Personal Injury Blog
The Golden Rule: See a Doctor Immediately After an Accident
Seeking medical attention immediately following a car crash takes on particular importance due to Florida’s 14-Day Rule called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, also known as no-fault insurance.
Regardless of fault, PIP insurance provides coverage for expenses due to an accident. The 14-Day Rule requires that anyone injured in an automobile accident receive medical care within 14 days of a car accident to be able to access any PIP benefits.
Florida Statute 627.736 states that if you do not go to a doctor within two weeks of your accident, you cannot access the $10,000.00 of PIP coverage you have, even though you are already paying for it. Have questions about which medical providers qualify under the statute? Call us at 561-361-8677.
If you are in a motor vehicle accident, go to a doctor even if you don’t believe you were injured or think that your injuries are minor. Seek care, especially since some injuries don’t show up for days, or even weeks, after an accident.
“Our law firm recently had a new client call us 15 days after an auto accident, which means that they lost their right to PIP benefits,” Matthew Kobren explains.
This is why we are sending a reminder: Failure to receive medical care within the first 14 days following a car crash may cause you to lose the right to compensation.
Our attorneys are available to meet with you over the phone, by video conference, in our Boca Raton office, or we can come to you if you’re in the hospital. We take care of all paperwork electronically and ensure you meet all threshold requirements, even if you never need to file a lawsuit.
Our personal injury law firm operates on a success-based fee arrangement, which means we’re owed nothing for counseling or representing you unless we earn you money. Contact us at 561-361-8677 to discuss your claim.
New Florida Law to Restrict Usage of Golf Carts
Score a hole-in-one for safety by following this guidance for golf cart driving that aims to keep everyone in the family in tip-top playing form. Golf requires both mental and physical skills. The same can be said for driving a golf cart, which can be turned into a deadly weapon.
Case in point, a 3-year-old driving a golf cart recently struck and killed a 7-year-old in Fort Myers, Florida, according to a news release from the Florida Highway Patrol. The 3-year-old was approaching a right curve near a home on private property when the front of the cart hit the 7-year-old who was standing in the front yard. The older child was critically injured in the collision and tragically pronounced dead. The 3-year-old did not require medical attention.
Concerns about minors driving golf carts prompted the passage of a new Florida law that will raise the age for golf cart driving and require a government-issued ID. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law House Bill 949, “prohibiting a person under 18 years of age from operating a golf cart on certain roadways unless he or she possesses a valid learner’s driver’s license or valid driver’s license.” This law officially bans young drivers from public streets.
While golf carts are a convenient means of traveling short distances, anyone under the age of 18 will soon need to have a permit or driver’s license to operate a golf cart. Golf cart drivers under 18 must be at least 15 with a learner’s permit or 16 with a driver’s license. Adults over the age of 18 are only required to have government-issued identification. Previously, Florida law allowed a 14-year-old to drive a golf cart. HB 949 goes into effect October 1. Drivers who do not obey the law could face a noncriminal traffic violation, like a moving violation.
Across the country, more than 6,500 children are hurt by golf carts every year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Juveniles are injured and killed at alarming rates from golf cart accidents, and present a greater risk than adults.
Are golf carts commonplace and a main mode of transportation in your neighborhood? It is important we raise awareness of the severity and types of injuries that golf carts pose especially to children and teenagers so that greater prevention measures can be instituted. Some view golf carts as relatively harmless, but they are not toys.
“There are plenty of legal street golf carts here in Delray and Boca. I personally have one that I am getting rid of for safety reasons and to eliminate the temptation for my kids to drive,” Matthew Kobren explains.
Poor braking, too many passengers, inattentive drivers, sharp curves, lack of maintenance, driver negligence, and uneven terrain can result in golf cart accidents that cause serious injury, or even death. Rudimentary safety features like seatbelts are often nonexistent in golf carts. Moreover, most adults and teens are not trained in golf cart safety.
Golf cart accidents can resemble motorcycle or bicycle accidents insofar as the occupants may be thrown from the vehicle due to their open nature. Golf carts are susceptible to the following types of dangerous accidents:
- Rollover crashes
- Passengers falling out of carts
- Carts running over pedestrians or cyclists
- Collision with other vehicles
- Carts sliding down embankments or into a body of water
Putt a par or better on your safety scorecard by taking steps to prevent injury and death when it comes to golf cart driving. As a personal injury law firm serving residents throughout Florida, we fight for your rights to compensation if you or a loved one is unfortunate to be involved in an accident. We work around the clock to ensure all your legal and medical needs are met.
Call 561-361-8677 if you have questions about golf carts or a personal injury accident case. We are always here to help and there’s no fee unless we recover money for you.
Results-Driven Approach to Personal Injury Law
First class communicators. Reliable and responsive. Settlements that exceed expectations. These are just a few of our core values and commitment to our clients and their families.
Clients often tell us that they selected our personal injury firm to represent them in an accident case because Glotzer & Kobren, P.A. are dedicated and determined to help. For every claim, no matter the size, we strive to provide the best service and result possible.
Through our deep knowledge and decades of experience, we have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation for our clients in the form of verdicts and settlements. Our seasoned team of professionals have over 60 years of combined legal experience handling complex legal matters throughout the Sunshine State. We always aim to get you the compensation you deserve, which may include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost earnings
- Future lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
In advocating for those wrongfully injured, we go above and beyond to champion your rights to full compensation. We will work hard to obtain highly favorable results in your case.
Recent Results establish how our law firm successfully represents clients in order to recover the compensation and care they deserve following an injury-causing accident.
For example, our law firm secured $268,000 on behalf of a client who needed knee surgery due to injuries sustained in a car accident.
Our personal injury attorneys just settled a case for $525,000 with regard to a client who required cervical disc replacement surgery. This was a big impact car accident and as a result of this settlement, our client is on the road to a full medical and financial recovery.
Another recent success story involved the resolution of an auto accident case in the amount of $550,000. The client needed two back surgeries and is now fully recovered.
These results are a point of pride and reflect our people-first approach. Our lawyers deliver value and will discuss upfront what’s fair and adequate to cover your losses. Providing quality legal representation and advice at every stage of the process is what sets us apart.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, leverage our skills, breadth, and depth of legal experience to receive full and fair compensation. It is imperative for those injured in accidents to have a lawyer who provides timely and thoughtful counsel to navigate the complexities of a medical and financial recovery.
Every personal injury case is unique. We will take the time to make sure you understand your options and advise you on your legal rights. We handle all types of personal injury matters, including auto accidents, slip and falls, and pedestrian accidents, to name a few. Call 561-361-8677 to receive a free case evaluation. There is never a fee unless we recover money for you.
How Will Florida’s Tort Reform Bill Impact Your Personal Injury Case?
Florida has enacted sweeping changes to its negligence liability system, which is why it’s more important than ever to hire a lawyer if you’ve been injured in an accident. The new negligence standard will encourage insurance companies to lowball offers or force into litigation cases where liability isn’t clear, such as auto accidents or slip/trip and fall accidents without witnesses.
House Bill 837 is a tort reform measure that will shift the landscape of civil litigation in Florida. Insurers will try to delay, deny or present low settlement offers on valid claims in order to quickly resolve a dispute.
As a personal injury law firm serving Florida residents, we will fight these roadblocks. Our goal is to curb the new law’s impact, which aims to reduce protections for individuals while strengthening protections for corporations.
We are passionate about ensuring your access to Florida’s civil justice system and safeguarding your rights to full compensation for any injuries and losses incurred in an accident.
Two main areas to be aware of regarding the tort reform bill (HB 837) signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis:
- Florida is replacing its pure comparative negligence system with a modified comparative negligence system.
- Florida is shortening the statute of limitations in negligence actions from four to two years.
Until March 24, 2023, Florida had primarily a pure comparative negligence liability system. Plaintiffs could recover in proportion to the defendants’ percentage of responsibility for injuries regardless of the plaintiff’s liability. For example, if a defendant was 30% responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries, the plaintiff could recover 30% of the damages associated with the injury against that defendant, even if the plaintiff was 70% liable.
Under the new modified comparative negligence system, a plaintiff can recover in proportion to the defendants’ percentage of responsibility only if the plaintiff’s own share of responsibility is 50% or less. If a plaintiff has more than 50% liability for the injuries claimed, the plaintiff cannot recover any damages from the defendant. Under HB 837, defendants would have to be at least 51% at fault before they or their insurance company could be forced to pay damages.
Additionally, the plaintiff’s time to file a lawsuit has been shortened. Pursuant to the new law, the plaintiff must file a negligence action in two years instead of four years. As such, claimants will only have two years from the time of the incident to file a suit. Reducing a statute of limitations for filing negligence lawsuits means plaintiffs should contact an attorney immediately after an accident. Why?
HB 837 will force an injured party to file a lawsuit before they finish healing from their injuries. For those whose losses are extensive and require more than just two years in order to completely understand the full scope of harm, this means plaintiffs and their counsel will prepare their cause of action and evaluate the validity of their claims at an earlier juncture.
Our goal is to ensure HB 837 does not block Florida residents from accessing justice and compensation if they are involved in an accident that causes injury. Every case requires a personalized strategy for success, so we strive to create a tailored plan that fits your individual situation.
“We want to ensure there’s no significant reduction in protections for accident victims, and we will make every effort to provide clients with the best possible advice and representation in this new era of tort reform,” Matthew Kobren, Esq. explains.
Our personal injury lawyers are available to answer any questions about how HB 837 could impact you if you are injured in an accident. Our dedicated team of trial attorneys and paralegals are committed to providing each client with undivided attention in order to secure an optimal result. Call us at 561-361-8677 for a free consultation.
Attorney Bruce Glotzer Announces Retirement
We are writing to let you know that after 40 years, Bruce Glotzer has retired from the practice of law, effective March 24, 2023. “I am looking forward to the next phase of my life that will allow me more time with my family, new granddaughter, and the opportunity to pursue my recreational interests,” said Mr. Glotzer.
We wish Mr. Glotzer all the best in his retirement, and would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you.” Please join us in wishing him happiness, health, and a long and fulfilling retirement.
Our firm will continue to provide the same exceptional client care as well as dedicated, personalized service you have come to expect from our attorneys, paralegals, and support staff. Rest assured we are your trusted, go-to resource for every type of accident case, including car accidents, truck accidents, slip-and-falls, and pedestrian accidents.
Our team is with you every step of the way. We take a results-oriented, individualized approach to every personal injury case. We always strive to do what is best for the clients we serve. Our firm excels in quality representation while seeking justice and maximizing compensation for injury victims and their families.
We proudly serve clients in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties as well as anyone injured anywhere in the state of Florida, which includes Florida residents and out-of-state residents here on business or vacation. Our law firm also represents Florida residents injured anywhere in the U.S.
We guide you and your loved ones through any challenges and advocate for your needs as well as recovery. We have the bandwidth to handle any size accident case in the Sunshine State.
If Bruce Glotzer is currently representing you in a matter, his clients will be carefully transitioned to Matthew Kobren, Esq. If you have any questions, please contact us at 561-361-8677 or email glotzerandkobrenpa@gmail.com. There’s NO FEE unless WE WIN money for you.
Our commitment to our clients and the community remains unwavering. We continue the important work of successfully resolving personal injury cases on behalf of those injured in accidents.
If You’re Rear-Ended on Florida Roads, Our Car Accident Attorneys Can Help
Never underestimate how serious a fender bender can be. One of the most common types of car accidents is a rear-end collision. Rear-end crashes account for about one-third of all car accidents. How do these types of crashes happen with such regularity?
Often the accident victim is sitting in their car and the car is stopped waiting for a light, a stop sign or traffic while the negligent driver fails to recognize the stopped vehicle and slams into the back of it. Rear-end collisions may also be a result of distracted driving. In some cases, the leading or stopped vehicle may be pushed into another vehicle, causing a chain-reaction car accident event.
Whiplash, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), back/spinal injuries, herniated disks, and broken bones are common types of injuries caused by rear-end crashes. The best way to maximize your car accident settlement and ensure that your medical needs are covered is to consult with a vehicle accident attorney.
Glotzer & Kobren, P.A. represents injured clients in all types of vehicle accidents, including rear-end accidents, head-on collisions, side impact crashes, and car or SUV rollovers. If you are contacted by the insurance company of the person who injured you, don’t make any statements and don’t sign anything until you talk to our personal injury lawyers. If you or someone you love has suffered injuries because of a back-end car crash in South Florida, Glotzer & Kobren can hold the liable party responsible for your losses.
Our rear-end collision lawyers will pursue full compensation on your behalf. We have the experience, skills, and resources necessary to help victims recover a wide variety of damages including:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Future medical bills or rehabilitation and physical therapy costs
- Future lost wages
- Property damage
Our attorneys will gather evidence, calculate the value and damages of your case, negotiate on your behalf, and if we cannot reach a fair settlement based on the total value of your case, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Glotzer & Kobren attorneys have almost 65 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of accident victims and their families. We will work to resolve your case with the best possible result and in a swift manner. We offer consultations at no cost and there’s NO FEE unless WE WIN money for you.
Contact our rear-end collision lawyers at 561-361-8677. We provide counsel and representation within the tri-county area of South Florida, including Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
