Personal Injury On Vacation in Southwest Florida
Vacation is one of the least convenient times to sustain an injury. Disappointment from foiled rest and relaxation due to pain is compounded by unfamiliar locations, doctors and hospitals. The unforseen costs of personal injury can make an already pricey getaway even more expensive. Injuries sustained on vacations can be caused by a myriad of different occurrences – negligence by a hotel, resort, cruise ship, or other accommodations, or being involved in a motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or scooter accident or boating or other watercraft accident. In these particular cases, it can be prudent to seek legal help to get the justice and compensation deserved.
Certain steps should be taken to fully document the particulars of the emergency immediately after a personal injury occurs. Always report the injury with the manager of the hotel or resort, to crew of the ship, or local law enforcement agency. Document the defect or dangerous condition that caused your injury, or damage to the motor vehicle or other conveyance being ridden by photograph if possible. While it can seem inconvenient, it is also important to seek medical attention if needed while on vacation.
A Common Vacation Injury
Hotel fires in the U.S. have greatly decreased even in the last 20 years. However, in 2013, 117 civilians were injured in hotel fires. Six people lost their lives.¹
From 2004 to 2008, 7,840 people in the United States were victims of a violent crime while in a hotel.² These crimes and injuries are rare, but they do happen and should be taken seriously.
Many hotel pools do not have a lifeguard on duty, so it is important to be diligent when at the swimming pool, especially with children. Following several accidental drownings or near drownings in the past several years, two major cruise lines, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, added lifeguards to their ships in 2017.³ Other examples of personal injury on vacation include- Gym equipment accidents, slip and falls, elevator accidents, boating or recreational equipment accidents, and food poisoning.
Who to Call
If you or someone you love has sustained an injury while on vacation, it is important to seek legal counsel. Your Southwest Florida attorneys at Goldstein, Buckley, Cechman, Rice, and Purtz have over 50 years of legal experience in dealing with personal injury. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
1 National Fire Protection Association, “U.S. Hotel and Motel Structure Fires” report
2 https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=44
3 http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article145571359.html
