Legal Articles

Florida car accident settlement process

by: Michael J. Overbeck

Car accidents fall under the broad category of personal injury law. When negligence, wrongful conduct, or reckless behavior causes physical disabilities or mental impairment, or results in financial harm, you may file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages.  In Florida, damages for injuries resulting from car accidents generally fall under Florida’s no-fault insurance law.  So, how does being a no fault state affect the litigation process in Florida?

These are the kinds of questions that are best answered by qualified, experienced car accident lawyers. As a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer, a significant amount of my practice is dedicated to auto accident cases.  No-fault law can greatly impact litigation, because it makes it more difficult for victims of serious accidents and their families to sue a reckless or negligent driver for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering both now and in the future.  Because of the complexities of this insurance system, you need a personal injury lawyer to ensure that you get the best possible settlement.  Read more…

$23.7 Million Jury Verdict over Serious Trucking Accident in Chicago

by: Martin Healy, Jr.

On March 27, 2009, there was the largest injury verdict ever in Will County, Illinois, a jury last Friday awarded $23.7 million to three plaintiffs who sought compensation for two deaths and one serious injury that resulted from a 2004 vehicle accident near Plainfield, Illinois.

The case, Sperl v. Henry et al. (04 L 428 consolidated), was tried in the Circuit Court of Will County over a three-week period.  It was the culmination of nearly five years of litigation that was initiated after an April 1, 2004 multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 55 near Plainfield when DeAnn Henry, the driver of a tractor trailer, lost control of the truck and rear-ended multiple vehicles.  The collisions caused the deaths of two individuals, Joseph Sperl (age 66) and Thomas Sanders (age 42) and serious injuries to William Taluc (age 30).

On March 27, 2009, there was the largest injury verdict ever in Will County, Illinois, a jury last Friday awarded $23.7 million to three plaintiffs who sought compensation for two deaths and one serious injury that resulted from a 2004 vehicle accident near Plainfield, Illinois.

The case, Sperl v. Henry et al. (04 L 428 consolidated), was tried in the Circuit Court of Will County over a three-week period.  It was the culmination of nearly five years of litigation that was initiated after an April 1, 2004 multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 55 near Plainfield when DeAnn Henry, the driver of a tractor trailer, lost control of the truck and rear-ended multiple vehicles.  The collisions caused the deaths of two individuals, Joseph Sperl (age 66) and Thomas Sanders (age 42) and serious injuries to William Taluc (age 30). Read more…

What is chapter 7 bankruptcy?

by: Lee Schwilm

Chapter 7 refers to the chapter of the federal Bankruptcy Code, the body of law that deals with bankruptcy in the United States. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is sometimes called “liquidation” bankruptcy and is a common form of bankruptcy that cancels your debts.

There are clear criteria that determine who can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and who will be forced to file under Chapter 13. It is important to note that disabled veterans who incurred their debts during active duty, and people who incurred their debts primarily from the operation of a business, are clearly eligible to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Read more…

Racial discrimination in the criminal justice system

by: Jonathan Marks

In his book, “No Equal Justice: Race and Class in the American Criminal Justice System,” Author David Cole opined that the double standard surrounding race, as well as class, compromises the legitimacy of the criminal justice system and heightens the racial divide across the country. Read more…

Defective products – Florida law and consumer protection

by: Michael J. Overbeck

Each year thousands of consumers in the U.S. are injured or killed in the course of using defective products. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, manufacturers, magazines, and other media regularly announce product recalls in an effort to warn consumers. Unsafe or defective products range from toys, tools and household appliances, to sports equipment, cars, trucks and all-terrain vehicles, as well as tires, airbags, and seatbelts, to name only a few examples. Read more…