents. In most cases, signing these documents results in the injured person waiving the right to seek damages, potentially leaving him or her in a very difficult position to pay hospital bills and other expenses. If you have been injured in an accident, contact an experienced Florida auto accident attorney such as James O. Cunningham before you sign any documents. Schedule a consultation with Mr. Cunningham by calling 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000, and have him review any documents and advise you of your rights. Call today to be represented by an Orlando personal injury lawyer with more than 35 years of experience helping injured people.

While the number pales next to the Orlando-Kissimmee area’s reputation as the most dangerous metropolitan area in the country for pedestrians, the four fatal pedestrian accidents in Flagler County occurred in spite of recent measures taken by area residents to increase awareness about pedestrian safety. The four fatal pedestrian accidents claimed the lives of the following people:

• A 45-year-old man who had walked nearly 8,000 miles across the world raising awareness about Tibet was struck and killed on February 14 on State Road A1A in the Hammock. The man was struck while walking along the road early that evening on the first day of his Florida Walk for Peace campaign.
• A 54-year-old man was struck and killed while walking his bicycle in the bike lane in Bunnell. Police say the hit-and-run accident victim may have been struck and killed by something protruding from a passing truck.
• A 76-year-old woman was struck and killed in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident while walking her dog along Columbia Lane in Palm Coast. The woman who fled the scene contacted police 12 hours after the accident and claimed responsibility. The case is still under investigation.
• A 54-year-old Palm Coast woman was struck and killed while jogging on Sesame Boulevard. The man who struck her had been distracted by children in the back seat of his car.

James O. Cunningham has successfully represented countless people struck and injured in pedestrian accidents since he began practicing law in 1977, and he helps the families of those fatally injured in Florida auto accidents. If a negligent driver has injured you or a close family member and you would like to speak with an aggressive Florida auto accident attorney with a reputation for getting results for his clients, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 to schedule a consultation.

Regular readers of this blog know that the National Transportation Safety Board recently requested that all states pass laws banning the use of cell phones while driving. Numerous Florida lawmakers have sponsored bills in recent years to do just that, but these bills have died in committee again and again. Two Florida legislators, Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, and Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, have recently sponsored bills banning texting while driving. Detert’s Senate Bill 416 is scheduled for review by the Senate Transportation Committee sometime this month.

Other legislators have filed for at least six distracted driving bills for the 2012 legislative session, and Mr. Cunningham and other personal injury attorneys throughout the state would like to see at least one of these bills signed into law in the coming year. He, along with public safety officials, distracted driving victims and their families and others are strongly encouraging lawmakers to take steps to make Florida roadways safer for everyone. Our state ranks in the top three in the country for numbers of auto accidents and people injured and killed in these accidents, and any legislation that reduces these grisly statistics would be welcome.

Even though our state has not yet passed distracted driver legislation, people injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers still have options to seek damages against at-fault drivers. Every year, countless Central Florida pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and passengers are injured by distracted drivers, and many seek the counsel of experienced Florida auto accident attorneys such as Mr. Cunningham. He has been helping injured people since 1977 and has the experience, skills and resources to help victims receive the fair and just compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation with Mr. Cunningham, call his law offices today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000.

Responding swiftly to government and Volt owners’ concerns, GM officials cooperated with federal safety regulators and were reportedly working hard on a solution to the problems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency that is investigating the fire problems, reported that GM’s fix "should address the issue." However, they reported that they are keeping their investigation open until further testing reveals that the problem has been fixed. GM is calling the fix a "voluntary enhancement," and reiterated that neither the Volt nor its battery or cooling system was being recalled. GM has reportedly contacted Volt owners and invited them to bring their cars to their dealer to have the enhancements installed at no cost to them.

Mary Barra, G.M.’s Senior Vice President for Global Product Development, recently issued a statement about the upgrades. She said, "We are choosing to go the extra mile to ensure our customers’ peace of mind." She added that the changes would make the car "even safer, because the Volt is safe."

On December 22, 2011, the NHTSA conducted crash tests on an upgraded Volt, which resulted in no coolant leakage and no damage to the battery.

Florida auto accident attorney James O. Cunningham has seen many different automobiles recalled for serious safety problems over the last 35 years and has assisted numerous clients injured by defective cars, trucks and other vehicles. While the Chevrolet Volt was not the subject of a recall and it appears that GM moved swiftly and responsibly to correct a potentially serious problem with this model, many automakers have tried to avoid taking responsibility and placed the safety of their customers at risk. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a defective product and you have questions about your legal options, call James O. Cunningham at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a consultation. Call today to get the counsel and legal representation you deserve from an Orlando personal injury lawyer with decades of experience.

It is possible that the fire that caused such awful driving conditions was set intentionally, and officials have found no natural cause or explanation, such as a lightning strike, for why the fire started. The interstate had been closed for a period of time before the pileup due to the fog and smoke, and then it was reopened, which will be a focus of the investigation.

Terrible auto accidents like this one result in many victims, including the friends and family members of those who were killed. If you have lost a loved one and you have questions about your legal rights, contact Orlando wrongful death attorney James O. Cunningham. He can help you pursue a lawsuit for damages to cover funeral expenses, the deceased’s future earnings, pain and suffering, etc. Call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to put Mr. Cunningham’s skills and experience to work for you.

“I’ve witnessed a whole bunch. I can sit in my house and hear, ‘Crash!’ I know what happened,” she said recently after learning about the planned overhaul.

The county recently announced that work will begin soon on the $1.5 million renovation of the intersection, which will include adding a middle left turn lane that should significantly reduce the number of rear-end collisions at the intersection.

Another Sanford resident, Dick Hedges, avoids the intersection whenever possible, citing the difficulties and dangers of making left-hand turns.

“There should be a turning lane there, I believe. You just have to wait for the light and dart and take your chances,” he said.

At least 17,000 motorists travel through the intersection every day, but they are not the only ones at risk. Pedestrians must also brave the intersection on their way to school, their homes and other nearby destinations, and many have been struck and seriously injured or killed at the intersection in recent years. Last September, an 11-year-old was struck by a car and critically injured while crossing the intersection.

Ask any Orlando personal injury attorney about the most dangerous intersections in Central Florida, and the intersection of Hartwell Avenue and County Road 46-A ranks near the top of any list. People who are injured in accidents at this and other notorious intersections often seek the counsel of Orlando personal injury lawyers such as James O. Cunningham to help them seek damages against negligent drivers. Since 1977, Mr. Cunningham has helped countless injured people receive the fair and just compensation they deserve through negotiated settlements and court awards. If you or a member of your immediate family has been injured in an accident and you have questions about your rights and the law, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

All of the top four counties registered lower auto accident rates from 2008 to 2009, which is good news, but much remains to be done to make Florida roadways safer for everyone. Accident rates in Miami-Dade County dropped 1.7 percent from 43,376 accidents in 2008 to 42,244 in 2009. Broward County showed a more modest 0.8 percent drop from 26,417 accidents in 2008 to 25,957 in 2009. Hillsborough County registered a dramatic 10 percent drop in accidents from 20,162 in 2008 to 18,168 in 2009. Finally, Orange County’s accident rate fell from 16,712 in 2008 to 16,092 in 2009, a drop of 3.9 percent.

Any drop in the auto accident rates in Florida is good and very welcome, given our state’s ranking near the top in the country for total number of auto accidents and people injured and killed each year in these accidents. However, Mr. Cunningham would like to remind readers that these numbers are still unacceptably high, and each of 2009’s 16,092 auto accidents in Orange County represents lives that have been altered and lost. Indeed, those accidents claimed 142 lives that year, and 66 of those people were killed in accidents involving alcohol.

If you or a close family member has been hurt in an auto accident caused by a negligent driver, you have a right to seek damages to help pay medical bills, replace lost time at work and compensate you for pain and suffering and other damages. If you want to learn more about your legal options and speak with an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney, call James O. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation.

FHP Trooper Montague Haight said that the accident investigation would determine whether or not the victim had been drinking before the crash but admitted that preliminary signs indicated that drunk driving was a strong possibility.

“If you’re going to come out and drive your vehicle and you’re going to be out drinking make sure you have a designated driver. There’s no reason to get behind the wheel after you have had anything to drink. But if this accident was alcohol related again that’s going to be pending the investigation,” he said.

Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham and other Central Florida auto accident attorneys take a very dim view of drunk drivers and for very good reasons. Drunk drivers caused auto accidents that killed 66 people in 2009 and injured dozens more, and driving while under the influence of alcohol is the very definition of negligence.

If you were injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you have a right to seek damages against the driver and his or her insurance company. In many cases, injured people will be contacted by the at-fault driver’s insurance company and offered a modest sum in exchange for a signature on some documents. What these unfortunate folks don’t realize until it is too late that they are signing away their rights to seek damages. Before you sign anything, have it reviewed by an experienced Orlando personal injury attorney such as Mr. Cunningham. To schedule a free consultation, call 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.