Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 28, 2026 | Personal Injury
When a Driver Says "I Never Saw the Motorcycle" Key Takeaways: Inattentional blindness is a perceptual failure where a driver looks directly at a motorcycle yet fails to register it. Under Florida law, this lapse is treated as breach of duty, not an excuse. FL Sec. 316.027(1)(b) identifies motorcyclists as vulnerable road users. Riders must… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 26, 2026 | Truck Accidents
The Trucking Paperwork That Can Decide Your Palm Bay Injury Claim Key Takeaways: A driver qualification file (DQ file) is the federally required personnel record a motor carrier must keep for every commercial driver under 49 C.F.R. part 391, containing employment applications, motor vehicle records, prior employer verifications, road test certificates, medical certificates, and annual… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 24, 2026 | Truck Accidents
A New Door Opens for Brevard County Families After a Brokered-Load Crash Key Takeaways: On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC that state-law negligent hiring claims against freight brokers are not preempted by the FAAAA because they fall within the statute’s safety exception. For Melbourne… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 22, 2026 | Truck Accidents
Why Federal Drug and Alcohol Testing Rules Matter After a Lakeland Truck Wreck Key Takeaways: Post-accident drug and alcohol testing is federally mandated under 49 CFR §382.303, with collection procedures governed by 49 CFR Part 40. Testing is required when a crash involves a fatality, but for injury or tow-away crashes it’s generally required only… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 21, 2026 | Florida Law
The Notice That Must Come Before an Insurance Bad Faith Lawsuit in Florida Key Takeaways: A Civil Remedy Notice (CRN) is the formal written notice that must be filed with the Florida Department of Financial Services and the insurer before a statutory bad faith lawsuit can proceed under Fla. Stat. § 624.155. The notice must… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 19, 2026 | Car Accidents
The Insurance Exam That Can Make or Break Your Melbourne PIP Claim Key Takeaways: A compulsory medical examination (CME) is a medical exam requested and paid for by your insurer after a Melbourne car accident, authorized by Fla. Stat. § 627.736(7)(a) whenever your physical or mental condition is material to a PIP claim. The insurer… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 17, 2026 | Truck Accidents
When Freight Moves, Everything Changes: Building Proof After a Shifting Load Crash Key Takeaways: Proving a load shift caused your Orlando truck accident injuries requires connecting a statutory duty, breach, and reconstruction evidence. Florida’s FL Sec. 316.520 requires vehicles be loaded so cargo cannot shift, drop, or escape. Proof comes from bills of lading, securement… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 15, 2026 | Car Accidents
Understanding the Optional Coverage That Pays Medical Bills After a Crash Key Takeaways: MedPay is optional Florida auto insurance that pays medical expenses after accidents regardless of fault, covering you, family members, passengers, and sometimes pedestrians. It matters in Palm Bay because Florida PIP covers only 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses, subject to a… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 13, 2026 | Truck Accidents
The Federal Safety Data Behind Every Commercial Truck on I-4 Key Takeaways: CSA scores are FMCSA safety measurements from roadside inspections, crashes, and investigations that can reveal a carrier’s pattern of regulatory failures predating your collision. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, damages in negligence actions are apportioned by fault percentage and may be barred entirely… read more
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | September 11, 2026 | Car Accidents
Why Medicare Wants Money Back From Your Cocoa Crash Settlement Key Takeaways: A "Medicare lien" in a Cocoa, FL car accident settlement is a federal conditional payment recovery claim under the Medicare Secondary Payer statute requiring repayment of accident-related benefits from your settlement. Liability and no-fault insurers are primary payers, and Medicare’s interest attaches to… read more
