Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne advice: what to do if your car breaks down this holiday weekend, or any other time

This coming weekend marks the 2^nd of the three major holiday weekends of our summer season here in the United States – Independence Day. In fact, according to a recent survey by the travel organization AAA, over 44 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend, a record number for any holiday since the great recession almost a decade ago. Around 2 million of those travelers are expected to be Floridians, almost 5% of our nation’s total.

 

Therefore, with a number of our Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and Treasure Coast family and friends traveling this weekend (including a number of us here from the Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. law offices) we believe it is the perfect time to offer all of you some important rules for what to do if your car breaks down while you are traveling:

• As soon as you sense there is a problem, turn on your hazard lights
• If your car is still moving, try to steer to the right and pull over to the right shoulder as quickly but also safely as possible. If you are unable to get over to the right but there is an area available to stop your vehicle out of moving traffic in the median area, move your vehicle to that area.
• Wherever your vehicle comes to a complete stop, fully activate your emergency brake. You want to make sure that your vehicle will not start rolling in either direction, which can happen on even a normal, almost imperceptible slope to your naked eye.
• Call for help – if you do not know the local number for roadside assistance or for the local police, call 911.
• Stay in your vehicle until traffic clears. For example, if the worst happens and your vehicle stalls on the highway in traffic, do not leave your vehicle until help arrives, no matter how long it takes.
• Once you are able to exit your vehicle safely (if you are) pop your hood and leave it open to signal other drivers that your vehicle is broken down.
• DO NOT try to make any repairs or checking under your car if you are on the side of busy roadway or still in the line of traffic. People have been seriously injured and even killed in such situations.
• If you can, put out some type of flares or other safety devices that behind your vehicle that signal you are in distress and can not move. Put one about 10 feet behind the vehicle, and another about 200 feet behind.
• Once you have done these things, walk as far away from oncoming traffic as possible to wait for help to come.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne we strongly believe in sharing any information that can help prevent tragedy from happening – like these tips for what you should do if your car breaks down this Independence Day holiday weekend. We know that automobile accidents and other issues you’re your car happen. To learn more about all areas of personal injury law we practice, please go to: http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/. You can also contact us directly by phone at (561) 686-3400. We offer a free initial consultation, and there are no fees unless we collect for you on your case.

 

Our main offices are in Jupiter, Florida, and we have handled cases throughout south Florida and the Treasure Coast. We have been devoted to protecting south Florida families for over 40 years!

 

Whether you are in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached.

 

The following video article was used to help create the list in this blog: https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/auto-and-vehicles/what-to-do-if-your-car-breaks-down?cmpid=enews-mar17

 

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne: what our membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum® means to you

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we realize that most of our neighbors here in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast of Florida go through life hoping they never need the services of a personal injury law firm like ours. Honestly, we wish that for all of you as well.

 

The fact is; the average automobile driver will be in between 3 and 4 accidents during your life, according to recent car insurance industry estimates as stated in this Forbes magazine article. http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneybuilder/2011/07/27/how-many-times-will-you-crash-your-car/#1e1ddcb050f9. A sobering statistic for all American drivers, to be sure.

 

Although not all of those automobile accidents require the use of a personal injury attorney, some of them obviously do. So how do you find the best law firm to represent you in your case when you need one?

 

One way is to find attorneys who have distinguished their ability to be successful enough for their clients to belong to a group that less than 1% of all personal injury law firms across the United States are a part of. In the case of personal injury attorneys, that select group is called the “Million Dollar Advocates Forum®”.

The Million Dollar Advocates Forum limits its membership to only those personal injury lawyers who have demonstrated “their ability to accomplish superior results in complex cases.”

As stated on the forum’s website: “Established in 1993, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum (which includes the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum) is one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States.  Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. There are over 4000 members throughout the country.  Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members.

The quality of our membership is very impressive and includes many of the top trial lawyers in the country. Many of our members have achieved numerous million and multi-million dollar results (several members have won billion dollar cases). Their practice areas include most areas of litigation, including: major personal injury, products liability, malpractice, construction, environmental, employment, insurance and business litigation. The common fact is that they have each demonstrated, in an objective and tangible way, their ability to accomplish superior results in complex cases. Certification by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum provides recognition of such accomplishment and a national network of experienced colleagues for information exchange, assistance and professional referral.

Since 1993 membership has been based upon strict objective qualifications.”

 

To learn more about this exclusive group of the Top Trial Lawyers in America®, go to:  http://www.milliondollaradvocates.com/

 

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. is a proud member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. We practice in Jupiter, Palm Beach County, the Treasure Coast and throughout the great state of Florida. We have been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years, and getting you the results that you deserve.

 

Contact our Palm Beach law firm at any time with questions about your legal issue. Provide as much information as possible regarding your inquiry. While this contact does not serve to establish an attorney/client relationship, it will allow our legal team to begin an assessment of your case even before you come in for your initial consultation.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we understand that an accident, serious injury and wrongful death can occur without warning. Whatever happened, we also know that it is tragic for all of the loved ones left behind. We help our clients obtain payment to cover funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how to go about hiring the right attorneys for you in a situation where someone you love has been injured or died in an accident or some other situation caused by negligence, then go to http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/. We specialize in Auto Accident & Serious Injury, Motorcycle Accidents, Boating Accidents, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

 

Our main office is located in Jupiter, Florida at 1015 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 101A. Contact us directly at (561) 686-3400, or via email at info@sswlawfl.com.

Easy-to-follow guide for safe and stress-free holiday light hanging from Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A.

Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror and we are now officially in the middle of the holiday season. Across Jupiter just like the rest of Florida and the United States people of all ages are decorating their houses with trees, candles, ornaments and of course, lights. Stringing up the lights around your home can be one of the most entertaining activities of your holiday prep work. Particularly here in Florida, where we can sit outside all night and enjoy the light show without freezing half to death.

Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most dangerous.

In order to help you string up your lights as stress-free and safe as possible, here is a step-by-step guide for hanging your holiday lights by Yourself (or with a helper). Make special note that THE FIRST 5 STEPS happen BEFORE you begin the actual work of stringing!

1. Preparation: Make sure you have assembled the proper tools and materials. Whether you are putting up lights only, or adding in all kinds of extra decorations, having the proper tools to do the job is important. Unfurl the lights and check them to ensure each and every bulb is working. Have extension cords, your hanging tools (clips, adhesive hooks and light-hanging pole) and ladder (if needed) laid out for easy access. We also recommend that you have some sort of timer so that you do not have to worry about turning the lights on and then off yourself every day and night.
2. Figure out the best lights for your job: better to do this before you start. There are many different types of holiday lighting out there, and it is a good idea if you evaluate the different types and pick the best ones for your home before you start stringing.
3. Measure: Always measure the areas where you are putting up your lights. You will find it virtually impossible to know how many strands of lights you will need to adequately complete the job without measuring your surface area first.
4. Evaluate the surfaces you will be securing the lights to: When you think about it, rarely will you be securing the lights to just one surface. There are the roof tiles, gutters, siding/shingles, porches, poles, doors, windows and other surfaces. All of them can have different types of clips. Be forearmed with this knowledge when you are going to purchase the lights so the expert in the hardware store can tell you exactly which type of clip is best for which surface.
5. Power: How will the lights be connected to your power source, and how much power will they need: This one seems simple enough, but can turn what looks like a straight-forward job into a complicated mess. You want to calculate the power usage because you want to prevent overloading your circuits or blowing a fuse. Just ask Clark Griswold what can happen when you “wing it”.
6. Stringing: If you have correctly and patiently gone through the first 5 steps, this step should be relatively straight-forward. Of course if you are having to go up high enough that there will be ladders involved, then you should have a spotter if at all possible. Even the most secure ladder can slip or tip over. And chances are you will get injured, maybe quite seriously, if you fall. It is not worth not asking for help.
7. Turn on the lights and Enjoy (hopefully)! Now comes the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. If there are any lights not working, re-checking them to make sure they are screwed in correctly. If they are and still not working, then replace them. Put the lights on the timer, and now you get to enjoy your beautiful display every night during the holiday season!

 

The following article was used to help prepare this blog: http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/pages/Hanging-Christmas-Lights.htm

Holiday safety is important to us here at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We hope that all of our friends and neighbors here in south Florida are able to enjoy a Happy, Healthy & Safe Holiday Season.

If you need more information for yourself or a loved one regarding a potential personal injury case at any time during the year please contact us at http://www.sswlawfl.com. At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne we offer a free initial consultation, and our phone number is (561) 686-3400.

Our main office is in Jupiter and we serve Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida. We specialize in cases involving Defective Products including toys, Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Slip and Fall, and many other types of situations where injury or death has occurred.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A.: what you should expect from a “free initial consultation” with a personal injury attorney

Most personal injury attorney firms offer a free initial consultation to potential clients. Although some people view this as nothing more than a law firm’s way of getting you in the door so they can pressure you into becoming their client, the free initial consultation is a valuable tool for both the lawyers and you.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A., for example, we view our free initial consultation with you as an invaluable tool for both us and you. An initial consultation allows a law firm like ours to learn more about you and the facts surrounding your case. This meeting also allows you to learn more about us and the process of pursuing a personal injury claim.

 

What should you expect at an initial consultation meeting with us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne:

 

To get the most out of the initial consultation you should prepare for it. Included in your preparation should be:

• All the questions you can think of that pertain to your case
  • Questions about our experience in handling cases like yours
  • Our fee arrangement
• Items that can help us learn more about your potential case
  • Medical records, police reports, any legal documents from other parties involved, insurance information, receipts for expenses you have incurred because of your accident, any proof of lost wages you may have suffered

 

Our initial meeting will typically take from 30 minutes to an hour – but please allocate for more time if needed because we believe in thoroughly vetting your situation. We believe that learning as much as we can about you and your case is very important, so expect that we will be asking you a number of questions about your case and about you.

 

Our law office of Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. practices in Jupiter, Florida, Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, and has been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years.

 

Contact our Palm Beach law firm at any time with questions about your legal issue. Provide a much information as possible regarding your inquiry. While this contact does not serve to establish an attorney/client relationship, it will allow our legal team to begin an assessment of your case even before you come in for your initial consultation.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we understand that an accident, serious injury and wrongful death can occur without warning. Whatever happened, we also know that it is tragic for all of the loved ones left behind. We help our clients obtain payment to cover funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how to go about hiring the right attorneys for you in a situation where someone you love has been injured or died in an accident or some other situation caused by negligence, then go to http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/. We specialize in Auto Accident & Serious Injury, Motorcycle Accidents, Boating Accidents, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

 

Our main office is located in south Florida in Jupiter at 1015 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 101A. You can contact us directly at (561) 686-3400, or via email at info@sswlawfl.com.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – the utter disaster that a defective can be for a company

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 issues with phone, battery problems on smart phone

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne we believe that one of our most important duties as an active member of the Jupiter, Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast communities here in Florida is to provide pertinent information and guidance to our fellow citizens on a variety of legal topics. One of those topics that has taken center stage in the media once again is a defective product from an easily-recognizable international company: Samsung.

Of course we are referring to their recently-released Galaxy Note 7. The problem with these smartphones is that their catching on fire, or exploding due to an apparent faulty battery pack. The issue so serious that Samsung has done everything it could to get in front of this issue – offering free exchanges to everyone who brings in their Galaxy Note 7, no questions asked.

In addition, according to a multitude of reports from a variety of news outlets including our own Channel 12, Samsung has also recalled all of the phones it has shipped to the U.S. that have not yet been sold – bringing the total of recalled phones to as high as a staggering 2.5 million units, so far.

To view the entire video piece, go here: http://cbs12.com/news/local/samsung-recalls-galaxy-note-7-replacement-phones-available

Further complicating an already horrible situation for Samsung, the replacement phones the company promised to those who already purchased the phone have not arrived here in the U.S. yet, and Samsung has yet to release a revised time table. In addition, several people who allege their phones have already caught fire and have suffered injury as a result are suing the company. One such story of a man who says his phone exploded while he was in a Costco store in Palm Beach Gardens on September 9^th has been well publicized, including an article in the national news magazine Fortune.

http://fortune.com/2016/09/16/man-sues-samsung-galaxy-note-7/

 

People do get hurt every day while using cell phones, appliances, equipment and even toys that assist us in living our lives on a daily basis. Sometimes these injuries are 100% due to user error, or alterations made to the products leading to accidents because of improper usage. Sometimes, as in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the defective product itself is partially or fully to blame for you or your loved one getting injured.

Instead of trying to figure out how to get some type of settlement out of the manufacturer or their high-powered, expensive lawyers who are paid to keep as much money from you as possible, come to Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We are a law firm who has well over four decades of experience helping our clients receive the maximum amount of compensation they deserve for injuries, medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering due to defective products.

 

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, P.A., we know that any product may cause injury or death, including a smartphone. Even if the defect is not due to any negligence on the part of the manufacturer, the manufacturer can be held responsible for any damage caused by the defective product. The retailer may also be viewed are partially responsible for having sold the defective product. A claim can even be brought against the person or company that was involved in distributing the defective product.

If you want to learn more about how to go about hiring the right attorneys for you if you have a potential defective product case, then go to http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/defective-products/. We also specialize in Accident & Serious Injury, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other location throughout the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will yield you maximum results, while also working with you throughout your particular situation until it is resolved. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne.

Our main office is located in south Florida in Jupiter at 1015 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 101A. You can contact us directly at (561) 686-3400, or via email at info@sswlawfl.com. Contact us today for a FREE initial consultation.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. definitions: implications of the legal definition of a “Wrongful death”

Most people have a general idea of what the term “wrongful death” means. In layman’s terms, for someone to die a wrongful death a person’s death is unnaturally caused by another person’s negligence or during the act of another crime.

The following excerpt comes right from law.com:

Wrongful Death –

“the death of a human being as the result of a wrongful act of another person. Such wrongful acts include: negligence (like careless driving), an intentional attack such as assault and/or battery, a death in the course of another crime, vehicular manslaughter, manslaughter or murder. Wrongful death is the basis for a lawsuit (wrongful death action) against the party or parties who caused the death filed on behalf of the members of the family who have lost the company and support of the deceased. Thus, a child might be entitled to compensation for the personal loss of a father as well as the amount of financial support the child would have received from the now-dead parent while a minor, a wife would recover damages for loss of her husband’s love and companionship and a lifetime of expected support, while a parent would be limited to damages for loss of companionship but not support. A lawsuit for wrongful death may be filed by the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased or by the individual beneficiaries (family members).”

To read the entire definition go to: http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=2268

The definition is straight-forward and relatively easy to understand. There are important explanations described in this definition, however that have direct implications for those who are left behind in the wake of a wrongful death.

1. A child may be entitled to compensation for both the personal loss of a parent AND for the financial support he or she would have received while a minor (usually the age of 18, but can be deemed longer).
2. A wife may be entitled to additional compensation for the loss of her husband’s love, companionship AND expected financial support.
3. A parent is limited to damages for loss of companionship, but NOT for any financial support (accept in special cases where the child has already been established as the financial provider for the parents – and even this type of case has contingencies).
4. A lawsuit for wrongful death maybe filed by a variety of entities involved:
   1. The individual beneficiaries
   2. The executor of the deceased’s estate
   3. The administrator of the deceased’s estate

If you have lost a loved one that was caused due to the negligence of another, we understand that it can be complicated trying to figure out your legal rights. Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. can help. We can help you file a wrongful death claim against the responsible parties. And we work with you until your case is resolved.

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we understand that a Wrongful Death can occur without warning. Whatever happened, we also know that it is tragic for all of the loved ones left behind. We help our clients obtain payment to cover funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how to go about hiring the right attorneys for you in a situation where someone you love has wrongfully died, then go to http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/wrongful-death/. We also specialize in Accident & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Stuart, Palm Beach Gardens or any other place in Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, where we have been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years.

Our main office is located in south Florida in Jupiter at 1015 W. Indiantown Road, Suite 101A. You can contact us directly at (561) 686-3400, or via email at info@sswlawfl.com.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne supports NHTSA enhancements to website and social media to help car owners across Florida and the entire U.S.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has made protecting automobile drivers and owners their top priority. A significant part of that effort has including updating and enhancing its website and social media to make it more user-friendly.

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we strongly support when our government creates laws and tools that assist you, the public, over the special interests of special interest groups like the car manufacturers. In 2013 the federal government recodified the original National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act from 1966 giving the NHTSA the authority to ”issue vehicle safety standards and to require manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or do not meet Federal safety standards.”

In just the last 3 years, “more than 390 million cars, trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds, as well as 46 million tires, 66 million pieces of motor vehicle equipment, and 42 million child safety seats have been recalled to correct safety defects,” according to the NHTSA’s most recent study published on their new “safecar.gov” website. You can find the study here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/recallprocess.cfm

In addition, the NHTSA’s enhanced website and social media offer consumers several ways to get information on all recalls delivered to them. Here are three easy ways the agency offers on its website:

Get Recalls Information Delivered to You

1. Free SaferCar Mobile App for Android and Apple devices

Register your vehicles to be notified by NHTSA if a safety issue is discovered. The app also makes it simple to submit complaints to NHTSA regarding possible safety problems with your vehicles. Download Android version from google Play store | Download Apple version from the iTunes store

1. Recalls Info on Facebook and Twitter

Follow NHTSA on Facebook and Twitter to find out about the latest recalls announced by vehicle manufacturers and child car seat makers.

1. Sign Up to Receive E-Mail Alerts on Recalls

You can sign up to get notifications for up to 5 vehicles, as well as child car seats and tires.

To get started, just go to http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety# and follow the clear instructions.

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne we feel it is always good when our governments offer easy-to-use solutions for important issue such as automobile safety and recalls of defective vehicles and their parts. If a defective part on your automobile, motorcycle, boat, RV or any other vehicle may have caused you or a loved one to be injured or killed, then you may need to seek legal representation to find out your rights and if you deserve financial compensation.

Our Board Certified lawyers from Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, P.A. are the right lawyers to help you understand the defective product laws, both state of Florida and federal, which may affect your case. To learn more about how we can help you in a defective product case, please go to http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/defective-products/.  We also specialize in Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

For more information on our firm go to http://www.sswlawfl.com or call us at (561) 686-3400. The office of Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne practices law in Jupiter, Florida and Palm Beach County, and has been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years. We also offer a free consultation to you for your potential case.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. school driving safety tips, part 2 – dropping off children at school

At Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. we believe that if we help one person avoid a potentially dangerous situation that leads to an injury or their death. That is why we dedicate many of our blog posts and articles to sharing information that helps you and your loved ones to be safe and hopefully stay healthy. In the next several blog posts we offer “back to school driving safety tips”. Important tips to help you share the road safely with other cars, pedestrians, school buses and bicyclists.

In this post we offer tips on do’s and don’ts of what to do if you are dropping off children at school here in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach or anywhere else in a community where schools and/or children reside.

When you are dropping off children at school:

• Carpool wherever possible
  • Carpooling reduces congestion and helps reduce pollution.
• Do not drop your children off across the street from the school
  • Yes, it takes a few extra minutes to get in line and drop off in front of the school. It also saves your children from crossing a very busy, potentially dangerous street.
• Do not double park
  • This raises congestion and causes potentially dangerous blind spots. It also raises everyone’s frustration level, just like the next point.
• Do not cut the line
  • Every car in front of you is waiting to pick up their child just like you. The more respectful everyone is, the quicker each person moves through, picks up their child/children, and completes the process.
• Try to stay off your mobile devices, if possible.
  • Particularly if you are moving. Children can be unpredictable, and one can come jumping out from the sidewalk or from behind a vehicle in a split second without notice. If you are distracted, if even for a moment, it can change that other person’s life, forever. And, your own.

We acknowledge using and sharing this important information with you from the National Safety Council. To read their entire article dedicated to back to school safety, please go to: http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/back-to-school-safety-tips-for-drivers.aspx

Unfortunately, we all know that automobile accidents in school zones and everywhere else where vehicles travel happen every day. If you or a person you care about gets injured or killed in an automobile accident or any other situation, contact us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. Or, if you have a question about any type of personal injury situation that you have not yet had answered, please call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation: our phone number is (561) 686-3400 and our email address is info@sswlawfl.com.

Accidents involving children happen. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an accident, then go to this page on our website: http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/accidents-serious-injury/. We also specialize in Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Slip and Fall, Defective Products, Motorcycle accidents, Boating accidents and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, where we have been devoted to protecting south Florida families for over 40 years.

Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne safety tips: driving during school days in Florida

The middle of August here in Florida means several things: the summer season weather-wise (hot and humid) is about half over, but more importantly, schools are back in full swing. Even if you do not have any children that are school-age, you know school is back in session with the significant pick up in traffic and congestion on the roadways as you try to make your way to and from work. That also means you must be significantly more careful where ever you are driving at this time of year.

Therefore, we will do a 2-part blog on driver safety during school days. This first part is a refresher of general driving safety tips for all drivers at this time of year to help keep kids, other drivers and yourself accident and injury-free during school days. In the second part we will share with you some safety tips for parents and others driving kids to and from school:

• Plan to leave your home a few minutes earlier than you did during the summer to get to your destination.
  • Between school buses, kids walking and on bikes, and parents trying to drop off or pick up their kids, traffic congestion is significantly more than it was just two weeks ago. Adjust for that so you keep yourself from getting frustrated, angry and impatient behind the wheel.
• Slow down and pay attention to the road AND the surrounding sidewalks
  • Even the safest of drivers can not predict a child darting out into the middle of the road apparently out of nowhere. The slower you are driving, the more time you will have to react when unexpected, potentially dangerous actions by others, particularly kids, happen.
• Do NOT pass a bus that has its “Stop Sign” and blinkers on. Ever.
  • Of course we all have had that morning we are running late, and then we get stuck behind a school bus stopped to pick up kids… and it is taking forever. There is no one on the other side of the road, and it looks so tempting to go around the bus and continue on your way. Don’t do it. The leading cause of death among kids and teenagers is accidents/unintentional death, according to https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001915.htm

 

If you or a person you care about gets injured or killed in an automobile accident caused by negligent driving or you simply have a question about a potential personal injury situation that you have not yet had answered, please call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation: our phone number is (561) 686-3400 and our email address is info@sswlawfl.com.

At Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, we know that automobile accidents involving children happen. We help our clients obtain payment to cover hospital and other medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more, if the situation warrants it. If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an accident, then go to this page on our website: http://sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/accidents-serious-injury/. We also specialize in Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Slip and Fall, Defective Products, Motorcycle accidents, Boating accidents and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.

Whether you are in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Stuart, West Palm Beach or any other city in the state of Florida, you need to find and hire a law firm that has the level of knowledge and experience that will get you the financial results you deserve, while also working with you throughout your case until some type of resolution has been reached. With over four decades of experience, that firm is Slinkman, Slinkman, & Wynne, where we have been devoted to protecting south Florida families for over 40 years.

Should you bring a lawsuit against the creators of “Pokemon GO” if you get hurt playing? You probably will lose – here’s why

Terms of Service Conditions Rule Policy Regulation Concept

There seems to be a new story almost daily of someone getting in a car accident or injured in some way while playing the new game Pokemon GO on their phone. The game causes people to get distracted, resulting in falls, car accidents (yes, people are playing while driving) and even muggings. But what if you are hurt while playing Pokemon GO? Can you sue the creator of the app and get a financial settlement for helping to cause your injuries?

The answer is: most likely No. Why? The answer lies within the terms of agreement that you agreed to right before you start the process of actually downloading the game app to your cellphone. Included in that rather lengthy document are terms that specifically protects the app’s creator from you suing them.

Here are the sections of the Pokemon GO “Terms of Service” that relate specifically to what you are agreeing to that limit the company’s liability in case you are injured playing the app.

1. Safe Play
   1. You play the game at your own risk. If you get hurt or hurt someone while playing, the company is not liable. An dispute you have with any other player does not involve the company, either.
2. Conduct, General Prohibitions and Niantic’s Enforcement Rights
   1. A lengthy section that describes in detail the many things you can do to break the service terms and be banned by the company.
3. Links to Third Party Websites or Resources
   1. You assume responsibility and risk from using any third party websites or resources while playing the game.
4. Termination
   1. Niantic can terminate your access to the service at any time, without notice or warning to you.
5. Disclaimer of Warranties
   1. There is no warranty of any kind.
6. Indemnity
   1. You hold Niantic and everyone else connected to the game harmless for anything that may happen to you while playing the game.
7. Limitation of Liability
   1. It is not Niantic’s fault if you lose data or money as a result of playing. At most, the company limits liability up to but not exceeding $1,000.
8. Dispute Resolution
   1. If you have issue with any of these terms you agree to an independent arbitrator to settle any dispute. You agree not to join in a class action lawsuit and you also agree to go to waive your right to have a trial by jury.

According to consumerist.com, you can opt out of the “Terms of Service” agreement by sending a message directly to Niantic within 30 days of downloading the game. Instructions on how to do so are contained within the following article: https://consumerist.com/2016/07/14/pokemon-go-strips-users-of-their-legal-rights-heres-how-to-opt-out/

But be aware of the fact that Niantic can (and probably will) terminate you from playing the game. This is a fascinating topic that brings up an important facet of the law here in Florida, and the United States. Understanding what rights you could be signing away when you agree to a “Terms of Service” contract.

If you are injured due to the negligence of another person in Florida, you may have a right to bring a claim for various damages and injuries incurred. Call us at Slinkman, Slinkman & Wynne, P.A. We offer a free initial consultation, and our phone number is (561) 686-3400. Our main office is located in Jupiter, Florida. We have been devoted to protecting South Florida families for over 40 years.

If you want to learn more about how we can help you in a situation where someone you love has been in an accident or some other mishap caused by someone playing Pokemon GO or distracted in some other way while driving, then go to this page on our website: http://www.sswlawfl.com/areas-of-practice/wrongful-death/. We also specialize in Slip and Fall accidents, Wrongful Death & Serious Injury, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, and many other types of legal situations where injury or death has occurred.