Some Vacation… Becoming Injured While Visiting Florida

Florida hosts over 88 million visitors annually. While most of these visitors will benefit from a relaxing or productive experience while staying in Florida on business or pleasure, many of them will experience an accident or injury of some kind on Florida’s roads, beaches, waters or in one of Florida’s many theme parks and tourist attractions. It is important to understand both the risks for injury while visiting Florida and to obtain basic information on how you should react if injured before setting off on your vacation.

The Risks, by the Numbers

Florida can be a dangerous place to explore, by foot, by boat or by car.

By foot: South Florida is consistently ranked the worst area in America for hit and run fatalities. The non-profit group Transportation for America ranked Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville as the four most dangerous metropolitan areas in the United States for walking in 2007-2008. Orlando-Kissimmee alone sustained 117 pedestrian accident fatalities in 2007-2008.

502 pedestrians were killed and 7,878 were injured in Florida in 2008, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The Department also reported 118 cycling deaths and 4,380 cycling injuries during the same year.

By boat: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ranked Florida as the most dangerous state for boating fatalities in 2007-2008. During this time, 77 people were killed in boating accidents, primarily as a result of drowning or trauma. In addition, there were 38 injuries sustained in boating accidents during this period for every 100,000 registered recreational vehicles in the state. This number translates to 386 reported injuries from boating accidents during this period of time.

By car: The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported that an average of 655 automobile crashes occurred every day in Florida in 2008. 2,983 fatalities and 199,658 injuries resulted from these automobile crashes.

Transportation accidents are not the only way in which to sustain injury while visiting Florida. In recent years, several tourists have fallen off of hotel balconies, been sexually molested in water parks and beaten for cutting in line at Disneyworld.

Regardless of the type of injury you may sustain while visiting Florida, there are a few commonsense things to keep in mind after you have been injured.

If You Have Been Injured: Some Commonsense Suggestions

It may be necessary to bring a lawsuit or pursue insurance payments after you have been injured. In order to maintain all the protections you are afforded under the law, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

• First take all reasonable steps necessary for immediate medical treatment.
• Document with photographs. If you or anyone with you at the scene of your injury have the ability to take pictures, they may prove invaluable at a later date.
• File a report with local law enforcement as soon as possible.
• Document everything you can about the accident as soon as possible so that important information like license plates, physical descriptions, location and other details aren’t forgotten.
• Consult an attorney before speaking to insurance adjusters and law enforcement beyond the first responders on the scene.
• Seek needed medical treatment immediately and report any symptoms, however small, to a physician.
• Ensure that any rental car agreements are kept in a safe place, as recovery for auto accidents involving rental cars will likely be impacted by these agreements.

For Further Reference

Navigating the Florida justice system can be a confusing and frustrating process if you have been injured in Florida but reside elsewhere. If your particular injury requires you to bring a lawsuit in Florida, you will need to consult an attorney licensed to practice in Florida.

If you or someone you care about has been injured while visiting Florida, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can answer your questions and discuss your options with you.