Author: Weldon Rothman

A whistleblower is an individual who reports a person or entity to the government for taking part in illegal activity. If you’re a whistleblower in a case of a legal violation or any threat to the safety of the public, you may be concerned about your own reputation, career, or wellness. In this situation, it’s important to understand the laws and reward system put in place specifically to protect whistleblowers. 

Whistleblowers: The False Claims Act

The False Claims Act, or FCA, is the first whistleblower law ever established in the United States. In 1863, it was signed into law in an effort to prevent fraud in contracting with the government. The FCA has become stronger over time as revisions have been made. Amidst these revisions, however, the whistleblower (qui tam) provision has remained. 

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Florida boating accidents are more common than you may think. The Coast Guard’s 2019 Recreational Boating Statistics Report showed that boating accidents resulted in 613 deaths in 2019. Alcohol is the leading cause of fatal boating accidents in Florida, making it essential for anyone involved in boating to understand the risks associated with alcohol and boating. 

Alcohol’s Impact on Boating Accidents

Alcohol consumption leads to a loss of ability to make fast decisions, which are often needed to avoid a boating accident. Stopping alcohol consumption while boating could lead to hundreds of fewer deaths in the state of Florida every year. After all, alcohol consumption exponentially increases the risk of a boating accident, as well as the odds of fatalities in the event of an accident.

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If you’ve been working as an independent contractor, you could be missing out on some important legal protections. As a contractor, companies are allowed to treat you like any other company or business owner. That means that none of these protections apply to you. This is detrimental to those who are misclassified employees. 

Here are just some of the protections you could be missing out on as a contractor:

Minimum wage

There is both a federal and state minimum wage requirement, although Florida is both much higher and set to steadily increase through 2026 up to $15 per hour. As a contractor, you could be paid a per project or per unit rate that, when compared to number of hours spent on the task, averages out to far below even the federal mandate.

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Have you been told that you are a contract worker, only to discover that you were missing out on benefits by being defined as such? Especially if the position is temporary or seasonal, an employer is likely to hire either a contract or temporary employee. Often, employers will hire you as a contract employee so that they do not have to pay your insurance, overhead, expenses, benefits, or employment taxes. 

Sometimes these arrangements are on the up and up and beneficial for both parties, but often employers are intentionally deceitful in their labeling of employees to cut corners and save money. Luckily, there are some definitive ways that you can tell if you are a contract employee or a temporary employee.

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The term “independent contractor” is thrown around pretty loosely these days. Companies have always tried to get out of paying their employees fairly and providing them with reasonable benefits. But with the new surge in the gig economy, companies have found ways to get around calling you an employee, and that means you could be missing out on benefits to which you are entitled.

What is worker misclassification?

There are a lot of ways worker misclassification can prevent people from getting the appropriate pay and benefits. Worker misclassification happens when a company mistakenly or fraudulently claims that you do not have, nor are entitled to, employee status.

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If you have only recently moved to Florida, you may not understand the complexities of car accidents and auto insurance in the state. Florida is a bit different than most states, in that they have a no-fault insurance policy. That means that when you are in an accident, your insurance will have to pay for your injuries and damages, regardless of whose fault the accident is.

When people first hear this, they usually assume that this means you can’t get compensation from a negligent party. The truth is that you can, but it isn’t an easy thing to do. The laws and requirements for civil liability and car accidents are very murky waters, and it really takes an experienced attorney to wade through them safely.

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Were you injured in a slip-and-fall accident? If your accident happened in a store or other commercial location, you might be thinking that they should pay for your medical bills and lost time at work. While this is the case in some situations, it doesn’t apply to every incident. You have to be able to prove negligence, and that means a lot more than you might think.

What is legal negligence in civil law?

As a general rule, you have to prove negligence to receive damages from any entity for any type of personal injury case. Slip-and-fall accidents definitely fall under this umbrella, but negligence is not an easy thing to understand when it comes to Florida’s slip and fall laws. Here is an explanation by way of example.

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If you’ve recently moved to Florida and had a car accident, you might be feeling a little lost. Florida is one of just a few states that still have no-fault car insurance laws, so there’s a good chance you don’t really understand your new car insurance. Here’s what you need to know about Florida car accidents in relation to no-fault car insurance.

What is no-fault car insurance?

Florida “no-fault” insurance is actually just one coverage under your own car insurance policy, which is actually called Personal Injury Protection (PIP). In Florida, no matter who is at fault for the accident, your own insurance company pays 80% of your initial medical bills up to a maximum of $10,000. These payments are made from your own insurance PIP coverage, regardless who was at fault for the car accident. This can seem grossly unfair, especially if your injuries are severe and the accident clearly occurred due to someone else’s negligence.  

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Florida requires all drivers to have car insurance, so you’re likely to deal with such a company or insurance agent whenever you are in a car accident anywhere in the state. Even when the other person is responsible, you will need to work with both your own car insurance company and the insurance agent for the other party to get claims filed and investigations completed in a timely manner.

Unfortunately, most of these companies are not interested in being timely. Think about it. These companies make their bread and butter based on the idea that something bad might happen. They don’t want to let go of it when something does happen unless they are absolutely required. As such, some companies will cause delays in processing the claims or outright deny claims out of turn.

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It can be very tempting to just trade insurance, identification, and vehicle information when you have a “fender bender.” But even when an accident seems to be minor, you need to contact police to file an immediate report in a scenario where they can view the accident scene and evidence for themselves. Here are some other reasons to call the police after an auto accident.

Damage might be more than you think.

The State of Florida requires that all parties file a police report with the local authorities if an auto accident incurs more than $500 estimated damages. Even just busting the grill of a newer model Ford sedan can be thousands of dollars due to the materials and parts. If you make a mistake and fail to file a report, you could face fines and other repercussions.

Continue reading “Why You Should Always Contact Police After a Car Accident” →