Tampa Bay Personal Injury knowledgebase

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury Motorcycle Rally season is here. Myrtle Beach Bike Week begins May 8, 2015 and culminates on May 17, 2015.[1] What does that mean? It means that a couple hundred thousand Harley enthusiasts and bikers will descend upon Myrtle Beach for a week of fun, sun and riding. […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury Florida is number two in the nation for motorcycle ownership. Although it is unlikely that Florida will catch California to take the top spot, motorcycle ownership in Florida is still growing. What does that mean? It means lots of novice riders on the road. Many new bikers […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury I write a lot about the drivers of cars not paying proper attention to motorcycles and the inability of drivers to “see” motorcycles. However, motorists are not the only ones who utilize bad habits when navigating the roads and highways. Though target fixation is common among motorists […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury There is no hard fast rule for what clothing should be worn when riding a motorcycle. It is certainly not against the law to ride with no helmet, no shirt, board shorts and flip flops. Just because it’s not against the law does not mean it is […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury I hear a lot of things asserted as fact as a personal injury attorney that represents injured motorcyclists. It is amazing how often these truths seem to become universally accepted. Many of these universal truths about motorcycle riding are, in fact, myths. In this article I will […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury I have written a lot of articles about motorcycle safety and articles directed to bikers. This article is for drivers of the cars and trucks. The drivers of cars and trucks in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Tampa must be more cognizant of motorcycles. It is especially important […]

Everyone reads about the technological safety advances for automobiles. Car accidents become less likely every day. Four states, one of which is Florida, have passed laws allowing driverless cars on the roads. Cars are increasingly becoming equipped with forward collision warning, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, auto braking, adaptive headlights, and […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury Motorcyclists have a reputation as dangerous risk takers. However, according to a study that examined the causes of Florida motorcycle accidents over a period of 10 years, the motorists driving cars are usually to blame when a collision takes place. More than 60% of the time when […]

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury The title of this article may be a bit misleading and reminiscent of an exchange between Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in White Men Can’t Jump, but people, especially non-motorcycle riding people, are not trained to see motorcycles. They are trained to see cars and trucks. If […]

Motorcyclists hear about the dangers of riding on an almost daily basis. They have all heard that there are only two types of motorcycle riders, those that have laid their bike down and those that haven’t…yet. Everyone knows that motorcycles are cheaper to operate and better for the planet than cars, but are there actually […]

What is a Scooter? There is a legal definition and a practical definition. Legally speaking, in Florida, any 2 or 3 wheeled vehicle with a 50cc engine or larger will be considered a motorcycle. Anyone who operates a motorcycle must have the motorcycle endorsement on their Florida driver’s license. Conversely, any 2 or 3 wheeled […]

Florida Laws Regarding Passengers on a Motorcycle Florida has very relaxed laws on the use of motorcycles. As far as passengers are concerned, they must occupy either a separate seat or a seat meant for two riders and they must have footrests dedicated solely to their use.[1] There is no minimum age requirement for passengers, […]