Help! I’ve been injured in an accident while on vacation in Florida: Guidance from local injury attorneys
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
When you’re injured in an accident while on vacation in Florida, you need local legal representation that you can trust. In this article, our attorneys explain your legal options and what to do to protect your rights. Florida’s central and west coast is a paradise for travelers, offering stunning beaches, world-class attractions, and unforgettable experiences.
10 most common types of medical malpractice in Florida
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Preventable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States—just behind heart disease and cancer. Each year, more than 200,000 hospitalized patients in the United States die due to mistakes in care. This amounts to a third or more of all people who die in the hospital. When a hospital, physician,
5 questions to ask before hiring a Florida injury attorney
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Choosing the right injury attorney is crucial to ensuring you receive the best possible outcome for your case. If you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida, here are five key questions to ask before hiring an attorney to represent you. Selecting the right Florida injury attorney to represent you after an accident is crucial
What is House Bill 837 and how will it affect Tampa Bay residents?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 837 into law, introducing sweeping reform to Florida legislature. Here, we explain how the new law affects Tampa Bay residents. On March 24, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a sweeping tort reform law known as House Bill 837. The new bill became effectively immediately and introduces major changes to
Over 5 million vehicles are under recall for splitting tires, stalling engines and faulty airbags Fall has arrived in Tampa Bay, which means beautiful weather, lots of football, and pumpkin everything. But this year, fall is also synonymous with recall—in the last eight weeks, more than 5 million vehicles have been recalled for a variety
Do you feel nervous using an ATM? You’re not alone. Using an ATM can leave you vulnerable. You’re often alone. Your back is turned. And you’re depositing or withdrawing cash, which makes you a target for attacks and robberies. Although cases of robbery or people getting mugged at ATMs are relatively rare—research shows physical incidents
Over 30 million vehicles are currently under recall for potentially deadly defects. Find out if your vehicle is affected and what to do next. Did you know? In 2020, there were over 250 recalls affecting 30 million vehicles. Newer vehicles are 73% more likely to be repaired after a recall than older models. Dealerships and
Work-related deaths and injuries in Tampa hit record-high. Here’s what you need to know. No employer, family member, or coworker ever wants a fatality to occur in the workplace. But it happens. In 2019, work-related deaths reached a 12-year high, with more than 5,300 fatalities occurring across the country. To put that number in perspective,
5 Critical Steps to Take if Injured While Working from Home
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Stay-at-home orders and remote working have become a new reality for many Tampa residents. Darrigo & Diaz have been inundated with calls from concerned workers. Many of you have inquired about whether or not workers’ compensation insurance covers injuries sustained while working at home, and how to go about filing a claim for such an
Attention Referring Attorneys: How to Move Forward During Coronavirus.
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Now’s the best time to clean out your legal closet and get stalled injury cases moving so you can earn referral fees and thrive during this crisis. If you’re like the rest of us attorneys right now, you’re either in your home office trying to get your bearings, or you’re in your regular office with
JUUL use increases by an alarming 78% for high schoolers and 48% for middle schoolers
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
JUULs, or e-cigarettes, have exploded in popularity in recent years — but not among the people for which they were intended. Instead of being used by adults who are trying to stop smoking, teenagers who have never picked up a cigarette are now vaping in record numbers. In a new report published by the Centers
Left Turn Accidents Account for 60% of All Intersection Collisions
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Driver error accounts for 95% of motor vehicle accidents.1 To some degree, a driver’s decision or behavior is almost always to blame in the event of a crash. Whether texting, tailgating, or speeding, driver errors are risky, unsafe, and can even be fatal. Yet, one of the most dangerous decisions a driver has to make
Rise in Delivery Trucks on Roads Sees Increase in Accidents in Tampa
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
We all love the ability to order something online and get it delivered the very next day. Amazon’s FREE and insanely fast delivery services have prompted a shift in how we shop for clothing, furniture, appliances, and groceries. Yet, the online revolution is changing something else: transportation. There are more delivery trucks on the road
I was injured in a golf cart accident in Tampa. What do I do now?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Golf Cart Accidents in Tampa: More Dangerous than Expected While it might not be so surprising that Florida has the most golf courses in the United States. You may be shocked to learn that Florida has the more golf carts on public roadways than any other state. Tampa Bay is a particular hot spot for
Florida has the most uninsured drivers. Everyone needs UM. (Uninsured Motorist coverage)
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
According to multiple studies, Florida ranks first in the United States for number of uninsured drivers.1-3 An estimated 5 million Florida drivers either have no insurance or insufficient insurance. This means that if you get into an accident in Florida, there’s about a one in four chance it will be with an uninsured driver. If
I-4 named the most dangerous highway in country. Tampa claims two of it’s most dangerous sections.
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
It’s a popular road you take to drive from Tampa to Orlando, but Interstate 4 has another title: the most dangerous highway in the country. According to Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) data retrieved from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 165 deaths on the 132-mile interstate in the last
Tampa’s electric scooter invasion offers a glimpse of the dangers to come
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
There’s an old urban legend, that in 1895, the first two automobiles arrived in an Ohio town, promptly drove down Main Street, and crashed into each other. The new transportation technology was poorly understood and unregulated and, not surprisingly, resulted in disaster. True or not, that story is analogous to what’s currently happening in Tampa
Improper Passing Leading Cause of Two-Lane Road Fatalities
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Twice as many highway fatalities occur on two-lane roads, according to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report reveals that 75% of two-vehicle, head-on collisions occur on undivided two-lane roads—and head-on collisions are disproportionately deadly. One of the leading causes of head-on collisions is failing to pass properly. Passing Other Vehicles
Five Biggest Social Media Mistakes Personal Injury Clients Make!
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Posted by Darrigo & Diaz Today, social media is just a part of everyday life. We wake up and check various channels for the latest news, local updates, and personal content from our friends, family, and work colleagues. Throughout the day, we monitor trending topics and post our own thoughts and photos. At the end
BACK TO SCHOOL: Is refurbishing a football helmet enough to keep athletes safe?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
The helmet: the last piece of equipment a football player puts on his body before entering a game and, yet, by far the most important. And at a time when sports-related concussion concerns have been heightened by links to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children Linked to ADHD Years Later
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Traumatic brain injuries send over one million children, adolescents and young adults to the emergency room each year. A recent study suggests traumatic brain injuries in children may be linked to an increased risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) years later. In a study reported in JAMA Pediatrics, a research team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical
How to protect your business and make your premises a safer place for customers
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
If you’re a business owner, you probably already know that if a person slips and falls at your business, you’re a prime target for a lawsuit. And premises liability cases are bad for business. Customer slip-and-fall incidents account for about 10 percent of small business claims at an average price tag of $30,000, according to
Did you know that if you’re in a car accident while riding in a Lyft or Uber vehicle, you will most likely be unable to sue the mega ride-share companies? Drivers of Lyft and Uber are independent contractors—not employees. This means that the ride-share companies can completely deny any liability for car accidents involving vehicles
Jennifer Smith doesn’t like the term “accident.” It implies too much chance and too little culpability. A “crash” killed her mother in 2008, she insists, when her car was broadsided by another vehicle while on her way to pick up cat food. The other driver, a 20-year-old college student, ran a red light while talking
Can I File a Lawsuit If the Accident Was Partly My Fault?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Determining fault is one of the most difficult aspects of any accident claim. However, it is also the most important. Determining who was at fault for an accident, and to what degree, is rarely straightforward – even in cases that seem “black and white.” For example, let’s say that Driver A was making a left-hand
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Deadlines for Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Florida In Florida, all personal injury lawsuits must be filed before the statute of limitations expires. The statute of limitations refers to the amount of time you have from the date of your injury to file a claim. If you fail to do so before the clock runs out
Bitten By a Dog in Florida? Here’s What You Need to Know
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
About “Strict Liability” in Florida Dog Bite Cases Florida’s dog bite statute, Section 767.04, states that a dog owner is strictly liable for the actions of their pet. More specifically, they are liable for injuries if their dog bites another person who is on public property or lawfully in a private place. So what does “strict
According to Florida Statutes section 678.18, when one party’s negligent conduct causes the death of another person, the deceased person’s family or estate may bring a wrongful death claim on his or her behalf. The law requires that a personal representative of the decedent’s estate file the claim on the deceased person’s behalf (as named in the
Truck collisions can be some of the most severe auto accidents on the road. Unfortunately, it is passenger vehicles that bear the brunt of a collision with a tractor-trailer, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. These accidents are almost always entirely preventable, and usually arise out of some form of negligence – meaning that
The Truth About “Full Coverage” Auto Insurance in Florida
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
What Is “Full Coverage” Auto Insurance? You’ve probably heard the term “full coverage insurance.” You might think it accurately describes what the insurance company will pay in the event of an auto accident, but you would be wrong. Full coverage insurance policies do not exist in Florida. What you were sold by the insurance company
5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
The aftermath of an accident in which you have been injured can be an overwhelming one, and with so much going on, it is understandable that one of the last things on your mind is legal action. In addition to the physical pain of your injury, other things on your mind may include the amount
Walking is a great way to get around, especially in sunny Florida. Sadly, statistics reveal that Florida is the deadliest state for pedestrians, with the most dangerous cities to walk in being Tampa, Orlando, Clearwater, and Jacksonville. Many of these accidents are the result of careless drivers who fail in their duty to operate their
Nissan Recalls 47,000 Cars Due to Defective Brakes
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Nissan has issued a recall of almost 47,000 of their electric vehicles (LEAF) due to defective brake system. U.S safety regulators have confirmed the problem is inside the cars’ electronic brake booster. “During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the
4 Ways to Avoid a Pedestrian Accident While Jogging
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Jogging is a year-round activity in Florida. With our busy roadways, it is important for pedestrians, as well as drivers, to be mindful of their safety while they are jogging in order to prevent an accident. Consider these safety tips during your jog: Check for vehicles before crossing driveways. If you are running in a busy
Causes of Electrocution Accidents on Construction Sites
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
On almost every construction site, there is an abundance of power tools, heavy machinery, and large construction vehicles used on a normal basis. Undoubtedly, these electronically powered pieces of equipment can cause a worker to suffer serious injuries from electrocution if they are not careful or employers do not enforce the proper safety precautions. In
Most people are probably aware that over-exposure to UV radiation is unsafe because it can cause cancer and/or burn injuries. The sun is a major source of this type of radiation, but besides the sun, people are also exposed to UV radiation by man-made devices such as tanning beds and medical devices for radiation therapy.
Safety Tips: 3 Dangerous Shoe Types that Increase Your Chance of Falling
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Our firm has handled numerous slip and fall accident cases in our years of practice, and have seen firsthand how painful and frustrating it can be to recover from a preventable injury. Many of these accidents are caused by factors outside of the victim’s control, usually involving some degree of negligence from a property owner. In the
Who Pays for Medical Care after a Car Accident? Auto Insurance or Health Insurance?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
If you are injured in a car crash, you can use both policies to pay for medical care, but your car insurance will be primary. When you seek medical attention following a car accident, your PIP coverage (Personal Injury Protection) will pay 80% of your medical bills until it is exhausted; you are still responsible for
Dangerous Toys Are Still on Department Store Shelves
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
It can be fun to buy your child or a young loved one a toy. Their eyes light up and smiles spread across their faces instantly. Despite how fun it may be to give a child a toy, it is important to do research on the item to ensure it is safe for the kid.
Hoverboards: A Popular Holiday Gift that Can Catch Fire and Explode
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
They are calling it the hottest Christmas gift this year, the hoverboards, but be careful because they can literally get so hot they can catch fire. In the last month, there has been several reports across the country about these products exploding and causing serious injuries to consumers. An exploding two-wheeler burned a house down
Jury Awards $21.5 Million to a Man Injured in Cruise Ship Incident
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Yesterday, a jury in Seattle awarded a man $21.5 million in damages for a mild brain injury he suffered when an automatic sliding glass door hit him in the side of the face. The man was enjoying a family vacation on a cruise when the accident occurred. There is a surveillance video showing the moment when guests
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident and you are filing an insurance claim or lawsuit, you need to be familiar with some of the laws that might affect your case – which includes hiring an experienced personal injury attorney in Tampa that can guide you through this legal process while protecting your
Many of you have probably heard the term “whiplash injury,” but what you might not know is how serious this type of injury can be. Whiplash injuries are mostly caused by rear-end collisions. A rear impact causes the head and neck to be forced into a hyperextended (backward) position as the seat pushes the person’s
Enjoy Labor Day Weekend but Never Take a Vacation from Safety
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Many people consider Labor Day to be the closing of summer time, so they view it as their last chance to travel, go to the beach and fire up the grill. Have fun this weekend, but don’t forget about safety. Here are some tips to help you have a safe and pleasurable holiday. Unfortunately, Labor
According to recent statistics regarding type of driver and accidents incidence, school buses might be the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth from school. However, a car crash while riding on the bus is not the only concern parents should be worried about. The moments before getting on the bus and right after
Look Before You Lock: New Car Seat Technology Hits the Market
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
There is a new product on the market this summer that literally saves lives – kids’ lives! Walmart and Evenflo have partnered up on a new car seat that is designed to help parents avoid leaving their kids in hot cars. According to KidsAndCars.org, an average of 38 children die in hot cars each year
The Effects of Heat and Rain on the Performance of Tires
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Summer weather can affect the performance of your tires, increasing the risk for an auto accident, especially here in Tampa. NHTSA estimates that tire failure causes approximately 11,000 auto accidents per year. Two factors of summer weather can dramatically change the efficiency of your tires, heat and rain. Heat Heat is your tires worst enemy. Heat
10 Things You Should Do at the Scene of an Accident
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
1. Do not leave the scene! You might be in shock and emotionally distressed due to the impact, but leaving the scene should never be the answer. In Florida, you could be penalized with up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $5,000 for leaving the scene of an auto accident; this is considered
Ron Darrigo Is Granted Certification as a Florida Circuit Court Mediator
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
We are very proud to announce that our founding partner, Attorney Ronald Darrigo, has become certified as a Florida Circuit Court Mediator and will be providing Mediation services for lawyers and insurance adjusters at the Darrigo & Diaz office on North Armenia Blvd. in Tampa. Darrigo’s expert understanding of many facets of Florida Law, along with
As the law firm Florida has trusted for over 25 years to fight on their behalf, we are more than ready to represent you. Put our experience and reputation to work. We are trial-tested attorneys Florida turns to time and time again. If you need help with any legal matter, whether it’s an auto accident or serious personal injury, workers’ compensation, criminal defense, or medical malpractice, contact us. The consultation is absolutely free.
What Our Clients Are Saying
Randy Russell
I was recommended by a great friend of mine to go through with Darrigo & Diaz, and believe me they did not disappoint. They were very responsive with every action they took and made the whole process care free for me. I had a meeting with them, we went over all my options, and figured out the best plan of action. The next thing I know they give me a call, tell me everything is settled, and sent me the check that I was receiving. I didn’t have to do a thing. They will be used by me for all my future needs.
Rating:5/5
DD Law Tampa
Bryna Birchall
Nothing but the best service!! From day one of stepping into the office, the whole staff made me feel so welcomed and just like part of their little family. They called to check on me and how I was feeling in the days to follow. Even if there was no new info on my case they would call me just to tell me that and keep me in the loop the whole time. I never felt forgotten about or like my case had just been pushed to the side. I’d recommend Darrigo & Diaz to anyone in need of some great attorneys.
Rating:5/5
DD Law Tampa
Yudith Lozada
Muy Buenos abogados!. y las paralegales muy amables y profesionales. Miriam se tomo su tiempo para explicarme todo el proceso y responder todas mis preguntas, muy satisfecha con la atencion que me brindaron.
Rating:5/5
DD Law Tampa
Dulce Alvarez
Esta oficina me ha ayudado con documentos y asuntos legales. Ellos no te cobran si no ganan tu caso de heridas personales. los recomiendo 100%... todos son muy atentos y si la paralegal Yanely Perez lo atiende de por hecho que esta en buenas manos.
