So You Got Hurt on Vacation?

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury

Florida is one of the most popular vacation spots on the planet. There are roughly 1 million seasonal residents who spend time in Florida, otherwise known as snowbirds. There are roughly 100 million people that visit Florida annually. It is an unavoidable fact that many non-residents will be injured while visiting Florida.

Common Vacation Injuries

Vacationers will arrive in Florida by trains, planes, automobiles and boats. Most will stay in hotels or resorts, dine in restaurants and many will visit an amusement park. Each of these facilities owes a duty to its guests to maintain its property that shall not present an unreasonable risk of injury to its patrons. The most common injuries seen in vacationers are:

1. Car Accidents ;

2. Pedestrian Accidents – Vacationers often walk once they reach their destination and Florida is among the worst in the nation when it comes to pedestrian safety;

3. Scooter Accidents / Motorcycle Accidents – Scooters are a popular means of rented transportation for vacationers, but the risks of riding a scooter in high traffic areas are considerable;

4. Bicycle Accidents – Like scooters, bicycles are a popular means of rented transportation, but riding amongst the cars carry risks;

5. Slip and Falls – Slip and falls can happen just about anywhere including amusement parks, hotels, resorts, restaurants, stores etc.

6. Injuries Suffered Amusement Park – Injuries related to falls from rides or faulty safety equipment are a source of concern;

7. Boating Accidents – Boating is an extremely popular source of entertainment, but accidents are not uncommon especially when parasailing or speed boating; and

8. Resort Accidents / Injuries – Almost every resort in Florida has a pool and sometimes these pools are not properly maintained or the resort does not properly monitor the pool. Another area of concern at some resorts is inadequate security which may allow assaults to occur at the resort.

What to do if You Have Been Injured on Vacation

If you or a loved one has gotten injured on vacation in Florida, you should:

1. Seek Medical Attention for Your Injuries – Do not put off getting medical care. Make sure that you have all possible injuries evaluated by medical personnel;

2. Collect Evidence – To the extent that you are able collect evidence. Take pictures, obtain the contact information for witnesses and obtain accident or incident report;

3. Do Not Post Any Details About Your Accident on Social Media – This means, do not post pictures of the scene, your injuries or even respond to questions about the accident; and

4. Keep Your Statements Brief – Your statements to police should honestly and fairly address their questions. Any statements that you give to a business or insurance company is voluntary and represents the beginning of their efforts to protect their own interests. In my opinion, you should speak to a lawyer prior to giving statements to business representatives and insurance companies;

Contact Jones Law Group

Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident while you were on vacation? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer at The Law Offices of Bobby Jones today. When you contact our office we will immediately set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her personal contact information. Whether you are still in Florida or you have returned to your permanent home, you can contact The Law Offices of Bobby Jones and rest assured that your case will be handled aggressively and professionally.

Whether you were a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or the occupant of car, motorcycle or boat and have been injured in an accident, you should immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707