Recent Blog Posts
Interstate 75 Crash Kills Teenage Girl
When a teen driver lost control of a pickup truck on the interstate, a 16-year-old Temple Terrace girl died. The wreck occurred near the East Fletcher exit. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 16-year-old driver was attempting to pass another vehicle when he lost control of the pickup truck. The vehicle barreled onto… Read More »
What Happens if a Device Distracted Driver Hit Me?
Because the Sunshine State has such a limited cell phone ban, many victims believe they have no legal recourse if distracted drivers hit them. Yet despite the narrow nature of this law, almost all victims have legal options, as outlined below. If they follow the right path, Tampa distracted driving attorneys can normally obtain… Read More »
Nicholas G. Matassini Named to Tampa Magazines’ 2020 Top Lawyers List
March 23, 2020 — Nicholas G. Matassini was voted by his peers as one of the Tampa Bay area’s top Criminal Defense attorneys on Tampa Magazines’ 2020 Top Lawyers list. In February, Tampa Magazines sent surveys to the nearly 7,000 attorneys practicing in Hillsborough County, asking them to nominate the peers they believe stand out… Read More »
The Three Ps of Drug Possession
Public attitudes about marijuana are changing, mostly because of the opioid overdose crisis. Many people see marijuana as at least a semi-legitimate alternative to potentially deadly prescription pain pills. But law enforcement’s attitude is unchanged. In the past decades over half of the drug arrests in Florida are for marijuana, and close to 90… Read More »
Wrong-Way Wreck in Citrus County Kills One, Injures One
The results of a deadly crash on Highway 19 are certain, but the responsibility is far from certain. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 66-year-old Clearwater woman was northbound on the southbound side when she hit a 19-year-old Crystal River man, who was driving a pickup truck. An approaching 53-year-old Crystal River woman,… Read More »
Legal Options in Dog Bite Claims
In 2019, homeowners’ insurance companies paid almost $800 million to resolve dog bite claims. That’s an average of about $44,000 per claim. These amounts have increased substantially since 2003, mostly because doctors’ understanding of dog bite injuries has increased as well. The physical wounds are the most obvious dog bite wounds, but they might… Read More »
Plant City Wreck Kills One Teen, Injures Two
An Armwood High School student is dead after a speeding teen driver lost control of his SUV and slammed into a tree. The wreck occurred on Ralston Road. According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, a 16-year-old driver hit a speed bump and then careened off the road and into a tree. The force of… Read More »
Diagnosing and Treating Car Crash-Related Head Injuries
Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of head injuries. These injuries, which are often fatal, affect about 2.5 million Americans every year. Only a small percentage of these victims receive immediate treatment at local hospitals. Instead, as outlined below, these victims often have more advanced head injuries by the time they receive proper treatment…. Read More »
Triple Fatal Vehicle Collision in Westchase
Three local people are dead, and another one is in the hospital, after a Malibu ran a red light and smashed into an oncoming vehicle. Sadly, red light violations involving high speeds often produce devastating consequences. This tragic example was no exception. Liability Issues If a driver runs a red light, emergency responders almost… Read More »
Passenger Dies When Wrecked Car Slides Into Drainage Area
A 44-year-old Tampa woman is dead after the vehicle she was riding in smacked into another car and careened off the road. The wreck happened near the intersection of Diana Street and 56th Street in Tampa. A northbound driver turned directly into the path of a southbound motorist as he tried to make a… Read More »