Best & Anderson, P.A.

According to the Orlando Sentinel:

An 11 year-old girl was raped at the Jackson Community Center last week. An adult befriended her, bought her some food, took her to a secluded area and then raped her.

If you have been injured in a premise that should have looked out for your safety, you may be able to receive compensation from the negligent entity whether public or private.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel:

A transient in the Pine Hills area of Orlando went on a shooting / carjacking spree on Monday, January 28th. The suspect tried to carjack a person at a market in West Colonial Drive then tried to carjack another person at Washington Mutual before shooting at the driver through the window.

Victims of shootings and crime may be able to receive compensation if their injury takes place in a location where the owner or public agency is supposed to maintain a safe environment. Customers have the right to expect that their safety will be a priority; failure by a business or government agency to take preventative action on behalf of the safety of their customers adn users may expose them to civil action by the injured party.

If you have been injured due to criminal activity, call us, we may be able to help you.

As reported be the Oralndo Sentinel:

ORLANDO - A 15-year-old boy was in critical but stable condition Saturday after being shot while walking out of a convenience store on Mercy Drive, police said.The boy, who lives in the neighborhood but whose name was not released because his family had not been notified, was shot in the side of his chest shortly before 10:30 a.m., said Orlando police Lt. Darryl Braunskill.Witnesses told investigators they saw two men or boys running away from Mercy Market, 1430 Mercy Drive, right after the shooting, Braunskill said.
Detectives Saturday were sorting out what happened and why.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel on 1/17/08:


Three cheers to the Florida insurance commissioner for trying to stop Allstate from writing policies for anything in Florida. We passed comprehensive insurance reform making it less expensive for insurers to obtain re-insurance. Instead of passing the savings along, the insurance industry changed the pricing models to look only at the past five years.The shorter period takes into account the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, but ignores the long stretch before that without hurricanes. It also fails to take into account Allstate has dropped hundreds of thousands of policyholders in the past several years, greatly reducing the company's exposure.If Allstate and other companies won't comply with subpoenas to provide information to justify their extraordinarily high rate increases, the state should block them from writing new insurance until they comply. If insurers still cannot find a way to bring rates down, we should not use tax dollars for re-insurance.

For years, dogs have been referred to as "man's best friend"; however, each year over 4.5 million people, half of them under the age of 13, are bitten by dogs in the United States. Eighty percent of those incidents involve dogs that the victim knows and interacts with regularly. Because children tend to get excited around dogs and often approach them too quickly and/or too loudly, children are three times more likely to sustain a serious dog bite than adults.

How to Approach a Strange Dog

• Never try to pet a dog in his owner's car as dogs are very protective of their space and that of their owner.
• Never pet a dog that is behind a fence; they are protecting their property and will most likely bite.
• Never pet a dog without asking the owner's permission. If the owner indicates it's ok, approach the dog slowly and quietly, let the dog sniff your hand, and then gently pet the dog's sides or back.
• Never pet a dog that is playing with a toy; the dog may think you are trying to take his toy from him.
• Never approach a dog that is eating or sleeping; startled or frightened animals are much more likely to bite.

Like humans, dogs use body language to communicate emotions such as anger or fear. Teach your children how to read a dog's body language to reduce their chances of being bitten. An angry dog's ears may stand up, the fur on his back may stand on end, and the tail may be pointed straight up. An angry dog will also usually bare its teeth, growl, and stare at the approaching threat. A dog that is frightened may crouch to the ground, put its tail between its legs and fold its ears back.

Loose dogs often pose very serious threats and should not. If a loose dog approaches you, avoid eye contact and slowly walk away from the dog. If the dog comes right up to you, however, stop and stand perfectly still with your arms and hands at your sides. Never, ever try to outrun a loose dog.

According to the National Association for Human and Environmental Education, most dog bites can be prevented if these simple suggestions are followed.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite in Orlando or anywhere in Florida, please call Florida's Dog Bite Injury Attorneys Best & Anderson today to schedule your free initial consultation.