With Florida as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, we should expect a surge in tourism this fall and winter. Especially after a year in which travel was virtually impossible, but people are starting to go on vacation again.
Tourists enjoy Florida’s exciting cities, sunny beaches and world-famous theme parks. But while here, they may also be at risk of serious injury because of another party’s negligence. They could be disabled for life or even killed. Then they or their families will face huge bills for medical care, lost wages and other damages.
The vast majority of Florida vacations are safe and enjoyable, but tourist injuries do happen. Here are six of the most common scenarios in which visitors to Florida get seriously hurt.
- Auto accidents. Many tourists drive to Florida or rent a vehicle while here. This exposes them to negligent drivers on the highways and city streets.
- Pedestrian accidents. As a tourist, you will spend quite a bit of time walking, but you may find that Florida is not the most pedestrian-friendly state. Pedestrian collisions with cars are all too common.
- Transit accidents. Accidents while riding a train, bus or ferry are rare, but they do happen. When they do, they are often the result of negligence by the company or government agency in charge of that form of mass transit.
- Slip-and-fall accidents. Stores, theme parks, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hotels and other places that tourists frequent do not always do a reasonably good job of maintaining their premises. A wet spot on the floor or broken step can cause a serious fall that badly injures the victim.
- Recreational injuries. If you enjoy activities like scuba diving, parasailing, skydiving, water skiing and boating, you may be injured by hiring or renting from a negligent business.
- Poor security. If you are the victim of an assault, the owner of the property where it happened could be partly responsible for failing to provide sufficient security for the premises.
A serious injury can do more than ruin your vacation. It can force you to stop working and greatly reduce your independence and quality of life. If you were injured while visiting Florida from another state, and you want to pursue a personal injury claim, you would need to hire a personal injury attorney who is licensed to practice in Florida.