Legal Insights Blog | Rader Law Group

What Are the Steps to Take Immediately Following a Car Crash to Have the Best Chance at Recovering Damages?

August 8, 2022

From January through June of this year, Florida experienced 188,093 auto accidents, resulting in 1,664 deaths and 119,143 people with injuries . Literally thousands of lives changed in an instant just in this period of a few months. If you were to become involved in a motor vehicle accident, would you know what to do? Your actions can play a role in the outcome of the accident if either you or the opposing party file a lawsuit.

Stay at the scene of the accident. Even if you think you are at fault, leaving the scene of the accident without exchanging information with the other driver is against the law.
Call 911 to report the accident and have a police officer come out to inspect it and write an accident report. If anyone is seriously injured and needs an ambulance, let the 911 operator know this when you call.
Exchange information with the other driver. This should include writing down their name, phone number, email, and photographing their driver’s license and insurance card. Also take down the name and contact information for any witnesses.
Take photographs and videos of the accident scene. Make sure to include damage to the cars, their positions, any skid marks or auxiliary damage to the road or other structures. Also take photos of any visible injuries that you or your passengers have sustained.
Jot down notes for later to remind you of the weather, such as if there was heavy rain or fog, traffic and road conditions, such as any construction, debris in the road, or heavy traffic. If you can, write down all the events from a few minutes before the accident until the accident occurred. This will be helpful if you forget details later, as often happens.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible. If you are badly injured, take an ambulance directly from the accident scene to the hospital. Even if you don’t feel injured, its still important to visit a doctor’s office or hospital within 24 hours. Right after the accident you may have an adrenaline rush which prevents you from feeling the full extent of your injuries. Moreover, the longer you wait to go to the doctor, the easier it will be for the opposing party to claim your injuries are the result of something other than the accident. It’s also important to note that Florida Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance requires that you visit a doctor within 14 days of an accident in order to make a claim.
Call an experienced personal injury law firm, like Rader Law Group, as soon as possible after the accident. We will advise you of your legal options to seek compensation for your injuries. The sooner you call the sooner we can fight for you to receive justice.

Rader Law Group, LLC

With decades and decades combined experience, the attorneys at Rader Law Group understand the meaning of Justice. Our one and only mission is to get each client the justice he or she deserves; our team of attorneys never back down when we know our client is right.
We offer our clients the compassion and guidance they need as they work through trying times in their lives. The balance of working relentlessly for our clients combined with our caring approach has helped us achieve a fantastic record of success with our clients. We get our clients the justice they deserve.

At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.

References Used:
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Crash Dashboard – Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (flhsmv.gov). Accessed July 5, 2022.

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Boating Safety Tips for South Florida

July 26, 2022

Florida has the longest coastline in the continental United States . Not surprisingly, boating is a favorite pastime of South Florida locals and tourists alike. Many boating enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that boating is the cause of thousands of accidents and millions of dollars of property damage each year. Following are some eye-opening statistics from the United States Coast Guard from 2020:

That year, there were 5,265 boating accidents, leading to 767 deaths, 3,191 injuries, and $62.5M of property damage.
75% of the deaths were caused by drowning and 86% of those who drowned did not wear a life vest.
77% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator was not trained in boating safety.
Alcohol was the leading contributing factor to fatal boat accidents.

If you own a boat and want to safely host friends and family on the water, following are some ways to reduce your risk of a boating accident:

Enroll in a recreational boating safety course. There are options both online and in-person. The classes teach you how to manage your boat, how to handle inclement weather, and general recreational boating safety tips. The U.S. Coast Guard lists a number of classes on their website at: Boating Safety Courses (uscgboating.org).
Make sure everyone on your boat has a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest that fits properly. Life vests come in different sizes, so check that everyone has one that fits while still on land. Even if you or a guest is a strong swimmer, they still need a life vest.
Like other motor vehicles, boats have capacity limits. Make sure you know the limits on yours before you load it down with people and supplies.
Check the weather before you depart. If the forecast calls for high winds or rain, reschedule your outing. When you are on the water, the conditions can change from beautiful to choppy water and high winds very quickly, creating a dangerous situation.
Create a float plan and leave it with a trusted friend or neighbor on-shore. If you don’t return or contact the friend per your pre-arranged plan, they can contact the Coast Guard for you and give them your float plan to help in finding you.
Just like on land, never drink and drive. Your risk of causing a boating accident skyrockets when you drink alcohol. Moreover, guests who are inebriated could fall over the side into the water, so they should not drink to excess either.

By following these tips, you can improve your chances that your day on the water will be a relaxing, memorable, and fun event for you and your guests. If, however, you are injured in a boating accident that you feel was not your fault, contact Rader Law Group right away for a free case evaluation.

Rader Law Group, LLC

At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.

References Used:
World Atlas. US States With The Longest Coastlines – WorldAtlas. Accessed June 6, 2022.
US Dept. of Homeland Security. US Coast Guard. Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety. 2020 Recreational Boating Statistics (uscgboating.org). Accessed June 7, 2022.

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What Is A Slip and Fall Premises Liability?

July 21, 2022

People slip and fall in a public place, like a supermarket or department store every day. Many times, these falls are caused by what we call a transitory foreign substance. In basic terms, this is something that you find on the floor that should not be there and can either be moved, removed or cleaned fairly easily. A mis-leveled sidewalk is not a transitory foreign substance, because it is fixed on the ground. Water or other liquids from spills or leaks are the most common transitory foreign substances

Just because something is on the floor of a public place does not mean that store is responsible or liable if someone slips and falls upon it. Florida has a very specific statute that governs these instances. Florida statute 768.0755 states:

If a person slips and falls on a transitory foreign substance in a business establishment, the injured person must prove that the business establishment had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action to remedy it. Constructive knowledge may be proven by circumstantial evidence showing that:

(a) The dangerous condition existed for such a length of time that, in the exercise of ordinary care, the business establishment should have known of the condition; or
(b) The condition occurred with regularity and was therefore foreseeable.

In general, it is often impossible for an accident victim to determine how long a dangerous condition existed on a property. However, certain things you can do right after a fall can help your attorney prove notice. First, take pictures, lots of them, close-up and from afar. There are many clues in slip and fall cases that attorneys can use to help establish constructive knowledge on the part of a property owner or business. For instance, the size and location of spill matter. A few drops of liquid on the floor near a loading dock may not be noticed. But a 6-foot-wide puddle near a cash register or store entrance should absolutely be seen by store employees using reasonable care.

How long was the substance on the floor? A question attorneys ask injury victims all the time, even though it is almost impossible for them to answer it. But context clues can certainly help to meet the statutory requirement of proving constructive knowledge. If the substance covered a large area and had footprints or cart tracks going through it, one can argue that it has been there along enough for several people to walk through it and therefore long enough that the store should have known about and should have cleaned it up. Dirty water usually means it’s been there longer than fresh, clean water. Substance that are sticky around the edges, drying in parts, having flies or other bugs swarming around it are all indications that the spill had been there quite a while.

Look to see where a spill came from. If it was from a woman pushing a cart with a child holding a leaky sippy cup 10 feet in front of you, then it would not be reasonable to hold the store responsible, because in all likelihood they had no notice of the dangerous condition, nor did they have a reasonable time to clean the area. But, if you see a trail of water coming out from a nearby cooler or refrigerator, that’s a different story altogether. Look around for other signs that the store may have had some notice. Are there mats around? Are those mats dry or wet? Do the mats cover enough of the area? Are the mats properly laid flat on the ground, or are they rolled up or frayed? All of these little details matter and could help prove that the business owner was negligent and responsible for your injuries.

For more information on how premises liability claims are handled or to seek answers to questions you may have regarding trip and fall or slip and fall accidents, contact the personal injury attorneys of Rader Law Group today. Our attorneys are standing by and ready to help. We offer free consultations and a no recovery, no fee guarantee.
We offer our clients the compassion and guidance they need as they work through trying times in their lives. The balance of working relentlessly for our clients combined with our caring approach has helped us achieve a fantastic record of success with our clients. We get our clients the justice they deserve.

Rader Law Group, LLC

At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.

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I Was Hit by a Car as a Pedestrian Crossing the Street. How Can I Collect Compensation for My Injuries?

July 7, 2022

You are crossing the street and out of nowhere, a car hits you, sending you flying through the air and landing in the middle of the road with a thud. You’re in severe pain and disoriented. A bystander calls 911 and an ambulance whisks you to the hospital. Fortunately, your injuries are not life-threatening, but they are life-changing. The bills start mounting. Who is responsible for paying them?
The first option for funding is your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. Even though you were not driving at the time of the accident, if you have PIP coverage, it will cover up to 80% of your medical bills and 60% of your lost wages, up to a $10,000 limit.
The next option is seeking compensation from the driver who hit you. If the driver has liability insurance, you can make a claim through their insurance for payment for your injuries. The claim can cover medical bills, rehabilitation, medication, imaging, medical supplies, necessary modifications to your home, such as a wheelchair ramp, lost wages, lost future wages, and non-economic damages, like pain and suffering and mental distress.

The last option is your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Even though you were not in a car, if you carry UM you can recover for damages, up to your own limits, that are not paid by after you get the at-fault driver’s insurance. UM would pay for the same damages that are listed above by the driver’s liability insurance. UM is very important, by the way, to pedestrians and drivers because many drivers in Florida don’t have any, or enough, bodily injury coverage.

There are several factors that determine how much the insurance company will pay out. These include value of insurance coverage, determination of fault, and severity of your injuries.

Value of Insurance Coverage

The maximum amount that the insurance will pay out is the value of the insurance coverage. For example, if someone has a $100,000 policy, that is the maximum you can recover. In contrast, if the driver has a $1,000,000 policy, you have the opportunity to recover much more.

Determination of Fault

There is a common misperception that the car driver is always responsible when a pedestrian is hit. In fact, Florida has rules that both drivers and pedestrians must follow and each party’s adherence to these rules will determine the fault in your specific situation. For example, if you were crossing the street at a crosswalk with the light and a driver sped through a red light and hit you, the driver would be at-fault. Similarly, if the driver was under the influence, failed to yield the right of way, or was texting, they would be at-fault. However, if you were crossing against the light, or not at a crosswalk, or looking at your phone while you crossed, you would likely be assigned some of the blame for the accident, which would reduce your total potential compensation.

Severity of Your Injuries

The more severe your injuries, the more compensation you could be awarded. For this reason, it’s important to be accurate when describing your injuries to medical professionals and your attorney. Don’t play them down or exaggerate them.

If you were hit by a car as a pedestrian, contact Rader Law Group for your free case evaluation. Our one and only goal is for you to receive justice for your injuries, and we will fight aggressively until you do.

Rader Law Group, LLC

At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.

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Staying Safe this Fourth of July

June 23, 2022

The great American pastime of celebrating the Fourth of July with friends, food, and fireworks is a highlight of summer. Unfortunately, a side effect of this celebration is the exceptionally high number of preventable injuries and accidental deaths that occur during these celebrations. According to Pew Research Center, approximately 91,000 individuals visit the emergency room on July 4-5 each year, higher than all other two-day periods of the year.

Following are some safety tips from Rader Law Group to help your family stay safe while having fun this Independence Day:
Leave the fireworks to the professionals.

Fireworks are the single largest cause of emergency room visits on Fourth of July . Fireworks can cause severe burns, eye injuries and vision loss, facial injuries, loss of extremities, and hearing loss. This is true even for sparklers and legally-purchased fireworks. Your safest option is to attend your city’s professionally-run fireworks display instead of trying to run your own.

Stay safe in the pool.

Ensure that your pool party doesn’t become the site of an accidental drowning or poolside injury. Hire a lifeguard or make sure a responsible, sober adult is watching the pool at all times. Don’t allow guests to dive into shallow water. Ensure that any children who are not proficient swimmers wear a life vest and remain in arm’s length of their parents when in the water.

Grill safely.

Grills can cause fires and severe burns. Be sure to place your grill far away from any branches, grass, or anything else that is flammable. Keep children and pets far away from the grill at all times. It’s also important to make sure that a sober adult is attending the grill at all times.

Drink Responsibly.

It’s relaxing to have a few drinks with friends on the holiday, but it can also be deadly when it comes time to drive home. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 38% of all drivers killed during the Fourth of July holiday periods from 2017-2019 were drunk . Many drivers mistakenly believe it is ok to drive after drinking if it is only a short distance and they only had a couple drinks, but this line of thinking is dead wrong. If you plan to drink, arrange for a cab, rideshare, or designated driver to take you home.

The attorneys at Rader Law Group wish you a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday. We hope you don’t need us, but if you are injured on Fourth of July due to someone else’s negligence, we are here for you and will fight for you to receive justice for your injuries.

Rader Law Group, LLC

At Rader Law Group, You matter. Your justice matters. Your Justice Starts Here. 954-913-2273.

References Used:
The Pew Research Center. July 4 brings a boom in injury-related hospital visits | Pew Research Center. Accessed May 11, 2022.
The Pew Research Center. July 4 brings a boom in injury-related hospital visits | Pew Research Center. Accessed May 11, 2022.
NHTSA. Celebrate America Safely This July 4th | NHTSA. Accessed May 11, 2022.

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Rader Law Group, LLC’s Andrew Rader Achieves Board Certification In Civil Trial Law

June 16, 2022

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – June 16, 2022

Plaintiff’s personal injury law firm Rader Law Group announces that one of its founding partners, Andrew Rader, has earned Board Certification in Civil Trial law by the Florida Bar. This makes Mr. Rader part of an elite group. Of over 100,000 Florida attorneys, fewer than 1,000, or 1%, are Board Certified in Civil Trial law. Although Rader is AV-Pre-eminent rated by Martindale Hubbell attorney, a Super Lawyer, and a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (recognizing attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of $2,000,000), he is particularly proud of the board certification because it is the only certification recognized by the Florida Bar and granted by the Florida Supreme Court itself.

“We’re extremely proud of him”, said partner and cofounder of Rader Law Group, Kenneth Cutler. “Andrew is an outstanding lawyer and an even better trial attorney, and this credential proves just that.”

According to the Florida Bar’s website, board certification “recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice. Established in 1982 by the Florida Supreme Court, board certification helps consumers identify specialists in various areas of law.”

To become board certified, Rader had to prove that he had significant trial experience. He did so by demonstrating that he has tried cases in Miami, Palm Beach and Broward counties, State and Federal courts, in New York, Bronx, Rockland and Orange counties in New York, and, as a public defender in the South Bronx for ten years, tried many criminal cases. In addition, he has taught extensively on the subject of litigation, including teaching and demonstrating techniques to cross-examine opposing experts.

Beyond this, the Florida Bar required that Rader provide references from other attorneys, which he did by providing accolades from some of the most highly regarded attorneys in the State of Florida.

Rader focuses his practice on serious personal injuries including collisions, falls, medical malpractice and products liability. He also handles commercial litigation, but only on contingency.

For more information on Attorney Andrew Rader of Rader Law Group, LLC, please visit our website at www.RaderLawGroup.com or email ARader@RaderLawGroup.com. Our phone number is 954-913-2273

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