South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
As with any other personal injury lawsuit here in Florida, when you are injured in your own home or on your own property, you must be able to demonstrate negligence on the part of a third party to receive compensation. For instance, if you slip and fall in your own kitchen because of your wet tile floor that has been properly installed, you cannot file a claim against your homeowner’s insurance or the installer of the floor for compensation because you are the negligent party. However, that does not mean that all injuries on your property are your fault.
Product Injuries
Product injuries happen every day in the United States, and sometimes those injuries are serious. Power tools, lawnmowers, baby cribs, electronic devices, large appliances, and kitchen equipment are common items that cause injuries. Other injuries may be caused by defective chemical products, such as cleaning agents or hygiene items.
In a product liability claim, the negligent third party may be the designer, the manufacturer of parts, the manufacturer that assembled the parts, the wholesaler, or the retailer. In some cases, it may be possible to hold more than one of these parties responsible.
Injuries Involving Contractors or Other Third Parties
If you are having any work done on your house and you are injured because of the work that is being done, you may have a claim against the contractor or company that is doing the work. For instance, if someone is building an addition and a wall falls on your head, that would probably be a clear sign of negligence. A more subtle example may be a contractor laying an extension cord across a commonly-used path in your home, on which you trip and break your hip.
Utilities
Injuries due to a utility company’s negligence are not uncommon. Electric shock may occur due to some fault in the electrical system outside your home sending a surge; a water main leak under your driveway may cause an unexpected sinkhole that causes injury; contaminated water may cause serious health problems.
Fighting against big businesses or municipalities can be daunting. While they may offer you some compensation, it may not be sufficient, and such an easy resolution of serious negligence hardly gives these big companies any incentive to prevent future such events.
Injured at Someone Else’s Home
While you may not be able to sue for a slip and fall on your own wet kitchen floor, you might be able to sue if it happens in someone else’s home. The same is true for injuries caused by products, contractors, or utility companies on someone else’s property.
If you have been physically injured, lost income or your job, or suffered other negative impacts due to third-party negligence in the state of Florida, contact me at (954)448-7288 to see how I can help you. As an experienced personal injury lawyer with a track record of obtaining maximum value for my clients, I take cases throughout Florida and I will make your case a priority.