Many drivers in this country forgo sleep, an often ignored and treacherous behavior that results in nearly 83.6 million of them being sleep-deprived while behind the wheel every day, an estimated 5,000 lives lost in drowsy driving related crashes last year. The estimated cost of drowsy crashes, including insurance, medical expenses and lost productivity totaled $109 billion last year, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association's report "Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do About It." The 73-page report was funded by State Farm insurance. The report, which comes as U.S. motor vehicle deaths were up 7.7 percent nationwide in 2015, found that the extent of the problem is not fully known.
Proposal For Settlements: Will Asking The Court For An Extension For Time Enlarge The Time Period To Accept?
In Ochoa v. Koppel, __ So. 3d __, 2016 WL 2941099 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016), Florida's Second District Court of Appeal addressed whether filing a motion seeking to enlarge time to accept a proposal for settlement in a car accident claim would stop the 30-day period for accepting the proposal until the court decides the motion. In the underlying case, Ochoa had filed a proposal for settlement and one day prior to the 30-day period to accept the proposal expired, Koppel filed a motion seeking to lengthen the time in which to respond to the proposal. The hearing on the motion did not occur until two months later and after the hearing, (before the trial court rendered a decision on the motion) Koppel accepted Ochoa's proposal for settlement. Ochoa asked the court to dismiss the acceptance as untimely. The trial court agreed with Koppel, finding that "her filing of a motion to enlarge time under rule 1.090 tolled the thirty-day period in which she was authorized to accept the proposal," and it granted her motion to enforce settlement. Ochoa appealed, arguing that the filing of a rule 1.090 motion to enlarge the time to accept a proposal for settlement does not toll the 30-day period for accepting the proposal until the court decides the motion. The appellate court agreed, reversed, and certified conflict with Goldy v. Corbett Cranes Services, Inc., 692 So. 2d 225 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997).
Car Accidents: Tire Blow Out Causes Death On Interstate
Various news agencies reports that a man is dead after his car crashed because his tire blew out. A 45-year-old male was driving east-bound on Interstate 10 this past weekend when his Ford Ranger failed and he lost control of the vehicle. Investigators report that because of the tire failing, the Ranger headed into the median and overturned several times. The male was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
An FAQ on uninsured & underinsured insurance policies
Florida requires that all vehicles are insured. But the required minimum coverage is $10,000 personal injury protection and $10,000 property damage liability. For those that drive on state roads without insurance, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles can suspend driving privileges.
Failure To Yield Leads To Five People Injured
Channel 3, WEAR, reports that five people, including two children, were injured in a Highway 29 two-vehicle crash this past weekend. According to Florida Highway Patrol, a 21-year-old male was stopped in his Chevrolet Silverado facing east on Neal Road at the intersection of U.S. Highway 29. A second vehicle, driven by a 26-year-old female, was driving a Ford F150, going northbound on U.S. Highway 29 approaching Neal Road. The Silverado entered the intersection, which lead the front of the F150 truck to strike the right side of the Silverado causing it to overturn. The driver of the Silverado and his passenger, a 19-year-old female were taken to a Pensacola hospital for minor injuries. The 21-year-old-male was charged with violating the right of way at a stop intersection. The 26-year-old, along with her two children passengers, were also taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Distracted Driving: Can Smart Phones Make You A Smarter Driver?
We've blogged on this before. Using cellphones behind the wheel makes many people distracted and dangerous drivers. Moreover, distracted driving is defined as occurring anytime something diverts your attention from the road ahead, and according to a report on distracted driving from the National Safety Council (NSC), cellphones are one of the top causes of distracted driving today.
Google Self Driving Cars Now Have Legal Counsel
It is drawing headlines and as a personal injury lawyer, I think it is about time. Google has hired their own general counsel for their self-driving car business. They hired Kevin Vosen, the chief legal officer of The Climate Corporation to fill the position.
