Limiting situations that could give rise to (1) disruption of family harmony and (2) fraud or collusion between family members is a legitimate public policy. In this vein, Florida once barred all personal injury negligence actions by one family member against another. In Orefice v. Albert, 237 So.2d 142 (Fla.…
Florida Injury Attorney Blawg
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Give Thoughtful Consideration Before Undertaking Dual Representation of Both Driver and Passenger(s) in Motor Vehicle Accident Cases
Not infrequently, both the driver and passenger(s) involved in a motor vehicle crash will consider hiring the same personal injury lawyer. Because of conflict of interest concerns, lawyers must be exceedingly cautious in taking on dual representation in these circumstances. The concerns arise in various fact situations, including the following:…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Injured Workers and the Fallacy of the Double Recovery
Despite what some people believe, injured workers who are compensated both under workers’ compensation and the civil legal system for the same accident, do not receive a double recovery, or windfall. Section 440.39(3), Florida Statues, authorizes workers’ compensation carriers to file a lien against the claimant’s recovery in the civil…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Particular Difficulties and Deceits Involving Long Term Disability Insurance
With a sizable portion of our law firm’s practice engaged in the representation of injured workers, we often tangle with issues related to long term disability insurance. LTD is commonly offered by employers to their employees as a fringe benefit. The employer either pays the full premium, a portion thereof,…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Election of Remedy
Accident victims can sometimes bring a legal claim seeking compensation for their losses. They may even have the option of electing a remedy between personal injury common law and workers’ compensation statutory law. The choice can be consequential. Personal injury claims are cases at common law. In Florida, recoverable damages…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Pre-Settlement Considerations for Claimants/Plaintiffs Receiving Both Medicare and Medicaid Benefits
Settling an injury case is not as easy as it once was. In the old days, cases would be settled with little or no consideration being given to satisfying liens and protecting an injured person’s right to receive post-settlement Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Rather than attorney neglect, much of this…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Post-Settlement/Post-Judgment Payment of Medical Expenses by Health Insurance
Once a case involving personal injuries has been settled or resolved by the payment of a final judgment, the injured party will receive no more money from the closed matter to cover any later incurred expenses such as those for medical care. This rule applies in both civil and workers’…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Where We Stand
FACEBOOK POSTS: July 2, 2019 For G_D’s sake, Trumpis, come to your senses already. Trump’s oddness is not genius. He’s a nincompoop. What do Dwight David Eisenhower, JFK, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush have in common? All are medaled combat veterans who never held a parade in his…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Loss of Consortium — Think Twice (or more) Before Making This Claim
Florida case has long allowed the spouse of an injured married partner to bring a cause of action for loss of consortium, and though derivative in the sense of being occasioned by injury to the spouse, it is a direct injury to the spouse who has lost the consortium. Busby…
Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. // Golf Carts, Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) and Florida Personal Injury Law
We represent a gentleman who was recently involved in a horrible crash while operating his Ford F-150 truck in a gated Lee County, Florida community. The operator of the other vehicle, which crossed into our client’s oncoming lane of traffic, died in the crash. Our client sustained significant personal injuries,…