How you can help local Tampa Bay businesses during COVID-19 and beyond
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Supporting small businesses across Tampa Bay is more important than ever Anyone who has ever met a small business owner knows how much time, effort and passion goes into running a business. The uphill battle that small businesses and their owners face has gotten exponentially more difficult due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Drownings increase across Tampa Bay during Coronavirus: what the CDC wants you to know heading into the busy summer season
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Swimming safety tips to keep you and your family safe and healthy this summer Summer has arrived, and for many of us who live in Tampa Bay, this means more time at the beach and pool. Yet, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released new swimming safety guidelines to help keep
What are the benefits of hiring a board-certified personal injury attorney?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Few Tampa lawyers can claim board certification. Since 1999, Darrigo and Diaz has striven to provide top-tier legal representation for individuals in Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas. While our enviable record of success and strong relationships with current and former clients speak volumes about our abilities, it’s important to highlight an often-overlooked strength of
Bicycle Boom: Tampa cycling accidents are on the rise
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
You may have noticed something different about Tampa roadways in recent weeks: no traffic. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay traffic has dropped by 30 percent since coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown measures were introduced in mid-March. With fewer cars on the road, you would expect crashes to also be down; however, that’s not necessarily
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
Thinking about cancelling or reducing car insurance during the COVID-19 crisis?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
The decision to cancel or reduce your car insurance policy for the short-term should not be made lightly. Consider these factors before making the call.
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
You can hire us without leaving your home. Call 813-774-3341 Whether you have been injured in an accident, need help with a property damage claim, or simply have questions about your current case, at Darrigo Diaz & Darrigo & Diaz we can get you the legal help you need without you ever having to leave
The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a pandemic. While numerous events, social gatherings and meetings are being cancelled throughout Tampa Bay, at Darrigo, Diaz & Darrigo & Diaz, we are fully prepared and technologically equipped to maintain operations without disruption. Contact and meet with us without ever leaving your home At
The car key is coming to your smartphone. But is it safe? The day is dawning when vehicle owners may never have to look for their car keys again. On March 3, 2020, Apple announced the availability of an automotive virtual key solution that enables iPhones and Apple Watches to unlock, lock and start certain
Although you may think you know everything you need to know about driving—hands at 10 and 2, eyes on the road, rearview mirror adjusted—there are a few things that you may want to review. In fact, as far as distracted driving is concerned, the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates approximately 50% of licensed drivers in
Using your smartphone as a dashcam can provide valuable evidence to help protect you These days car accidents happen far too frequently. Each year, there are 6 million car accidents in the United States, equating to over $230.6 billion in damages.1 Knowing these statistics, it’s important to protect yourself and those around you. Enter dashcams.
Announcing the 2020 Winner of D&D’s Annual Scholarship for Emergency Responders and Their Families
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Darrigo & Diaz Attorneys at Law is pleased to introduce Angie Yvonne Hogan as the 2020 Winner of our Annual Scholarship for Emergency Responders and their Families. Since 1999, D&D has worked tirelessly to protect the rights of Tampa FL community members; those who fall victim to personal injuries in traffic and slip and fall
5 Costly Mistakes Florida Homeowners Make with Insurance Claims
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
The average Florida homeowner pays $1,918 in annual home insurance premiums, but only makes a claim every 10 years.1,2 That’s $19,180 in premium over that span. As a policyholder, if your property is damaged, you have the right to file a claim with your insurance company and receive payment for your loss. However, there are
Why your property damage may not be covered by your insurance
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Living in Florida is not for the faint of heart: the summers are hot, the humidity is intense, and the state’s cantankerous climate during the summer storm season causes some of the most dangerous and expensive weather-related damages in the country. In 2017 and 2018, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported that more than
The great promise of smart cars is their ability to save lives by replacing human error with intelligent computers. But as cars get smarter and significantly safer, drivers are making dumber decisions. In a new study conducted by State Farm, drivers who use autonomous technology, such as adaptive cruise control or lane-keeping assistance, are twice
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
Darrigo & Diaz establishes annual scholarship for Emergency Responders and their families
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
For those who dedicate their lives to serving their communities, D&D dedicates a new scholarship to supporting America’s heroes. Emergency responders are vital to keeping our communities safe. Every day, hundreds of Americans rely on emergency responders to be there during the scariest of times. When an accident happens, emergency responders are the first
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
Wake-Up Call: Six Shocking Road Rage Statistics You Didn’t Know
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Here are six shocking road rage statistics that will probably surprise you. 53% of drivers consider speeding normal Especially at rush hour, over half of all drivers consider driving 10 mph over the speed limit to be perfectly normal. 50% of drivers become aggressors Half of drivers admit to resorting to horn-honking, light-flashing, rude gestures,
What happens when you don’t buckle up in the back seat?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
For years, there has been this myth that riding in the back seat is less dangerous than the front. However, the truth is that passengers may be eight times as likely to die in a crash if they’re not wearing their seatbelt in the back seat. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, reported
Would it surprise you to hear that 9 out of 10 Americans say a teacher had a “significant, positive impact” on their life? Nearly all Americans believe that a good teacher can change the course of a student’s life. There is not enough time in the day to appropriately express the gratitude we have for
What’s one of the most dangerous driver errors? You’re not going to be right.
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
We’ve all witnessed it: A driver making a LEFT-HAND turn at an intersection who misjudges the distance and timing of oncoming traffic and just narrowly avoids a collision, often having to emphatically swerve or accelerate. This exact scenario is one of the most common—and dangerous—traffic maneuvers to occur on today’s roadways. According to the US
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
Property Claims: How to make your storm damage insurance claims go as smoothly as possible
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Hurricane Florence started its slow march across the Southeast Friday, pounding North Carolina with a powerful combination of wind and rain. The dangerous storm, which was downgraded to a tropical storm, will batter the region through early next week. While the storm’s winds will slowly weaken, the devastating effects will continue to be felt. Recovering
Last month, a Tampa man was walking on the sidewalk of East Hillsborough Avenue around 11 PM, when he stepped onto the road and was hit by a car. The man died at a local hospital. The crash was not a hit-an-run and everyone involve stayed at the scene and cooperated with police. This tragic pedestrian
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
D&D Property Claims: Don’t become a victim of denied insurance claims for hurricane damage!
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
The 2018 hurricane season has arrived and is predicted to be more active than usual, with seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. If we learned anything from last year’s monster storm Irma and the numerous denied insurance damage claims left in her wake, now is the time to prepare. So, what are some things you
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
With much of Florida still underwater, millions of people and businesses without power, and hundreds of thousands of damaged homes, it may seem an odd time for victims of Hurricane Irma to think about legal services. But as first responders help those in need, we at the D&D Property Claims Division are already working to
I Was Injured by a Dangerous Product: Who Is Liable?
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
Many variables can make litigating product liability cases difficult. The most important aspect of a product liability case, and any other personal injury case, for that matter, is determining liability. If you are the plaintiff in a product liability case, the burden falls on you and your legal team to offer support and conclusive evidence
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
Study Ranks Florida Highway as Most Dangerous Interstate in America
Posted By Darrigo & Diaz
An analysis of interstate fatalities between 2010 and 2015 by Everquote has revealed that Interstate 4 is the most dangerous road in the country. The study analyzed raw data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The analysis revealed that there was an average of 1.41 fatalities per mile during the last six
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
Sinkholes are unfortunately not uncommon in Florida, and can cause serious property damage and personal injury. If you have noticed cracks in the foundation, walls, or ceiling of your home, or have found unusual depressions or holes in the ground around your property, it is important to have your property tested to determine if the damage
