Florida Personal Injury Blog
IN MIAMI, THE PERAZZO LAW FIRM SHARES INSIGHT FOR STAYING SAFE DURING THE SUMMER AND HOW TO AVOID COMMON SUMMER SEASON ACCIDENTS
SWIMMING POOL ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND SAFETY
Summer Tips for Staying Safe during Summer
As the summer season approaches and the weather warms, those looking for a splash, will be spending time poolside, at hotels, motels, and private residences across South Florida. That is why, the Perazzo Law Firm in Miami has prepared a special article aimed at helping visitors and residents stay safe by preventing accidents that occur inside or outside of a swimming pool.
Swimming pool accidents are usually quite serious for the following reasons:
- Pool areas consist of hard surfaces
- Pool accidents usually include fractures, breaks, or head injuries
People sometimes drown because of:
- Head injuries
- Inability to swim
- Intoxication
- No lifeguard on duty
- Lack of adult or supervision
When a swimming pool accident happens, the injuries may be the result of negligence on behalf of the swimming pool owner or the business operator responsible for the safety of the guests in the case of a hotel, motel, or spa. Nevertheless, people need to take special safety precautions when spending time in or around a swimming pool.
What you can do to prevent a swimming pool accident:
- Don’t run or make sudden moves – Slips and falls usually occur when people run, skip, or jump around the pool area.
- Avoid diving – Diving should be left to people with diving experience and done from diving boards. Many times, people suffer head injuries when attempting to dive into the pool from the edge. Get familiar with the shallow and deep ends before attempting to dive or jump in.
- Avoid drunkenness – Excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to injuries from slip and falls, or can lead to drowning when people are too drunk to stay conscious.
- Use sunscreen and get shade-time – Overexposure to the sun can lead to burning, which can lead to infection and ultimately, skin cancer. Young children should never be left in the sun and unattended to.
- Respect the deep end – apart from determining the shallow and deep parts of a pool, staying out of the deep end, unless for diving, is usually recommended.
- Act your age – Being responsible when in or around a swimming pool is fundamental. Acting silly usually results in silly accidents.
Common Swimming Pool Accidents
- Sprains – Given the slippery surfaces, people will usually sprain ankles or wrists upon falling.
- Breaks and Fractures – Hard surfaces made of concrete or cement are harder than bones. It’s easy to break a finger or a toe in a swimming pool. A broken toe can occur when a person stumps a toe on raised pool-bottom surface or tile. Broken bones are permanent injuries.
- Cuts and Laceration – There may exist sharp edges on swimming pool ladders, slides, chairs, or broken tiles or surfaces. Cuts leave scars which are permanent injuries that can affect a person’s life if the scar is located on the facial area.
- Drowning – Children are the most prone to drowning accidents. Sadly, poor adult supervision is one of the leading causes of drowning accidents in swimming pools. Pool areas should be gated and locked when not in use or there is no proper supervision to prevent drowning accidents. Children should never be left unattended to when in or around a swimming pool area.
If you suffered personal injury or bodily harm in a swimming pool related accident, contact the Perazzo Law Firm NOW to find out about a possible insurance claim for compensation to cover losses stemming from the injuries. Many times, there is negligence on behalf of operators that breaches the duty of care that they owe to guests. The Miami Personal Injury Staff at the Perazzo Law Firm will strive to achieve a successful lawsuit to recover financial losses associated with the accident and injuries.
BEACH AND WATER SPORTS ACCIDENTS
Water sports are great fun and there is a vast array of options for fun in the summer sun. From diving to surfing, every water sport activity entails a sense of adrenaline and the dangers that come from the thrill. Water sport activities do not only place the person carrying out the activity, but also those that may be splashing around in the water. A kite surfer can easily lose control and come crashing down on someone in the water. It happens, as harnesses, ropes, and even boat operators may fail to do their job right. When accidents happen in the water, there exists the chance of serious personal injury and even wrongful death from drowning. That’s why it’s important to abide by safety regulations and apply responsible attitudes when taking part in water sports.
The most dangerous water sports include the following:
- Surfing – your body is the only defense in a wipe out that leads to impact against coral reefs or rocks.
- Jet Skiing – not only dangerous if the jet ski falls on top of you, but it can also injure others in the water.
- Kayaking – Strong winds can be hard to harness. Injuries usually involve sprains, fractures, or breaks.
- Parasailing – The boat operator plays an important role for safe parasailing. Harnesses should always be carefully inspected.
- Scuba Diving – spending time underwater requires training and professional instruction. Having the proper gear is fundamental.
Water sports are perfect for combining sun and fun. Unfortunately, they require skill and care for them to be fun because they are all dangerous in some way. Before you, a friend, or relative takes up a water sport, make sure it’s the right one by finding out its skill level and proper gear requirements.
Boating Accidents and Prevention
Boating collisions and negligence are the number one causes of boating accidents in Florida.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, reports that many boaters are negligent when taking to Florida waterways and this has resulted in 79 fatal accidents and many injured. Poor training and boating safety education are among the leading causes of boating accidents.
With the number of boating registrations rising significantly over the past two years, the number or boating accidents is expected to increase dramatically. These are the figures as they stand today according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission:
- 985,005 registered vessels
- 836 reportable boating accidents
- 387 collisions with either another vessel (224) or a fixed object (163).
- Drowning was leading cause of death (47%); Trauma was second (39%)
- 69% of the operators in fatal boating accidents had no formal boater education
The FWC stated that “Florida leads the nation in registered vessels, but it is estimated that up to one million non-registered vessels actively use Florida’s waters, and this segment of the boating population appears to still be growing.”
Boating accidents is a broad category of accidents involving a vessel regardless if any individual suffered injuries. However, typically boating accident involve personal injuries, death or missing persons. Even an incident where an individual suffered a fear of drowning with long-term mental anguish may be actionable.
Boating accidents tend to be very complex and challenging. Liability for a boating accident may involve the operator of the vessel, the employer, the owner of the vessel and the manufacturers of the vessel or its equipment and parts if it caused or contributed to the boating accident. A boating accident may be caused by operator error, which could make the operator, the employer and the owner liable.
Many factors can contribute to a boating accident. One of the most common factors involved in a boating accident is the intoxication of the operator of the vessel. All states impose severe penalties for those found guilty of boating under the influence. Some jurisdictions even go as far as to assign some of the liability to the operator who may not be factually responsible for the boating accident. If you suspect the operator of the vessel may be intoxicated or intends to consume intoxicants during the voyage, it is best to stay ashore and inform the authorities.
Other factors, such as weather conditions may also increase the chances of a boating accident. Severe weather conditions are responsible for a significant number of boating accidents. Typically, victims of boating accidents caused by weather fail to pursue compensation claims. Modern vessels are equipped with a wide array of required equipment meant to warn the operator of impending inclement weather. If the operator fails to avoid incoming dangerous conditions by changing course or staying in the port, then the victims of the boating accident may have an actionable claim for compensation.
TOURIST SAFETY IN MIAMI
Miami visitors and Florida vacationers need to remind themselves that crime exists in every big city across the globe. That said, tourists and out of towners visiting Miami need to take certain precautions when out and about, especially at night. With a vast choice of bars, nightclubs, and adult entertainment available, criminals are likely to lurking, ready to capitalize on unsuspecting tourists. In Miami, the Perazzo Law Firm’s staff of personal injury attorneys that handle accident claims involving tourists and out-of-towners that fall victim to acts of violence or negligence by business operators, understand that most criminal activity can, and should be adverted by the business owner. This can include taking necessary precautions and applying safety measures such as the installation of surveillance video cameras strategically placed in and around the place of business, such as entrances, exits, interiors, and parking lots, which is where most criminal activity occurs.
CAN A BUSINESS OPERATOR BE HELD LEGALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR PERSONAL INJURY FROM CRIMINAL ACTIVITY?
Yes, a business operator can be held liable for personal injury incurred by a customer, as long as fault can be established. A professional and experienced personal injury lawyer in Miami, may be able to prove that a business operator knew of any possible and preventable dangers existing in or around the place of business. For example, if a nightclub owner or operator was aware of illegal activity taking place in the business’ parking lot, the business operator may be liable for any injuries incurred by a patron not involved in said illegal activity.
Security Personnel and Surveillance Cameras
In order to prevent crime from taking place in or around shops, bars, restaurants, malls, nightclubs, etc., business operators may benefit from hiring security personnel to provide extra protection against criminal activity and have surveillance cameras strategically installed to deter acts of violence and help police identify criminals that assault customers.
Adequate and Sufficient Lighting
Dark parking lots are an muggers or rapist’s paradise. Waling through dark parking lots can be dangers, especially, after midnight. People should avoid poorly lit parking lots after dark as criminal tend to lurk. That is why, business operators that offer customers parking after dark, should take the necessary precautions to provide good, adequate lighting to deter criminal activity and to prevent muggers and rapists from stalking customers when walking across dark parking lots.
Irresponsible or Fake Uber and Lyft Drivers
In Miami, the Perazzo Law Firm’s personal injury handling Uber and Lyft accident victims, understand that Uber and Lyft provide reliable rideshare services, with quality drivers behind the wheel. Nevertheless, Uber and Lyft drivers occasionally get into traffic accidents and not all Uber of Lyft drivers are 100% honest. There exist a number of reasons why tourists and out-of-towners need to be cautious when taking an Uber or Lyft after leaving a bar or nightclub. (See Staying Safe During Uber Rides).
THE PERAZZO LAW FIRM HANDLES INSURANCE CLAIMS FOR TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS INJURED IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED OR DETERED BY BUSINESS OPERATORS IN MIAMI.
IF YOU, A FRIEND, OR RELATIVE HAS SUFFERED BODILY HARM AND LOSSES FROM PERSONAL INJURY IN OR AROUND A BAR, NIGHTCLUB, OR RESTAURANT, CONTACT THE PERAZZO LAW FIRM ONLINE FOR A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION.
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