STEVEN H. MEYER, P.A.

Until this year, cruise lines were not responsible if a doctor or nurse on board a ship negligently treated a passenger.  The passenger could sue the doctor or nurse, who were usually residents of a foreign country.  This would make it very difficult to pursue a case. 

Recently, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta recognized the right a cruise ship passenger to sue the cruise line directly for the negligence of doctors and nurses on board the ship.  

This case involved an elderly passenger who had taken a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to Bermuda.  While he was on the island, the passenger fell and struck his head.  He was transported back to the ship and immediately went to the ship's medical center.  He was first seen by a nurse, who did a short examination.  She did not order any scans to diagnose his head injury.  The doctor on the ship did not see the passenger for 4 hours.  Then there was an additional delay when they would not treat the passenger until they had confirmed his credit card information.  

It turned out that the passenger had a severe, life threatening brain injury.  He was transported back to his home and admitted to the intensive care unit of a local hospital.  Unfortunately, he died within a few days.  The delay in treatment on board the ship was a substantial factor in causing his death. 

The family members sued Royal Caribbean, claiming that the cruise line should be held responsible for the negligence of its medical staff.  Because of the requirement in the passenger ticket, the case had to be filed in Miami, Florida.  The judge dismissed the case, saying that the cruise line was not responsible for the negligence of its medical staff.  The federal appeals court, in Atlanta, reversed that decision, saying that the passenger's family had a right to sue Royal Caribbean directly.   The appeals court noted that modern cruise ships have extensive medical centers and Royal Caribbean had even advertised that its ships have state of the art medical facilities, which creates confidence in the public that if they have a medical problem while on board the ship, it can be properly treated.  

This is an important decision that significantly expands passengers' rights and encourages cruise lines to ensure that their medical staff are properly trained and equipped.  Overall, this decision will help keep passengers safe on board cruise ships.  

If you have been injured on board a cruise ship, such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Norwegian or Disney, you have only a short period of time in which to pursue a case.  Most lawyers do not handle cases against cruise lines.  Our office has handled many such cases, and we offer a free initial consultation.  We would be happy to discuss your cruise ship injury case with you.  Please feel free to give us a call.

Each auto insurance policy issued in Florida offers several different types of coverage.  Some pay to repair the damage to your car.  Some pay to fix the damage that you cause to another person's car.  Some pays your medical bills or lost wages.

What is the only coverage that protects you and your family if another driver injures you?  It is called uninsured motorist coverage (abbreviated UM).  If another driver  is negligent, he may have coverage for something called "bodily injury."  That is the type of insurance coverage that pays you money for your injuries that the other driver caused.  However, bodily injury coverage is optional in Florida, and many drivers do not carry it.

If you are injured by a driver who does not have bodily injury coverage on his insurance, then you have to make a claim against your own auto insurance policy.  Specifically, you have to make a claim against the uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto insurance policy.  The other driver, who caused your injuries, is "uninsured" to the extent that he has no coverage on his insurance policy that will pay you anything for your injuries.

Unfortunately, this is all too common in Florida.  There are a lot of bad drivers who have very little (or no) auto insurance coverage.  If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto insurance policy, what can you do?  Possibly nothing.  You may not be able to recover anything, even if you are badly injured.

Even if the other driver has some bodily injury coverage, he may have only a minimal amount.  What happens if the other driver only has $10,000 insurance coverage, but you or your family member have bad injuries from the crash?  Again, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto insurance policy is the only thing that will protect you.

That is why it is so important to include uninsured motorist coverage on your auto insurance policy.  It is the most important coverage to have on your auto insurance policy, because it protects you and your family members if you are injured by another driver.  Yet, many insurance agents do not explain the importance of uninsured motorist coverage.  

If you were injured in a crash when you were a passenger in someone else's car, you also may have an uninsured motorist claim, either against your own auto insurance policy or against the policy held by the driver of the car in which you were a passenger.

If you have been injured in an auto accident in Florida, you need to consult with an experienced auto accident injury attorney.  Steven Meyer is board certified as an expert in civil trial law.  This area of the law includes auto accidents.  Only a small percentage of lawyers in Florida are board certified, and only board certified attorneys may call themselves "experts" or "specialists." 

Our office offers a free consultation.  If you have been injured in an auto accident anywhere in Florida, please give us a call.

Our office regularly handles lawsuits and claims on behalf of cruise ship passengers who were injured on a ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). 

Many people suffer injuries on cruise ships.  Some are caused by the negligence of the crew or the design of the ship.  Many people fall when getting on or off cruise ships, or going up or down stairs.  Others are injured in their stateroom, on the deck of the ship or in the pool on board the ship.  Some people become ill on board a cruise, either from the food or an outbreak of a preventable illness.

Norwegian Cruise Line operates these cruise ships:

Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Gem

Norwegian Getaway

Norwegian Jade

Norwegian Jewel

Norwegian Pearl

Norwegian Pride of America

Norwegian Sky

Norwegian Spirit

Norwegian Star

Norwegian Sun

If you were injured aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, you must file a lawsuit against the cruise line within one year of the date on which you were injured.  The lawsuit must be filed in the United States District Court in Miami, Florida.  There are other required actions before you can file a lawsuit.

You should consult with an experienced cruise ship injury lawyer right away, or you may lose your right to pursue a claim in court.  Suing cruise lines is a unique area of the law.  Our office has the experience to represent you in your case.  Steven Meyer is an experienced cruise ship injury lawyer and The Florida Bar has designated him as an expert in civil trial law. Only lawyers who are board certified are permitted to call themselves experts or specialists in that field.

We offer a free consultation.  There is no obligation.  Please call us today if you have been injured on board a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ship.  There is no time to waste.

The United States District Courthouse in Miami

Our office has handled many cases against hotels, resorts and theme parks.   Here are our comments on the newspaper's conclusions: 

The reason many injured people wait before filing a case in court is that they are from out of the area, and they just want to recover a reasonable amount, such as their medical bills.  It is only when the hotel, resort or theme park turns them down that they consult with an attorney.

If the hotel, resort or theme park thinks that there is a possibility that it will lose the case at trial, it will settle the case.  That's why almost all cases are settled before a trial.

If you have been injured at a Florida hotel, resort or theme park (such as Disney, Universal or Busch), you should consult with an experienced attorney right away.  Our office has handled many of these claims, both in the Orlando area and all over Florida.  Steven Meyer is board certified by The Florida Bar as an expert in civil trial law.  This area of the law includes injury claims.  Only about one percent of the lawyers in Florida are board certified experts in this area of the law.   We offer a free consultation. 

An article on the Harvard Law School blog points out that outbreaks of measles have returned to the United Sates.  A mini-epidemic is raging in Brooklyn.  The reason for the reappearance of the disease is that parents are no vaccinating their children.  The author suggests, "maybe it is time to get tough on those whose choices put others at risk."

For decades, there has been a safe, effective vaccine that works exceedingly well against the measles–95% full protection for a kid who has been vaccinated– and nearly equally well at preventing transmission to others.  The more people have been vaccinated the tougher it is for measles to gain a foothold.

NY City health officials have reported 30 cases so far–26 in Borough Park and four more in Williamsburg.  The NY Daily News reports that the consequences of this outbreak have been dire:

“There have been two hospitalizations, a miscarriage and a case of pneumonia as a result of this outbreak,” a Health Department spokeswoman said. “All cases involved adults or children who were not vaccinated due to refusal or delays in vaccination.”

So far the outbreak has been among religious Jews some of whom shun getting the vaccine for their kids out of fear it causes autism. 

Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn are not the only ones making poor, dangerous and sometimes fatal choices by avoiding vaccination.  Twenty people were sickened a few weeks ago in North Carolina when an unvaccinated person came back from India, attended two youth baseball games, and later, developed symptoms of measles having exposed many people.  An infant in Battle Creek, Michigan, whose parents traveled out of the country without vaccinating their child against measles likely exposed others to measles at a pediatric office and subsequently at the emergency room where their measles-infected child was taken.  And Britain is battling an enormous outbreak of measles directly attributable to non-vaccination

Pockets of measles spring up in places where parents choose for one reason or another not to vaccinate and then take an infected child on a bus, to an airport, to daycare, an amusement park, a church or other public places.

For many years public health officials have tried to debunk false fears about vaccine safety.  Public officials have tried to make vaccination a condition of entering school.  But choosing not to vaccinate is still permitted.  Some parents home school to duck the vaccination requirement.  And some parents just won’t believe that the vaccines are safe no matter how many studies prove otherwise.

The Harvard Law School blog author opines that parents have a right to decide not to vaccinate their children, but society has been too lenient in putting up with the consequences of that poor choice.  If your kid gets the measles, and remember public health officials are getting very very good at tracing outbreaks to their source, and makes my kid sick (can happen since vaccine is not 100% effective), my newborn baby die (newborns can’t benefit from vaccines) or my wife miscarry (fetuses are at especially high risk), then shouldn’t I be able to sue you for the harm you have done?

Some will say that the law permits parents to refuse vaccinations, and that protects against liability.  Maybe.

If you know the dangers of measles or for that matter whooping cough or mumps, and you still choose to put others at risk should you be exempt from the consequences of that choice?  I can choose to drink but if I run you over it is my responsibility.  I can choose not to shovel the snow from my walk but if you fall I pay.  Why should failing to vaccinate your children or yourself be any different?

When the subject is vaccines a tiny minority continue to put the rest of us at risk.  We are willing to let them choose to do so without penalty.  That should change.  If I know you or your kid made mine sick because you chose not to vaccinate then you should bear full responsibility for the harm you knew or ought to have known could happen.

If you or your child has become ill after contracting the illness from an unvaccinated child, you should contact an experienced Florida personal injury attorney.  Steven Meyer is board certified as an expert in civil trial law.  Our office offers a free initial consultation.  Our experienced accident and personal injury team will be happy to discuss your case with you.

Visitors continue to suffer serious injuries at Disney hotels, resorts and theme parks in Florida.

A 12-year-old boy recently lacerated four fingers on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean ride three months before a British tourist had the tops of two fingers severed on the same attraction.

The boy was among 12 people who suffered 'significant' injuries at the Walt Disney World resort in the second quarter of 2014, according to a report made by the company to the State of Florida.  

The 12-year-old was taken to hospital for treatment and later released to continue his vacation with his family.

Details were revealed in the report by Disney chiefs to Florida state officials over the number of accidents at their theme parks in Orlando in 2014.

 

The youngest person injured was an eight year old girl who lost consciousness on Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride.

A 68 year old man suffered a blot clot in the leg after getting off the Astro Orbiter ride at Epcot while a 64 year old woman broke her leg after falling at the Tomorowland Speedway.

Other theme parks in Orlando also reported injuries from people who passed out after being thrown around on roller coasters.

Guests to the theme park going on the Pirates of Caribbean ride are warned to keep their hands inside and not to put them above their heads or outside the transport vehicle.

Riders are invited to 'set sail on a swashbuckling voyage to a long-forgotten time and place when pirates and privateers ruled the seas.'

It is one of the tamer thrill rides at the Disney theme parks in Orlando with people of all ages allowed to take part with no height restriction.

Disney rates its thrill level on their Magic Kingdom website as being 'Dark, Slow Rides, Small Drops'.

The original Pirates of the Caribbean ride was built at Disneyland in California, and there are also versions in Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Park in Paris.

If you have been injured at a Disney area hotel, resort or theme park in the Orlando area, you need to consult with an experienced injury attorney.  Steven Meyer is board certified as an expert in civil trial law.  We offer a free initial consultation. 

The Lipitor lawyers at Steven H. Meyer, P.A. are reviewing potential product liability lawsuits for users of the popular cholesterol drug who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Studies have found that Lipitor has side effects that may increase the risk of diabetes and other serious health complications associated with the disease, especially among otherwise healthy women prescribed the cholesterol drug.

Although it appears that the manufacturer knew or should have known about the risk of health problems from Lipitor, inadequate warnings were provided for users and the medical community. As a result, financial compensation may be available through a Lipitor diabetes lawsuit.    To review a potential case for yourself, a friend or family member, please contact our office for a free consultation.

Amid agressive marketing and promotion, Lipitor became one of the top selling brand name drugs in the world, generating more than $125 billion in sales before generic Lipitor became available in 2011. Lipitor is a member of a class of drugs known as “statins”, which work by preventing the liver from creating an enzyme that helps the body produce cholesterol. This helps the body reduce the levels of “bad cholesterol.”  Statins have been linked to a number of serious health problems and side effects, including muscle injury, kidney problems, and diabetes. 

In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration forced the manufacturer, Pfizer, to add information to the “Warnings and Precautions” label about the potential link to an increased risk of diabetes. However, the Lipitor warnings added by Pfizer remain incomplete and inadequate, failing to properly warn users or the medical community about the risk of diabetes or the importance of monitoring blood glucose levels. As a result, thousands of women may have developed diabetes from Lipitor that could have been avoided if more accurate information had been provided about the risk.

Lipitor lawsuits have been filed in courts throughout the country on behalf of individuals diagnosed with diabetes from Lipitor, and additional claims are being reviewed as a result of Pfizer’s decision to place their desire for profits before consumer safety. Some of the common allegations raised in Lipitor diabetes lawsuits include:

Lipitor Class Action Lawyers

The attorneys at Steven H. Meyer, P.A. are reviewing the potential for Lipitor diabetes class action lawsuits and individual injury claims on behalf of individuals throughout the United States. All Lipitor cases are being pursued under a contingency fee, which means that there are no fees for our Lipitor attorneys to pursue your case unless a recovery is obtained. To review a potential claim with one of our Lipitor lawyers, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.

We handle cases on behalf of residents all over Florida who took Lipitor and developed diabetes.

Florida relies on tourism to support the state's economy.  Many hotels permit their guest to bring their dogs along, but typically the dogs must be restrained or leashed when in the hotel's public spaces.

Recently, in Connecticut, a woman was seriously injured when attacked in a hotel hallway by another guest's dog.   The victim was visiting a friend who was staying in the hotel.  The friend was taking care of a relative's pit bull. 

The victim suffered serious injuries, and the other woman was reportedly having a difficult time keeping control of the pit bull.  The police officer who responded to the scene also had to fight off the dog. When the animal latched onto his arm, he shot the dog.  The dog survived the gun shot and was removed from the hotel without anyone else getting hurt.

The dog is under quarantine, and authorities were working to find the owner in an attempt to find out if it had ever done this in the past.  The owner of the dog that was responsible for the serious injury suffered by the woman may be held liable for the damages caused, such as medical bills of the victim.  In Florida, there are strict liability laws that typically make the owners financially responsible for the damages caused by an unprovoked dog attack. The fate of the dog may also be in question if it is deemed dangerous or vicious by authorities.

If injured by a dog in Florida, you need to find competent injury lawyer as soon as possible.  Our office has handled claims arising from dog bite injuries.  We represent clients in cases throughout Florida, including the metropolitan areas of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Myers and West Palm Beach.  Steven Meyer is board certified by The Florida Bar in civil trial law.  This means that he is designated as an expert attorney in handling civil trial matters.  Dog bite injuries fall within this area of the law. 

There are strict time limits for bringing any sort of injury claim in Florida.  Consult an experienced personal injury attorney right away.  Our office offers a free initial consultation and we would be happy to speak with you about any Florida injury issue, including injuries arising from car, motorcycle or truck accidents, hotel or resort injuries, and cruise ship injuries. 

Yet another innocent person was killed by a drunk driver in Florida.  This tragedy occurred when the drunk driver crossed the median on a major highway, and struck the van in which several students were riding.

This is similar to another tragic case that was handled by our office, in which three people were killed and a fourth badly injured when a drunk driver slammed into their car at a high rate of speed in Pasco County, Florida.  Please see the section of our website entitled "Newspaper Articles" to read an article that appeared in the Tampa Tribune about that case in which we obtained a $13,500,000 verdict for the surviving family members.

In this most recent tragedy, several students at Duke University were traveling home after five days of canoeing and camping on the Blackwater River in Florida when their van was hit by a pickup truck.  Rebecca Denardis, 21, a senior at Duke, was taken to a hospital in Crestview, Fla., where she was pronounced dead, the university said in a news release.

Another student, Joao Correia Marques, 21, was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported.  

The driver of the truck, Martin Zachery Hale of Jemison, Ala., faces charges including DUI manslaughter and DUI serious bodily injury, the Daily News reported. The Florida Highway Patrol said Hale’s truck crossed the median of Interstate 10 and hit the Duke group’s van at about 11:45 a.m., according to the report.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/15/3704904/duke-student-dies-in-crash-returning.html#storylink=cpy

If you or your loved ones have been injured in any type of car accident in Florida, you need to consult right away with an experienced car accident attorney.  Most attorneys do not practice in this field.  Look for an attorney who is board certified in civil trial law, as this indicates that he is a specialist in handling civil trial matters.

Our office offers a free initial consultation.  We handle cases all over Florida.  Steven Meyer is board certified in civil trial law both by The Florida Bar and by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. 

After a car accident, many things must be done quickly.  Call an experienced car accident attorney to get the proper advice.