Item: Flaxman Law Group
Rating: 5
Author: Clara Barman

Rented Vehicle Accidents in Miami and Florida

Published on: November 5, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, Miami and the rest of South Florida offer a range of services for visitors. One of those services involves renting vehicles so that tourists can explore the region. Unfortunately, while handy, these vehicles do not come without hazards:

Car rentals. Renting a car can help you explore more of Miami and South Florida, but unfortunately it can also be a recipe for a collision. Miami traffic can be quite heavy and visitors may be distracted by holiday plans and unfamiliar with the city, making crashes more likely. If you need to rent a car in Miami, consider getting familiar with the routes you need to take before getting in the car. Check out the car to make sure it is in good condition before getting in to drive.

Continue reading →

Guardrails — Do They Prevent or Cause Injury in an Accident?

Published on: October 3, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

In a side impact crash in Hollywood or your community, you may be relying on guardrails to avoid going over an embankment and into a river or into a ditch. Your money goes towards paying for infrastructure such as guardrails in order to keep you and your community safe. However, serious concerns have been raised about some of guardrails installed in Florida and other parts of the country.

In fact, earlier this year a lawsuit was filed after a 2010 accident near Orlando caused a driver to lose part of his leg. According to the plaintiff, the accident caused the driver to crash into a guardrail. The guardrail allegedly sliced through the cabin and sliced into the leg of the driver, causing him to lose part of his leg. The guardrail in question was an ET-Plus guardrail made by Trinity Industries.

The ET-Plus guardrails as well as State Departments of Transportation have been the targets of other lawsuits after plaintiffs were injured in car crashes. According to some plaintiffs, the guardrails cause injury in a collision. According to Trinity Industries, however, the injuries are caused either by the drivers or by the incorrect installation of the guardrails.

Continue reading →

Safety Tips for Rental Car Safety in Miami and Other Florida Cities

Published on: September 30, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Rental car accidents can mar your vacation, can cost you a lot of money, and can be frightening. Rental car collisions in Miami and other Florida cities are all too common, unfortunately. Unlike collisions with your regular car, these crashes can result in disputes with the rental company and usually involve all the stress of being in a car crash in an unfamiliar city.

If you are visiting Florida and need to rent a car, keep in mind that you may be at risk for a rental car crash for a few reasons:

You may be renting a car that is unfamiliar to you
You are generally in an unfamiliar area, making collisions more likely
You may be distracted by your vacation or the sites around you
The car may have been driven by many people before you and may have mechanical issues
Car rental lots can be located in remote areas, which can make driving out of them challenging

Continue reading →

Tire Problems Can Cause Truck and Car Collisions in Coral Springs and Other Florida Cities

Published on: September 12, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Tire problems cause truck and car crashes in Coral Springs and other communities, often leaving behind evidence in the form of torn pieces of rubber and other debris. For both passenger cars and big rigs, tires are an essential system. While many tire problems – such as blowouts – seem to happen out of the blue, safety experts agree that in many cases these accidents can be prevented.

Trucks place extra pressure on their tires due to their weight and as a result there are many rules in place to prevent tire-related crashes. Tractor trailers and big rigs are expected to take extra steps to keep their tires safe. Before sending trucks out onto the road, trucking companies and truck drivers are obligated to comply with a number of federal and local regulations, including:

Making sure that tires have a safe amount of tread on them
Driver inspection of tires before driving the truck
Recording visual inspections of the tires in the log book
Using the correct tires for the type of vehicle and the weight load
Properly installing, rotating, and adjusting the tires for maximum safety
Replacing tires that have low tread
Keeping tires correctly inflated

While passenger car drivers are not subject to the same rules, they are also expected to maintain their vehicles. If a passenger car motorist is found to be negligent in some manner, they can be held liable if their recklessness leads to an accident or an injury. In addition, the manufacturers of both truck and car tires are expected to produce a safe product. If they are reckless and their product is unsafe, manufacturers may be pursued in a products liability claim in Coral Springs or another community.

Continue reading →

Melting Dashboards and Car Injuries in Pembroke Pines and Other Florida Communities

Published on: September 10, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

In April, the Consumer Watchdog launched an investigation into melting dashboards in some Toyota, Mazda, Dodge, Chrysler, Nissan, and other cars. Since that time, driver complaints about the apparent problem have quadrupled. According to customers, some cars have dashboards that overheat and melt. When they do, the dashboards develop a shiny and sticky surface that reflects on the windshield and affects visibility. Some motorists say that they cannot see pedestrians and other cars when this happens.

Accidents Related to the Dashboards

There have already been four car accidents reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) related to the melting windshields. One customer had a car accident in Pembroke Pines and claimed that the glare from the melting windshield led them to crash into an embankment. A motorist in Orlando also claimed that the glare also led to a collision. Two drivers in Miami also reported collisions related to the possible defect. So far, no fatalities and no burn injuries in Pembroke Pines or other communities have been linked to the dashboard issue.

In addition to the four accident-related complaints, there have been 514 dashboard-related complaints to the NHTSA since 1999. Many of these have been centered in warmer climate states, such as Florida, Texas, and California. Florida has the largest number of dashboard-related complaints overall (190 between 2004 and 2014 alone). Many of the complaints seem heat-related, with customers reporting that their dashboards are sticky or hard to clean. Some customers claim that the dashboards levae behind a residue on their hands on hot days.

Continue reading →