Recent Blog Posts
Fireball Crash in St. Petersburg Seriously Injures Five People
A chain reaction crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge involved multiple vehicles, including a tractor trailer. The complex wreck began when one driver stopped to help a Cadillac SUV which had run out of gas. A few moments later, an approaching eighteen-wheeler cut off a passenger car in traffic. That vehicle swerved to avoid… Read More »
Feds Launch Criminal Talc-Asbestos Investigation
A Washington, D.C. grand jury is exploring allegations that Johnson & Johnson knew the talcum powder it sold may have been laced with asbestos. If the grand jury finds these allegations are true, the pharmaceutical giant could face incredibly stiff criminal penalties. The company, which faces about 14,000 talcum powder lawsuits, said it had… Read More »
Officers Capture Fleeing Hit-and-Run Driver
A Florida man is in custody after he jumped into a river to avoid capture in the wake of a car crash. Police say that 43-year-old Jack Knapper rear-ended another vehicle which was stopped at a traffic light. Officers tried to detain Knapper, who immediately fled the scene. A short distance away, he leaped… Read More »
Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Tampa
A woman is dead after she tried to walk across Interstate 75, and investigators believe that speed was to blame for the accident. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a woman was switching between vehicles which were parked on the shoulder. As she stepped into the traffic lane, a Hummer approaching at a high… Read More »
BOATING DISASTER CLAIMS MORE THAN TWO DOZEN LIVES
Maritime safety rarely makes the headlines or day-time TV discussion panels given all that goes on in our world in a given week. Florida is blessed with the longest coastline in the contiguous United States, approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km), not including the contribution of the many barrier islands. This abundance of coastline and navigable waterways… Read More »
Claims and Defenses in Hillsborough County Swimming Pool Drowning Matters
Unintentional drowning is the leading cause of death for children under 4, and in 2017, there were more of these incidents in Florida than any other state. These children are so small that, after just a few moments under the water, their oxygen-starved brains begin shutting down vital organs. Other serious swimming pool injuries… Read More »
PREPARE FOR A MAJOR HURRICANE BEFORE YOUR LABOR DAY WEEKEND KICKS OFF WITH THE 5 P’S
Floridians are now facing the ill-fated combination of a major hurricane at the exact same time as the last major holiday weekend of the summer. In preparation for Hurricane Dorian everyone at The Matassini Law Firm wishes you and your family a safe Labor Day Weekend. Before you kick back, relax and start to… Read More »
Legal Options Following a Hit and Run Crash
Researchers are not exactly sure what motivates certain drivers to leave the scene of an accident. Most likely, these individuals believe that the consequences of causing a car crash outweigh the risk of getting caught. Due to the booming number of wild, crazy, and lawless people living or traveling through here, Florida has one… Read More »
Essential Evidence in Truck Crash Cases
Large semi-trucks carry hundreds of gallons of highly-flammable diesel fuel. And, these massive vehicles are difficult to control, because they weigh over 80,000 pounds. Additionally, due to the ongoing truck driver shortage, many of these commercial operators have little behind-the-wheel experience. This combination often leads to catastrophic injuries, like serious burns and wrongful death…. Read More »
SUV Crash Critically Injures Tampa Toddler
A man who was backing out of his driveway struck a 3-year-old boy who was riding a tricycle. The impact sent the boy to the hospital with serious injuries. The crash occurred in a residential area of Land O’Lakes. According to police and witnesses, the child was riding his tricycle near his home when… Read More »
Seven DUI Checkpoint Requirements in Florida
After years of inconsistency and uncertainty, the United States Supreme Court finally legalized DUI roadblocks in Michigan Department of State Police v. Sitz. These checkpoints allow officers to bypass the Fourth Amendment and detain motorists even though there is no evidence they have done anything wrong. In exchange for such broad power, police checkpoints… Read More »
High-Speed Police Chase Wreck Kills Two
What began as a routine traffic stop ended with two deaths after a violent collision in Lakeland. Early one morning, officers tried to detain Cleon Truedell for a traffic violation. Rather than pull over, Truedell sped away. Officers pursued him until he ran a red light at the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and East… Read More »
The Five Types of Driving Impairment
Here in Tampa, driver error causes over 90 percent of car crashes. These crashes usually cause some kind of injury, many of them serious and life-changing. Tragically, some of these victims do not survive. The vast majority of these cases are not unavoidable “accidents.” Instead, some form of negligence usually causes the collision. That… Read More »
Some Insurance Company Defenses in Florida Dog Bite Claims
Since 2003, the average dog bite injury settlement has increased almost 95 percent. That increase is mostly due to rising hospital bills, better understanding of dog bite injuries, and the skillfulness of Tampa dog bite attorneys. These injuries are expensive and intricate because they have so many levels. Physically, dog bites often cause head… Read More »
New Port Richey Child Seriously Injured in Two-Vehicle Collision
A 4-year-old child is in the hospital after he was ejected from a vehicle that was involved in an intersection wreck. The wreck occurred at the intersection of Hudson Avenue and Little Road. According to police and witnesses, 25-year-old Natali Howe failed to completely stop at a red light. She collided with a Kia… Read More »
Near-Fatal Scooter-Tanker Wreck in Tampa
A large tanker truck sideswiped a tiny e-scooter while the scooter rider was apparently driving in the bike lane. Emergency responders state that 33-year-old John Edgerton was not wearing a helmet as he rode his scooter in the bike lane. Near the intersection of 20th Street and Gordon Street, the scooter collided with a… Read More »
Top Seven Kinds of Fraud in Hillsborough County
No matter what prosecutors urge in court, not every false statement or misrepresentation constitutes fraud. The law narrowly defines fraud as an intentional misrepresentation of a material, existing fact which one person makes to another with knowledge of its falsity and for the purpose of inducing the other person to act, and upon which… Read More »
Multiple Injuries in Pasco County School Bus Crash
Several middle and high school students were among the victims when a passenger car slammed head-on into a school bus. The wreck occurred near the intersection of Kitten Trail and Oakwood Lane. For unknown reasons, a passenger car driver drifted into oncoming traffic and smashed into an oncoming school bus. The bus contained students… Read More »
Legal and Extra-Legal Defenses That Can Affect Your Motorcycle Crash Claim
Unlike vehicle occupants, motorcycle riders have no restraint systems or steel cages to protect them during car crashes. So, motorcycle riders are about thirty times more likely to die in vehicle collisions. Even if they survive, their injuries are often much worse, typically because the force of the impact usually throws riders off their… Read More »
Fatal Rollover Crash in Plant City
A factually and legally complex deadly vehicle collision near Tampa also sent a passenger to the hospital with serious injuries. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 31-year-old Kilbert Rijos lost control of his SUV following a tire blowout. The out-of-control vehicle barrelled onto the median, where it overturned. Mr. Rijos was declared dead at… Read More »
