Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Trucks Are Just as Dangerous Off the Highway
Before there was Florida Man, there was the California stop sign. Florida has never lived down its reputation as the second favorite destination for celebrities and wannabes who act like the rules do not apply to them. A California stop sign, for those of you who have never been to driver’s ed, is when… Read More »
Coping With Biased Police Reports About Car Accidents
Justice entails that ordinary people, including those accused of wrongdoing, have the right to speak up in their defense if authorities have treated them unfairly. People convicted of crimes have the right to appeal their convictions if the trial was unfair, as no one should be convicted except after receiving a fair trial or… Read More »
Car Accidents Involving Victims From Out of State
Some states share borders with more other states than there are cardinal directions, but the same cannot be said of Florida. Most of its nearest neighbors are aquatic ecosystems; its only land borders are with Georgia and Alabama, and if you live in the southern part of the peninsula and you head north on… Read More »
Young Man Dies Trying to Cross Road in Tampa
Some stretches of road in Florida are notoriously dangerous for pedestrians. Everyone in South Florida knows about the eerily dark stretch of Federal Highway where pedestrians keep getting hit by cars. The reason Florida has so many pedestrian accidents are the same reasons that people get hit by cars in so many parts of… Read More »
Devastating Five-Vehicle Collision in Lake Wales
Lake Wales is the tourist destination you choose when you want an uneventful vacation with just a hint of the uncanny. There are beautiful but boring stately homes like Chalet Suzanne and the now abandoned Walesbilt Hotel. The Singing Tower of Bok Gardens, where 60 bells ring out at the top of a tower… Read More »
Country Clubs and Dram Shop Liability
The textbook example of a dram shop liability case, where a person who got injured in a drunk driving accident sues the bar that served alcohol to the drunk driver who caused the accident, involves bar employees who were too distracted or busy to know how drunk the drunk driver was. Maybe it was… Read More »
Not All Wet Floors Are Premises Liability
Every law student who takes a tort law class in his or her first year, or even any prospective plaintiff in a premises liability lawsuit who has gotten far enough in the case to start watching YouTube videos about premises liability law has heard the classic premises liability scenario where a customer gets injured… Read More »
Valet Parking Services and Dram Shop Liability
When you drive for a living, you are acutely aware of how other people’s safety depends on your vigilance. For example, being a truck driver sounds like fun if you enjoy the open road; you get to leave your troubles behind while you listen to your favorite jams or podcasts, hour after hour, while… Read More »
Vacation Rentals and Premises Liability
Vacation rentals are ideal for people who want a little bit of leisure without a lot of responsibility on a shoestring budget. If you live in your apartment, then a long weekend in a house you rented through Airbnb can give you your fill of the outdoor barbecue lifestyle. You can grill steaks on… Read More »
Deadly Three-Vehicle Collision on Highway 301
Alcohol and excessive speed are among the leading causes of fatal car accidents, but the proximate events that lead to fatal injuries can happen even in the absence of those factors. People are much more likely to die in car accidents if they get ejected from the vehicle than if they stay inside. That… Read More »
