Wrongful Death

Palm Beach County Wrongful Death Lawsuit Blames Sheriff’s Office for Teen Informant’s Murder

December 10, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The family of Maciel Videla is suing the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for his Florida wrongful death. The 17-year-old boy was brutally murdered by drug dealers who thought that the teenager had ratted them out to the authorities after he introduced them to an undercover deputy. The authorities had quickly released Videla after arresting him on unrelated burglary charges.

In their Palm beach wrongful death complaint, the family says that the Sheriff’s Office should have protected Videla, who was killed in December 2008. They claim that Joaquin Fonseca, the undercover cop, knew that the drug dealers were planning on dealing with the teen but did not tell his superiors until it was too late. Fonseca has said in a deposition about the murder that he “didn’t have the opportunity” to notify his bosses.

Meantime, the lawyer representing Sheriff Ric Bradshaw in the Palm Beach wrongful death case is saying that the agency was not obligated to protect Videla and that Fonseca had no way of knowing that the drug dealers were planning on slitting the teen’s throat. It wasn’t until last year, several month’s after his murder, that Florida passed Rachel’s Law.

Family Blames Four Loko for Florida Wrongful Death of College Student

November 22, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The family of Florida State University sophomore Jason Keiran is suing the maker of Four Loko for his wrongful death. Joe and Vicki Keiran say that their 20-year-old son killed himself last September after drinking three cans of the alcoholic energy drink. Jason had picked up a roommate’s gun and used it to shoot himself in the head.

The Keirans contend that their son wasn’t suicidal or depressed but that his blood alcohol was over three times the legal limit when the tragic shooting occurred. In addition to Four Loko manufacturer Phusion Projects, the couple is also suing the stores where their son bought the drink.

Following Jason’s Florida wrongful death, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to the makers of several alcoholic energy drinks. Phusion Projects has also since announced that it will remove taurine, caffeine, and gaurana from its Four Loko beverage. Experts have equated the caffeine and alcohol mix in the drink to a cup of Starbucks coffee and five beers combined.

Mother Files Florida Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit Against Alleged Drunk Driver Over Daughter’s Wrongful Death

November 17, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The mother of Kate Kohlier is suing the man accused of fatally striking her during a pedestrian accident for Florida wrongful death. Kohlier and Doug Kozar were walking across the Harbour Island bridge early on October 30 when they were hit by a car driven by Matthew R. Moye. Both Kohlier, 24, and Kozar, 23, died from their injuries. Another pedestrian, 47-year-old Joao Armando Fonseca Barbosa, broke his ankle has a struggled to get out of the speeding vehicle’s way. All three of them were walking to their cars after finishing their shifts at a local hotel when the tragic accident happened.

Moye, who is a 34-year-old Florida dentist, has been charged with two counts of driving under the influence manslaughter, two counts of vehicular homicide, and one count of DUI with injury. Moye may have been operating his vehicle at speeds of up to 90 mph.

Florida Pedestrian Accidents

Palm Beach Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Polo Mogul John Goodman Can Proceed Even With Criminal Case Unresolved, Says Judge

November 3, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

Circuit Court Judge Glenn Kelley says that the Palm Beach wrongful death lawsuit against polo club founder John Goodman can proceed. In issuing his ruling, Kelley denied Goodman’s motion to postpone the civil lawsuit until the criminal case against him is resolved.

Goodman is charged with vehicular manslaughter, DUI manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a crash in the Palm Beach County car accident death of Scott Wilson. Wilson died early on February 24 when his Hyundai Sonata was hit by Goodman, who ran a stop sign. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reports that Goodman’s Bentley convertible was traveling at about 28 mph above the speed limit when he struck Wilson’s vehicle. The impact of the collision caused Wilson’s auto to turn over into a canal. The 23-year-old then proceeded to drown.

Meantime, the polo magnate allegedly fled the Palm Beach County traffic crash site and did not notify police about the accident for close to an hour. Even hours after the collision, Goodman’s BAC was 0.177, which is two times the legal driving limit.

Widower Files Palm Beach County Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Comcast Over Botched 911 Call

October 28, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The widower of an 81-year-old woman who bled to death while waiting for emergency workers to arrive at her home is suing Comcast for her Palm Beach County wrongful death. The woman, Sidell Reiner, died from injuries that she sustained while making Thanksgiving dinner for her family last year. Seymour Reiner, her husband, was not home at the time. He had left for the airport to pick up their grandkids.

According to his Palm Beach, Florida wrongful death complaint, Reiner was setting the table when a wine glass dropped on her foot. She began to bleed heavily and dialed 0 on her phone to get help. Unfortunately, the Comcast operator couldn’t figure out Reiner’s address.

Reiner is said to have called several times for help, but it was 17 minutes before Palm Beach County Fire Rescue arrived at the scene. By then, Sidell was unable to answer the door, and rescuers left the premise without looking through the windows. If they had done so, Seymour’s wrongful death lawyer says that they might have seen blood everywhere and realized that the elderly woman was in trouble.

Fatal Florida Dog Attack Leads to Wrongful Death Lawsuit

October 15, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The family of Robert J. Klatch has filed a Florida wrongful death lawsuit against the owners of the pit bull that attacked him on February 11, 2009. Klatch, an 83-year-old Port St. Lucie man, died more than two months after the injury accident.

According to the St. Lucie County wrongful death complaint, Klatch was riding in a golf cart in the Cascades when a pit bull named Buddy, owned by Jane and Harvey Cutler, attacked his shih tzu, who was running next to to him. Buddy reportedly was not leashed and was “running loose” at the time.

Buddy then attacked Klatch, who had been thrown from the cart and was trying to save his dog. He died on April 21, 2009 from injuries he sustained during the Florida dog attack and fall accident.

Miami Couple Whose Child Suffered Fatal Brain Injury Caused by Florida Birthing Malpractice Receives $10.2M Wrongful Death Award

October 6, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

A US district judge has awarded Oscar Rodriguez and Raiza Bravo $10.2 million for the wrongful death of their son Kevin. The little boy died at the age of 3 of a brain seizure that was related to the Florida brain injury that he sustained during his birth at the US Naval Hospital in Jacksonville.

According to the plaintiff’s, the hospital staff did not realize that Kevin’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck during delivery. This resulted in serious brain damage.

During his short life, Kevin needed a special feeding tube so that his saliva could be sucked out of his mouth and he wouldn’t choke to death. Rodriguez would eventually have to remove their son from life support. The boy died in Miami.

Delray Beach Day Care Center Sued for Palm Beach County Wrongful Death of Toddler Left in Van to Temporarily Shut Doors

September 3, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

Katie’s Kids Learning Center in Delray Beach will temporarily close down beginning Monday. The day care center lost over $200,000 in state funds following the death of Haile Brockington on August 5. The 2 ½-year-old girl died from hypothermia after a van driver accidentally left her strapped to her car seat in the pickup van for several hours on a day when the temperature at one point went above 90 degrees. Officials are continuing to investigate the tragic accident.

Meantime, Brockington’s family is suing daycare center owners Barbara Dilthey and Kathryn Muhammad and driver Amanda Inman for Palm Beach County wrongful death. Inman, who is charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, is accused of failing to unstrap Haile from her car seat and not making sure she got out of the van when the kids were dropped off at the day care center. It wasn’t until around 4pm when the van arrived to take the kids’ home that one of the students discovered Haile still in her seat.

In their Delray Beach wrongful death complaint, Brockington’s parents contend that Katie’s Kids failed to provide a van helper or another employee to assist the driver and neglected to properly train its employees. They also claim that this was not the first time that children had been forgotten at the center or on the bus and that there have been times in the past when van drivers signed or forged Haile’s mom’s signature on transportation logs.

Palm Beach County Resident Sued in Wrongful Death Case

January 15, 2010 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

The widower of a woman who died in a 2007 motorcycle crash has filed a wrongful death suit against the owner of the motorcycle, claiming the owner was aware that he had not properly maintained the Harley Davidson.

The surviving spouse has sued the motorcycle’s owner, a Palm Beach County resident, and seeks at least $15,000 in damages. The lawsuit claims the owner failed to maintain the motorcycle’s brake and rear turning lights, preventing the truck driver from seeing the couple right before impact.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the woman was killed after the motorcycle she was riding in was hit by a pick-up truck in a hit-and-run accident. The woman was ejected from the motorcycle and left by the side of the road.

Source: Wrongful death suit filed in 2007 crash, WPTV.com, December 29, 2009 Continue reading

Drawbridge Accident Kills Florida Man

December 4, 2009 | by David J. Halberg, Esq.

According to authorities, an 80-year-old man died last month after getting stuck on a drawbridge in Hollywood, Florida. The unidentified man reportedly fell to his death around 3:45pm on a Sunday afternoon on the Florida Department of Transportation bridge along the Intracoastal Waterway.

He had apparently gotten onto the bridge before it opened and hung onto the raising bridge desk for awhile. He eventually let go and fell some 60 feet to the concrete below. Emergency responders transported the man to Hollywood’s Memorial Regional Hospital, but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the operator of the bridge is being cooperative with the police in the investigation of the fatal accident.

Source: Fla. man, 80, dies in drawbridge accident, UPI.com, November 24, 2009 Continue reading