The recent deaths and illnesses caused by the outbreak of a rare strain of meningitis underscores the deadly repercussions of ineffective and lax government regulation of pharmaceutical companies.

Gregory Perenich, a partner at PERENICH The Law Firm, and his associate, Jowita Wysocka, have been invited to speak at an upcoming Clearwater Bar Association lunch seminar hosted by the Civil Practice Section. The one-hour seminar is titled “Highlights of the New PIP Law” and will begin at 12:00 noon on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at the Clearwater Grand Hotel, 20967 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, Florida.

A recent article by Car and Driver magazine examines a disturbing yet growing trend that is one of the leading causes of car accidents, injuries, and automobile deaths in Florida and throughout the country. Until Florida’s lawmakers and leaders come to appreciate the immense risk of injury and death to thousands of Floridians caused by texting and driving, all drivers should remain ever vigilant and cautious on the roads.

As the 4th of July approaches, most families are busy preparing plans for Independence Day weekend. Unfortunately, so too are car crashes and other highway vehicle accidents.

The lure of a much desired goal can lead many college students to succumb to the pressure of violent hazing in a desperate effort to be accepted by their peers. In the case of Robert Champion, FAMU owed a legal duty to its student body to monitor illegal and life-threatening activities on and off campus during school-sponsored events; the school may therefore be liable for the wrongful death of its student. It is tragic that the leaders of FAMU apparently ignored such dangerous hazing incidents and tacitly permitted such behavior among their students.

On average, nearly 250,000 traffic accidents occur in Florida every year, resulting in nearly 3,000 fatalities, according to the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. Each of these tragic motor vehicle crashes is terrible in its own respect, but the case of David Belniak sent ripples of shock throughout the Tampa Bay, Florida area and surrounding counties. On June 12, 2012, the jury determined that Mr. McWilliams was not at fault in the crash and awarded a total of $14 million to the relatives of the victims Belniak in compensatory damages. The parties later reached a settlement of $1 million in punitive damages.

As you and your family set out to enjoy Florida’s many theme parks and other attractions this summer, you will likely encounter one or two releases or waivers of liability and wonder whether they are legally enforceable in the event of a personal injury. Florida law generally disfavors waivers and construes them strictly against the defense.

While many people work hard to maintain their property and keep it presentable, they may not realize that they are under a legal duty to make sure their property is safe, particularly for workers who must enter their property for business purposes as well as social visitors.

Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed a bill that reduces security measures at seaports throughout the state by eliminating separate state background checks for port employees. In doing so, Scott has put the safety of Florida residents behind the financial interests of Big Business at a nominal cost savings