Miami Injury Attorney Blog

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration last week announced that I-95, the interstate that runs through Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, is the deadliest road in the country. It is estimated that fatal accidents occurred at a rate of 1.73 per mile on the entire 382-mile freeway from 2004-2008. But even though that number is alarmingly high, it would appear that deaths related to car accidents are falling since 2005. In 2005, 599 people died on all Miami-Dade and Broward roads, but that number dropped to 499 by 2008. Statewide, 3,533 people died in fatal car accidents in 2005, a number that dropped to 2,982 in 2008.

The car and truck accident attorneys of Gamba & Lombana have experience in trying cases where drivers and passengers suffer injuries because of the negligence and carelessness of others. The ongoing public awareness campaign that looks to curb the dangerous practice of text messaging while driving has certainly helped to make the roads safer, but accidents by reckless, intoxicated or distracted drivers still can cause fatalities.

Continue reading "Miami-Dade and Broward Home to the Deadliest Road in the United States" »

After enduring nearly 10 years of permanent pain, a crippled arm, a limp and a 4-inch fluid-filled cavity in her spinal cord, Kathleen Ramey and her husband were awarded $36 million last week by a Palm Beach Circuit Court jury. In 2000, Ramey went to West Palm Beach pain doctor Andrew Weiss because she suffered from chronic neck pain that resulted from a car accident. Weiss injected a steroid directly into her spinal cord instead of the epidural space - causing irreversible damage. Ramey and her husband subsequently filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor. The Deerfield Beach couple now must battle Weiss' insurance company for the money. Weiss, who lost his medical license but faced no criminal charges in connection with the incident, is serving a 12-year sentence in federal prison for the illegal sale of pain medication.

A victim of medical malpractice can have their lives ruined as in the case with Ramey. She was a stay-at-home mother who at the time of incident did not qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The tragedy put a lot of strain on her family emotionally and financially as medical expenses started to mount.

Medical negligence takes a toll not only on the victim but also on his or her family. The personal injury attorneys of Gamba & Lombana feel victims who are affected by the negligence of those in the healthcare profession need to be justly compensated so that they may live normal lives.

Continue reading "West Palm Beach Jury Awards $36 Million to Victim of Medical Malpractice" »

In South Florida, cycling accidents involving motorists are frequent and dangerous, according to the Miami accident attorneys of Gamba & Lombana. In January, 44-year-old Christophe Le Canne lost his life after he was run down in a hit-and-run accident on the Rickenbacker Causeway in route to Key Biscayne. Le Canne was hit from behind by Carlos Bertonatti, a 28-year-old who police have filed multiple felony charges against, including DUI manslaughter. It was reported that Bertonatti drove away with from the scene of the accident with Le Canne's bicycle still stuck underneath his car. Further compounding the problem: Witnesses said it took Miami-Dade Fire Rescue nearly 20 minutes to arrive on the scene.

This latest accident has once again reopened the discussion about the need for making South Florida more bicycle friendly. Aggressive and negligent drivers make the streets of Miami-Dade and Broward county some of the most dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians alike. In 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 490 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in the state of Florida, and the U.S. Department of Transportation named Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach as the third most dangerous metropolitan area for pedestrians.

Continue reading "Cyclists and pedestrians need to be careful on the streets of South Florida" »