Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg

Published on: March 6, 2026

Man’s family Suing AI Chatbot Company Following his Death. What Does the Law Say?

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the family of a Jupiter, Florida, man who died by suicide after forming an attachment with an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

Last fall, 36-year-old Jonathan Gavalas was speaking to Gemini AI, run by Google whose parent company is Alphabet Inc.

In the article, reporters said that Gavalas, who was facing a domestic violence charge and whose wife allegedly wanted a divorce, “could not get over how real” the chatbot seemed and “fell in love.” Gavalas was paying $250 a month for a premium version of the program, allowing him to speak with the bot who allegedly sent him out on “missions” in Miami to find it a “body the chatbot said it would inhabit.”

Published on: February 25, 2026

Two Infants Attacked by Dogs in Separate, Back-to-Back South Florida Incidents. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Two 1-year-olds were taken to the hospital for treatment stemming from two separate dog attack incidents in South Florida over the weekend, according to local media reporting.

The first attack happened in Hollandale Beach and involved a child who was with at least one adult when the incident took place at the 400 block of Southeast Ninth Street, reporters with The Miami herald wrote. The child’s mother was “changing the baby” when they were attacked. The mother was able to get the child away from the dog.

The extent of that 1-year-old’s injuries were not immediately available Monday. It is unclear whether the mother suffered any injuries while rescuing her child. The animal is described in articles from local media as “the family dog.” The child was taken to the hospital by a Good Samaritan, according to reporting from NBC6 South Florida. The child’s father told reporters that the dog, an American Bully, “never showed signs of aggression” before this incident. The animal was surrendered to Broward County Animal Care and Control and was euthanized, NBC6 South Florida reported.

Published on: February 23, 2026

Pastor Accused of Sexually Abusing Minor at Miami Church. How Leesfield & Partners has Represented Victims and Survivors for 50 Years.

By Leesfield & Partners

A pastor at a church in Northwest Miami-Dade County is facing charges after police say he sexually abused a 15-year-old member of the congregation.

Elco Vallier, 50, of Loxahatchee, Florida, was charged with lewd and lascivious molestation and lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.

At around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, the minor told police that Vallier sexually assaulted her on several occasions at the church, according to a Feb. 18 press release from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The girl’s mother told deputies that she found “inappropriate text messages” on her daughter’s phone that she alleges are from Vallier.

Published on: February 19, 2026

Driver of University of Miami Bus Accused of Driving Under the Influence. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A video of students confronting a driver of a University of Miami bus who was later accused of being intoxicated has circulated online after an incident Monday afternoon.

The 45-year-old driver was later charged with driving under the influence, two counts of DUI resulting in property damage and refusing to take a sobriety test, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The incident happened at about 3:30 p.m. on the 300 block of U.S. 1. The driver allegedly crashed into a tree and “other objects” on the road, the newspaper reported. When officers arrived, they noted in their report that the man had bloodshot eyes, was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol.

Published on: February 18, 2026

One Month of Self-Driving Taxis in Miami. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Just over a month after Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service was launched in Miami, the company is already facing dubious safety concerns.

Videos of one of the company’s autonomous vehicles stopped on the Venetian Causeway Bridge and causing a traffic backup went viral online last month. The incident sparked conversations online centered around safety.

Mykel Kochenderfer of the Stanford Intelligence Systems Laboratory told reporters with NBC 6 South Florida that companies like Waymo hoping to launch these programs “need to get it right.”

Published on: February 18, 2026

Two Dead in Broward County Crash Wednesday. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

At least two drivers were killed Wednesday in a fiery, wrong-way crash on U.S. 27 in Broward County, according to media reporting.

The tragic crash occurred around 12:25 a.m. at Mile Marker 37 and involved a white Land Rover Discovery and a white 2013 Nissan Altima, officials with Florida Highway Patrol told reporters with The Miami Herald. The Nissan, driven by a 24-year-old woman, was headed south in the northbound lanes where the Land Rover was driving north and the two collided.

The Land Rover caught fire and the driver was trapped inside. Both drivers died at the scene.

Published on: February 18, 2026

Warnings Issued Over ATV Usage. At Least Eight People Dead.

By Leesfield & Partners

Several warnings have been issued regarding all-terrain vehicles in the U.S. over the last several months following the deaths of at least eight people in recent weeks, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The warnings were issued in late 2025 and early 2026 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding specific brands of ATVs. Among them was an Aunvito MX Moto youth ATV with the CPSC stating that the vehicles violate mandatory standards for youth ATVs, including failing to meet mechanical suspension requirements. This creates a crash hazard. Another issue flagged by the agency is that the vehicles’ surfaces exceed maximum temperature requirements and pose a risk of burns. The handlebars could potentially pose a laceration hazard if a child were to come into contact with it at a high rate of speed. The vehicle is also missing required safety reflectors.

The agency also issued a warning last month for Nakto Youth ATVs sold o Amazon, which exceed speed limits for children 6 years old and older. These vehicles also have a suspension and handlebar issue.

Published on: February 10, 2026

Florida Home’s Possible Carbon Monoxide Leak Kills Four, Including Children. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

Police are citing carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause of death for four people, including two children, who were found inside a Marion County home Friday, Feb. 6.

The bodies were found Friday night after police were called out to the home on Banyan Track Way for a wellness check, according to reporting from NBC 6 South Florida.

No official cause of death has been released by the coroner’s office. Police did tell reporters that no foul play is suspected and that they believed the family had died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Published on: February 9, 2026

‘One Moment of Inattention’ Has Severe Consequences: Leesfield & Partners Files Lawsuit on Behalf of a Severely Injured Monroe County Bicyclist

By Leesfield & Partners

Leesfield & Partners filed a lawsuit this week on behalf of a man who was ejected from his bike following a crash on Stock Island with a commercial truck driver.

“This driver’s one moment of inattention has left my client with life-altering injuries,” said Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Attorney at the firm. “This frightening incident has left him in severe pain, causing a disruption to his daily life and happiness.”

The incident occurred just after 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 as our client was approaching the intersection of College Road, where he had the right-of-way to proceed. At the same time, another man behind the wheel of a commercial truck was approaching from the opposite direction and failed to yield, plowing through the intersection and making an illegal left turn. In doing so, this driver hit our client who was then ejected from his bicycle and sent into the air before eventually falling onto the hood of another vehicle. He was then thrown onto the road.

Published on: February 5, 2026

Uber Driver Lost Control of Car, Crashed in Little Havana. Why?

By Leesfield & Partners

A rideshare driver who lost control of her vehicle on Saturday, Jan. 31, crashing into another car and a building, said that her passenger assaulted her, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. in Little Havana near Southwest Sixth Avenue near Seventh Street. The woman, a driver for Uber, said that she was driving a man in her backseat when he allegedly covered her mouth and attempted to grope her.

The driver told police she had lost control of the vehicle in the struggle and crashed into another car and a building. Videos posted online after the fact show the mangled vehicles and damage to the building.