Best & Anderson, P.A.

As reported by the Orlando Sentinel:

The family of an off-duty police officer is filing a law suit against Bank of America and the property owners of the bank's branch on Silver Star in Pine Hills. The off-duty officer was shot in his car after he used the ATM. The lawyer representing the family claims that in high-crime neighborhoods ATM's need to be more protected. Bank of America had no comment.

Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) has finally released a list of the worse nursing home in the nation. The release of information, initially resisted by the Bush administration, took place Tuesday after several Democratic lawmakers pushed for full public disclosure. The list will be updated on a quarterly basis. The infractions can rage from inadequate facilities for residents with Alzheimers, unnecessary medication, and other day to day hazards.

Please use the link below to see entire list:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/Downloads/SFFList.pdf
Senate Special Committee on Aging: http://aging.senate.gov/

The Insurance Research Council, (IRC), reports that the cost increase for medical care in auto accidents continues to exceed the inflation for healthcare as a whole. While medical care inflation was 4% for 2007, the increase for claimants under PIP was 8%. A spokesperson for the IRC claims that this discrepancy could be the result of cost shifting from other areas where providers could be facing more cost pressure. Insurance rates, which have been stable for the last several years, could be adversely affected if PIP medical claims continue to inch up.

The construction industry is one of the largest industries in the United States and also one of the most dangerous. It ranks third in the number of work-related injuries and deaths, following only mining and agriculture industries. For every 100,000 construction workers in the United States, 15 die due to injuries sustained while working. Many construction site accidents involve falls from ladders, scaffolding and roofs; others involve heavy objects falling on workers.

One of the most common types of construction site accidents is scaffolding accidents, primarily falling from scaffolds. Regardless of strict safety standards in the state of New York, all construction workers risk their lives every day while on the job, especially if their work entails climbing on equipment such as scaffolds. Injuries related to scaffolding are often severe and can result in permanent disability that prevents the injured worker from ever returning to work.

Because New York state law prohibits employees from suing their employers for on-the-job accidents, architects, contractors, property owners and equipment manufacturers may be held liable for injuries or wrongful deaths that take place on a construction site. Many construction workers may not even be aware that New York State Labor Law Sections 200, 240 and 241 are designed to protect workers when the fall from any height or when they are injured by an object falling from a height.

These labor laws also protect workers when the equipment they are using is not safe or properly maintained and inspected; the laws also allow injured workers to receive an insurance settlement for damages such as pain and suffering and permanent injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured in construction site accident in Orlando or anywhere in Florida, please contact one of the experienced Construction Accident Attorneys at Best & Anderson, Attorneys at Law today to schedule your free initial consultation.

A Central Florida resident recently suffered a heart attack at Daytona Speedway while participating in the Richard Petty Driving Experience. This is not the first such death involving this event. The rush of adrenalin provoked by these extreme experiences can be a catalyst for heart failure. Consent forms are usually standard for participation in all these extreme events. However, not all consent forms will absolve event organizers from all responsibility. Please feel free to contact us regarding the subject of consent forms regarding these types of extreme situations.

Countless times we read about unnecessary tragedies involving drowning or severe injuries in pools and water parks. Many of these deaths and injuries involve small children. Florida has laws demanding that pools should be properly enclosed to prevent these types of injuries. Improperly designed pools can also be the cause of tragedy, as many people get stuck on intake drains unable to break free. If you have a question regarding the laws regulating these subjects please feel free to contact our law firm for more information.

Wiihabilitation. It' s a new word coined to describe a new concept in Physical Rehabilitation. After an injury or surgery, many people have to undergo rigorous physical therapy to rebuild muscles and body functions. This physical therapy can be very painful...and very boring. Enter the Wi, a video game where the hand controllers aren't tied to the console by wires. As you move the controller in the air, it's movements are translated into action on the TV screen. By adding light weights to the arms and legs, playing a video game can become a full workout! Many physical therapists report that the use of these devices makes that patients work harder as they get caught up in the game and actually work harder and longer.

This was a headline on a website earlier today. Apparently a truck in the animal kingdom caught fire and the passengers had to jump to the ground. This unfortunate woman hurt her leg.

We all like to think of theme parks as safe places. And usually they are. But when an event happens and someone is injured, it warrants investigation to determine if the event and injury were unavoidable or if it was the result of negligence.

Should you have questions about an injury you or a loved one received and wonder if it could have been prevented, please feel free to contact us for a free evaluation.

The shooting spree at the tourism capital of the world continues unabated. On Sunday, February 10, two young men were shot dead at the Royal Summit Apartments in south Orlando. This is not the first violent incident at this location. Last year an armed guard was robbed at gunpoint. As the wave of deadly violence envelops our town, all residents must be aware that besides the remedies provided by our criminal justice system, there is sometimes the possibility of civil action. If you have been or know somebody who has been a crime victim, please feel free to call us. We have been helping crime victims for many years to get the compensation they deserve.

Five people were recovering from gunshot wounds, Monday, after an Orlando house party got out of control. This morning's headline points out the dangers that can occur when parents don't closely supervise their teenagers. Most people carry homeowners insurance that would apply to this case if the homeowner could be shown to have been negligent...for example if minors had been served alcohol. Each case is very dependent on the specific facts leading up to the injury.

If you have questions concerning an injury you or a loved one has received, contact us for a free consultation.

Anytime. Anywhere. You could be the victim of someone else's negligence. In this case the victim was hit by a trailer that became detached from the truck pulling it. Obviously it appears that the trailer had not been properly secured. Who will cover the victim's medical expenses? How will he hold the trailer owner accountable? Who will pay his lost wages? Only his attorney knows for sure.

If you or a friend have been injured and have questions about who may be responsible for your bills, contact us for a free consultation.