The Florida Supreme Court promulgates the Florida Rules of Court. Among the rules are the following seven canons of judicial conduct:

Canon 1. A Judge Shall Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary

Canon 2. A Judge Shall Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all of the Judge’s Activities

Canon 3. A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially and Diligently

Canon 4. A Judge Is Encouraged to Engage in Activities to Improve the Law, the Legal System, and the Administration of Justice

Canon 5. A Judge Shall Regulate Extrajudicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict With Judicial Duties

Canon 6. Fiscal Matters of a Judge Shall be Conducted in a Manner That Does Not Give the Appearance of Influence or Impropriety; etc.

Canon 7. A Judge or Candidate for Judicial Office Shall Refrain From Inappropriate Political Activity

The phone always rings after you’ve been hit in a car wreck. Some unusually friendly woman or man is going to begin asking questions about your property damage, what sort of speed you thought you were travelling, and maybe even whether or not you sought any medical care after the collision. Although it may seem harmless to answer such straightforward questions, many times the adjuster is simply trying to seal up a case for their insured driver. It is almost always a good idea to keep quiet, and seek the advice of a lawyer in such a situation.

After you’ve consulted an attorney, you should then start gathering all the “paper things” associated with your claim or injury. Such papers include the drivers exchange form (listing the names and insurance policy numbers of the people involved in an accident), any health or medical records, ER discharge instructions, medication education information, PIP forms (these are simply short forms sent out by insurance companies by the bodily injury carrier when there has been a claim filed), police reports, and any other papers or diagrams that may be in any way related to your claim. Keeping good track of any missed time off from work or lost wages is especially helpful whenever one of these claims in in their infancy. Both you and your attorney will be glad you did.

And at some point, you will end up making the decision about how to proceed with your case. You may end up settling before you ever formally sign an employment agreement with an attorney. You may also end up seated behind a desk during a week long jury trial. Although it is every lawyer’s duty to give you candid advice, you will end up calling some pretty big shots.

You may have recently seen a television commercial about when mayhem happens. Although it may be funny to joke about from time to time, disasters do indeed happen, and when they do, the joking stops. Insurance companies make money when they avoid paying benefits. When you have experienced an event of mayhem, don’t let them deny your claim. Our lawyers settle hundreds of cases with insurance companies without filing suit. We can help you obtain a just settlement from the insurance companies. Many times this is possible without even filing a lawsuit. If that is required however, we will inform you of all the relevant consequences. As our policy always has been, all costs of litigation are paid by us unless you recover. We charge the industry standard rates across all stages of litigation. We can never guarantee a result, but we can promise that we will provide your claim with our undivided attention and work diligently to provide you with a fair and equitable result. When mayhem arises, give the lawyers at The Bruner Law Firm a call today. We are ready to help.

Okaloosa County has a relatively short history. Before the Civil War, virtually nothing of historical importance occurred in the area. The area was a true wilderness. Filled with Mosquitos, hot summers, and no roads, the early settlers surely had a dangerous path ahead of them as the began to lay the foundations that would eventually support beautiful Okaloosa County. Somehow, through fishing, hunting, and trading, these early pioneers managed to establish a few outposts in an otherwise barren region. As these early pioneers began to meet and trade ideas, goods, and news, small towns eventually began to form.

Laurel Hill

The founding of Okaloosa County as an actual incorporated region can be traced back to Laurel Hill and State Representative William Mapoles. In 1915, Mapoles brought a bill to the Florida House floor that created a new county form the existing counties of Walton and Santa Rosa County. Okaloosa County got its name from an old steamboat that used to drive up and down the Blackwater River… bringing people from Milton to Pensacola. The word “Okaloosa” originates from a Choctaw word meaning “black water.” Eventually, a temporary county seat was set up in Milligan until a special election was held in 1917 and Crestview was selected as the new county seat (Crestview remains the County Seat today).

Major Industries: Fishing, Turpentine, and Timber

During the early part of the 20th century fishing, turpentine, and timber could be counted as the three major sources of economic wealth in the region. Major railroads from Atlanta and Nashville helped truck the goods out of the area. Before this great advancement, the people of the area were largely reliant on the river to float the good up and around the surrounding areas. Communities began to grow around area of great turpentine production or fish harvest.

The 1940’s and After

Okaloosa County managed to stay basically a rough pioneer’s community for about a century until the 1940’s/1950’s. The military and tourism finally began to make their foothold and the area has never been the same since. This influx of people and money also brought nice modern conveniences like paved roads, electricity, and telephones. Local entrepreneur James E. Plew, saw the idea of bringing in Uncle Sam as a way to heal the wounds of the great depression. He eneded up donating 1,460 acres of land to the U.S. Government for a bombing and gunnery range (Eventually renamed “Eglin” after Lt. Col. Frederick Irving Eglin).

Our Law Firm has been servicing all of Okaloosa County, FL for over 30 years. If you are someone you love has been involved in a serious accident, please call us today at 1.850.243.2222 (locally in Fort Walton Beach) or 1.800.BRUNER.1 (toll free).

Are you currently looking for a Walton County Attorney? Walton County is located within the Florida Panhandle and contains many small cities and towns. Walton County was founded in 1824. It was named after former Secretary of Florida, George Walton. Walton County has three cities which are DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, and Paxton. DeFuniak Springs is the largest of the three cities. Walton County also has many notable small towns including Mossy Head, Glendale, Seaside, Miramar Beach, Grayton Beach, and Santa Rosa Beach. Walton County is known for having a diverse geographic makeup. The south-end of Walton County has incredible white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Each year thousands of visitors travel to South Walton to enjoy the small beach communities of Walton County. The central part of Walton County is flat and borders the Choctawhatchee Bay. The north-end of Walton County is green and hilly, containing Florida’s highest point of elevation.

Walton County Courthouse

Walton County is sparsly populated with a population density of 52 people per square mile. As a result there are many small roads with high speed limits to help people commute across the county. Small roads with high speed limits sometimes lead to accidents and collisions. These conditions are frustrated during the summer months when visitors arrive and congest local roads. If you or a loved one have been injured in an auto collision and you are looking for a Walton County Attorney, please contact The Bruner Law Firm. The Bruner Law Firm has represented clients from DeFuniak Springs, Paxton, Freeport, Mossy Head, Glendale, Seaside, Miramar Beach, Grayton Beach, and Santa Rosa Beach over the past 30 years. The Bruner Law Firm has a Walton County Attorney at our offices located in Fort Walton Beach, and Panama City, Florida. To contact The Bruner Law Firm please fill out out contact form on our website, or call 1-800-BRUNER1 or 1-800-243-2222.

Recently a jury in Colorado awarded a plaintiff $11.5 million in a Riddell Helmet Lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought against football helmet manufacturer Riddell and school administration by a teenager who sustained severe brain injuries while playing football in 2008. The jury in the Riddell Helmet Lawsuit found that Riddell did not actually release a defective product, but that Riddell failed to warn consumers about concussions that might occur while wearing the helmet. There has been a growing concern about the danger of concussions while playing football. Riddell and the NFL are currently conducting research in order to make football safer. Riddell has recently developed it’s safest helmet yet, the Riddell 360. The NFL has also changed rules in order to reduce head-to-head contact and high speed collisions. Football is the most popular sport in America and the game is built on tradition. Due to the sport’s long established tradition there is some hesitation for change. Admittedly, it is impossible to eliminate all injuries in contact sports. However, lawsuits like the Riddell Helmet Lawsuit have helped push the industry forward making football safer for all.

Riddell Revolution Helmet

Typically participants involved in sports assume the risk of injury related to the activity. These normal and expected risks are known as inherit risks. This means that being tackled is an inherit risk one assumes while participating in football. Participants are not owed a duty to be protected from the usual and inherit risks related to an activity. However any injuries that occur outside of the inherit risks might allow a party to recover. One might also recover for injuries relating to intentional or reckless conduct, or a defective product. If you or a loved one have been injured while participating in an activity, or due to a defective product, please contact The Bruner Law Firm. The Bruner Law Firm has represented hundreds of clients in personal injury cases similar to the Riddell Helmet Lawsuit. To contact The Bruner Law Firm please give us a call at (850) 243-2222. You can also fill out our contact form.

Have you found yourself in a position looking for a Navarre Florida Lawyer? Navarre, Florida was platted as a town by Guy Wyman in 1925. Known as “Florida’s Best Kept Secret”, Navarre is a quiet coastal town with suburban areas and a thriving tourism industry in Navarre Beach. Visitors travel to Navarre to escape more crowded areas and enjoy the local waters. Navarre is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, the Santa Rosa Sound, and the East Bay. Navarre’s local waters provide opportunities for fun and enjoyment, but also create risks for accidents to occur. Jet skis, boats, parasails and other water activities sometimes lead to personal injuries. If you are looking for a Navarre Florida Lawyer, The Bruner Law Firm has represented several clients in boating and jet ski accidents. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a water activity and are looking for a Navarre Florida Lawyer, please contact The Bruner Law Firm at 1-800-Bruner1 or 1-850-243-2222.

Navarre is also home to many military families since it is closely located to Hurlburt Field, Eglin Air Force Base, and the Pensacola Naval Air Station. The combination of tourist, military, and local residents traveling through and to Navarre creates congested traffic conditions. These conditions peak during the summer and are worsened during the afterwork hours due people commuting to and from work. The increase in traffic provides for greater chances of auto collisions and accidents within the Navarre, Florida area. If you are looking for a Navarre Florida Lawyer, The Bruner law firm has represented hundreds of clients in auto collisions over the past 30 years. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car wreck, please contact The Bruner Law Firm to get in touch with a Navarre Florida Lawyer. You can contact The Bruner Law Firm by calling 1-800-Bruner1 or 1-850-243-2222. You can also fill out the contact and case evaluation form on our website.

IKEA has recently requested consumers who have a “KRITTER” or “SNIGLAR” junior bed to stop using the product due to the IKEA Junior Bed Recall. IKEA has asked consumers to immediately check their bed to see if it is an affected model. The recall was instated after IKEA received several reports from consumers concerning a hazard relating to the beds. These junior beds have a metal rod that becomes a potential hazard when unattached. When unattached the metal bar produces a sharp edge. This sharp edge becomes laceration hazard to children while asleep in the bed. Affected models can be identified by checking the product label and corresponding date stamp. Kritter junior beds with animal cut-outs on the headboard and date stamps marked 1114 to 1318 are affected models. Sniglar junior beds with a white painted fiberboard insert on the headboard and date stamps marked 1114 to 1318 are also affected models. The beds were sold nationwide in IKEA stores and on IKEA’s website from July 2005 to May 2013. The beds originally sold for a retail price of $60 to $90. It is estimated that about 22,000 of the imported IKEA beds were sold in North America. More information concerning the IKEA Junior Bed Recall and the specific models affected can be found at the press release located on IKEA’s website.

If you or a loved one have been injured by the IKEA Junior Bed Recall or a similar defective product, please contact The Bruner Law Firm. The Bruner Law Firm has helped numerous clients receive compensation for their losses due to defective products. Our firm has served the people of Northwest Florida in personal injury cases over the past 30 years. We have offices located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida and Panama City, Florida for your convenience. To contact The Bruner Law Firm please use our online contact form or give us a call at (850) 243-2222.

If you are thinking about a Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Lawsuit the experienced attorneys at the Bruner Law Firm have the experience to help with your claim. Fungal meningitis lawsuits are being filed throughout the nation after contaminated steroid injections from New England Compounding Center were linked to hundreds of illnesses in more than a dozen states; some even resulting in death. A Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Lawsuit is one way to try and obtain justice from an inexcusable tragedy.

NECC Epidural Steroid Recall

In September of 2012, the CDC recalled three lots of preservative-free methylprednilosone acetate from NECC used in epidural steroid treatments to relieve back pain. The recalled epidural steroids were distributed to 76 facilities in 23 states. Some 14,000 people are known to have been injected with one of the contaminated steroids. Following the NECC epidural steroid recall, the company shut down production. NECC ultimately recalled all of its products and lost its operations license on October 6, 2012. The firm is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How to tell if you’re infected

Commons symptoms of meningitis associated with the recalled methylprednilosone injections include:

• Slurred speech
• Fever
• New headaches; exacerbation of headaches
• Light sensitivity
• Stiff neck
• Increased pain, redness, or swelling at/near the place of injection
• Weakness in numbness in limbs or other parts of the body

 Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Lawsuit

If you or a loved one have been inflicted by this terrible tragedy, then it may be time to file a Multistate Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Lawsuit. Call the lawyers at The Bruner Law Firm today for help at 1-800-BRUNER-1 or 850-243-2222.