One person was killed in Captiva, Florida after the jet ski he was operating was involved in an accident, a report of NBC 2 stated on October 11.

Information coming from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) told reports that the fatal jet ski accident occurred in the vicinity of South Seas Island Resort. A man whose name was not released was ejected from the watercraft he was operating after it struck a pole. Responding emergency crews spent half an hour searching before they were able to find the man’s body. Aside from the FWC, authorities from the U.S. Coast Guard, and Fire and Rescue units from Iona McGregor provided assistance in the accident. Though the resort has confirmed that the jet ski involved was a rental, it was not clear if the man was staying at the resort when the accident happened.

The sincere thoughts of the wrongful death attorneys at the Bruner Law Firm in Fort Walton Beach send their condolences to the family and friends who mourn the recent loss of their loved one.

For the last several weeks, it seems like there has been a daily incident of yet another Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploding or catching fire. There has even been a car fire that was reportedly due to the defective device catching fire. So it comes as no surprise that Samsung has decided to stop selling the device altogether in hopes to limit their liability. The AP has reported that the costs of suspending the device manufacturing and various recalls/replacements will likely end up costing the global consumer electronic giant approximately $17 Billion. Samsung will also likely face dozens of tort suits from consumers due to burning or inhalation of toxic fumes. If you have been the victim of one of these device malfunctions, feel free to contact our law firm for further consultation and help in litigating this matter.

Florida workers’ compensation insurers are seeking a 19.6 percent rate hike for employers. The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), an organization representing insurers, proposed the change on May 27 after recent Florida Supreme Court rulings struck down parts of the workers’ compensation system.

NCCI’s proposal comes in response to the court’s decision to strike down a 2009 law limiting attorney fees for lawyers who represent injured employees. The ruling was the result of a case where an attorney was awarded an equivalent rate of $1.53 an hour for 107.2 hours of work after winning a case for an injured Miami worker. The court said in a 5-2 ruling that the 2009 law was unconstitutional, as it challenged the “reasonableness” of attorneys’ fees.

An earlier May filing proposed a 17.1 percent increase in rates. After taking into account the impacts of a recent case involving compensation paid to an injured St. Petersburg firefighter, however, NCCI bumped the proposed rate to 19.6 percent.

According to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a rate hike could threaten job growth rates in the state. The rate hike, however, follows 13 years of decreasing rates. If the Office of Insurance Regulation approves the rate hike, the changes will go into effect on Oct. 1. A public hearing on the topic will take place on Aug. 16 in Tallahassee.

At least one person in Fernandina Beach sustained serious injuries after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle, an article of News 4 JAX reported on September 28.

Information coming from the Florida Highway Patrol revealed that around 8:00 p.m. an accident involving a bicycle took place on S. 8th Street. The accident reportedly occurred after the bicyclist failed to yield to other vehicles before crossing the street. The bike rider, only identified as a 59-year-old man, sustained serious injuries, but the vehicle driver sustained only minor injuries. Authorities are conducting an investigation to determine what caused the accident.

If you suffer serious injuries after being involved in an accident, seek help from a skilled personal injury attorney, especially if you think negligent parties caused your pain. Find out how a Fort Walton Beach lawyer at the Bruner Law Firm may be able to help you recover from your loss today by calling (850) 243-2222.

Professional baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins, Jose Fernandez, was one of three fatalities in a recent boating mishap in Florida, an article of rt.com reported on September 26.

Reports said the 24-year-old baseball player was riding in a 32-foot boat on September 25 together with two other people, identified as a 24-year-old and 27-year-old, when the accident happened. Their boat was flipped after crashing into the rocks. Though initial investigations did not find any trace of intoxication in the incident, authorities learned the boat was traveling with excessive speed before the accident happened. Fernandez was a rising star in the league and received multiple awards. On September 25, the Miami Marlins said they were devastated and cancelled their game against the Atlanta Braves.

The wrongful death attorneys at the Bruner Law Firm in Fort Walton Beach send their sincere condolences to the family and friends who mourn the untimely loss of their loved ones.

Officials have arrested a man in connection to car crash in Panama City that killed four people and left several others seriously injured. The car crash occurred around midnight on Friday, when a driver failed to stop at stop sign. His vehicle struck the right side of a second vehicle that was carrying five men from Ohio.

The at-fault driver’s vehicle came to a stop only after it hit a utility pole. Both he and his passenger were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Two of the Ohio men died in the accident, and two others passed away in the days following the crash.

The 21-year-old driver has been arrested and charged with Driving Without a License Involving Death/Injury and Negligent Manslaughter Involving Motor Vehicle.

These tragic wrongful deaths weigh heavily on the community and we can only hope that the victims’ families are able to find justice.

Charges were recently filed against a driver in Florida due to suspicions that she was under the influence of alcohol when she caused a motorcycle wreck that resulted in a fatality, a report of the Miami Herald stated on September 19.

Reports said 25-year-old Mary Elizabeth Bailey surrendered to state authorities on September 16 after crashing into a motorcycle carrying two people on August 1 near Sugarloaf Key. Bailey, who admitted to being intoxicated, drove her vehicle away from the accident scene after it occurred. One occupant of the motorcycle died as a result of her injuries; the other occupant suffered serious injuries as well. Several charges related to DUI, manslaughter, and property damage were filed against Bailey, who was already in custody.

The Fort Walton Beach wrongful death attorneys at the Bruner Law Firm know how difficult accidents like this are for families. We send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim as they mourn the recent loss of their loved one.

Korean multinational company Samsung has issued a recall to their newly released gadget “Galaxy Note 7” after receiving complaints that its battery is defective, an article of Tech Times reported on September 5.

Reports said, sales of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone was halted after 35 consumers complained that its battery caught fire or exploded after being connected to a charger; the recall will affect approximately 2.5 million units. Samsung in a statement said that they are already investigating the issue and that they want to make sure their customers get the highest quality in their products. Samsung is expected to spend roughly $1 billion to complete the recall.

The Fort Walton Beach lawyers at Bruner Law Firm understand families can be left dealing with a great financial loss as a result of using defective devices sold in the market. If this has happened to you, we may offer you legal assistance to pursue damage claims against negligent parties. Call our office today at (850) 243-2222 to learn more about your options.

A driver was recently left in extraordinarily good condition after the van he was driving was struck by a semi-truck in Avon Park, an article of Highlands Today reported on September 12.

According to reports, Sebring resident Paul Edward Messner, at about 10:30 a.m., was driving a Ford Econoline van on North Oak Island Road when he was struck by the semi-truck. Messner told reports that he was pinned inside his vehicle for approximately 30 minutes. Messner recounted that he was on a curve when he experienced braking problems while trying to avoid the collision. It took rescuers nearly an hour before they safely extracted Messner from his vehicle. The Florida Highway Patrol issued a citation to 48-year-old Juan Hernandez-Murga after authorities learned that he was responsible for the crash.

Fortunately, the driver did not suffer serious injuries after being involved in a semi-truck accident. However, this is not always the case when a semi-truck is involved. Contact an attorney with Bruner Law Firm if you’ve been involved in a semi-truck accident that was not your fault. Call us at (850) 243-2222 as soon as possible.

A little girl that went missing after a boating accident in Cocoa, Florida was successfully rescued by responding personnel after an hour.

On August 19, the Brossard family was in a boat that was overturned after it crashed into a utility pole in the Indian River. All of the family members aboard were ejected from the water vessel, except for Tammy’s 1-year-old daughter, Kennedy, who was trapped inside the boat. Although they could hear Kennedy crying, no one could identify where the sound was coming from and they were unable to find her. Tammy called 911, and responding divers were able to rescue the child. 

If you’ve been involved in an accident as a result of someone else’s actions, you might be entitled to compensation. Learn about how the legal team of the Bruner Law Firm in Fort Walton Beach can represent you by calling (850) 243-2222.