While it appears that Tropical Storm Fay will not cause severe damage in Florida, the 2008 hurricane season is far from over. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you have to submit a hurricane claim with your homeowner’s insurance company.

If you sustain damage to your property, insurance companies have an obligation to respond in a timely manner. Unfortunately, our past experience has found that many insurance companies often leave their policyholders stranded for days despite numerous requests to speak with an adjuster. It is important to document your efforts to speak with your insurance company. Every time you speak with an insurance company representative regarding a hurricane claim, write down the name and ID number of the person with whom you spoke. If you feel the insurance company is not being fair, hire a lawyer to assist you in handling your claim.

Additionally, many insurance companies hire engineers whose opinions are intended to support the insurance companies’ interests in not paying your claim. Protect yourself using video and photographs to document the damage to your property caused by the hurricane.

High-profile construction crane accidents in Miami and New York City have prompted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to strengthen its crane and derrick requirements with new standards expected this fall, according to a report in Orlando Business Journal. “Lax safety measures can threaten lives,” said the safety director of a leading Central Florida construction company. I agree.

I recently represented a construction worker who was struck from behind by a falling 480-foot communication tower. The accident happened when the tower’s supporting guy wire was caught by a moving piece of heavy machinery. The tower owner knew about the situation, but took no action.

My client’s injuries from this construction accident included fractures to the skull, face, ribs and leg; a large scalp laceration and spinal fractures. ER doctors feared he would not survive the night. He spent nine weeks in the hospital and today is permanently and totally disabled.

When construction companies refuse to enforce safety measures, putting their workers at risk, they must be held responsible for the financial losses of the workers they injure and provide for the future financial protection of these injured workers and their families.

The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running has declared this week “National Stop on Red Week,” dedicated to educating Americans about the dangers of running red lights. The organization reports that 96 percent of Americans are afraid of being hit by a red light runner, yet nearly 20 percent admit to running a red light in the last ten intersections. The leading excuse was not frustration or road rage; but “being in a hurry.”

In Orlando last year, 525 car accidents were linked to red-light running. The city is installing 10 red light cameras at seven intersections around the city and come Sept. 1 will begin fining red light runners $125 for the first two offenses, then $250 for subsequent ones.

Drivers who run red lights cause car accidents that result in preventable death and injury to others. I commend the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running for its efforts to prevent these types of car accidents.

Florida led the nation in traffic fatalities among people 65 or older, according to a report released this month by the AAA Foundation. Warning of the coming “challenges presented by an aging population of motorists,” the Foundation is urging Florida and other states to develop consistent and comprehensive standards for judging whether drivers are fit to get behind the wheel; regardless of their age. Indeed, teenagers represent the largest percentage of drivers involved in Florida automobile accidents.

Florida’s road can be a dangerous place, making it more important than ever to purchase as much uninsured motorist protection insurance coverage (UM) as possible, including the option of purchasing stacked coverage. Many people do not appreciate the significance of UM coverage until they are involved in a car accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. Without UM coverage, there is no way to recover for the loss.

The HealthGrades Guide to America’s Hospitals and Doctors was released last month with important information for consumers about the quality of virtually every hospital in the country. The reference guide also devotes several chapters to getting the best medical care, from finding the best doctor and hospital to protecting yourself from medical errors.

Medical errors cost Americans nearly $9 billion from 2004 to 2006 and resulted in 238,337 potentially preventable deaths among hospitalized patients, according to HealthGrades’ analysis of Medicare records. “There can be enormous quality differences from one hospital to another, and one doctor to another, and this guide will point readers to the best care, wherever they live,” according to author Dr. Samantha Collier who also is HealthGrades’ chief medical officer.

Dr. Collier offers several ways to avoid becoming the victim of medical errors while hospitalized. Know your daily treatment plan and be prepared when the doctor arrives, ask nurses or doctors to address you by name to prevent them from giving you someone else’s medication, and have a family member or friend act as your advocate to help direct your care and keep track of your treatment plan.

Beginning this month, new motorcyclists in Florida must successfully complete the Basic Rider Course through the Florida Rider Trainer Program before they can have the motorcycle endorsement added to their driver license. This is a sensible law considering that 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a rider (compared to only 20 percent of passenger car crashes).

The overwhelming number of motorcyclists involved in solo crashes did not follow the basic but important rules of riding, according to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation which advocates that motorcyclists receive training and licensure, wear protective gear, ride unimpaired and within their limits, and be lifelong learners by taking refresher riding courses.

To find a local Basic Rider Course sponsor or teacher in your area, visit http://motorcycles.hsmv.state.fl.us or call (850) 488-3286.