Many visitors from the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland come to Florida each year, as there are many things to see and do in locations such as Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando. Resorts like Disney and Universal Studios bring travelers from all over the world. Unfortunately, some visitors to Florida sustain injuries in vacation accidents.
Injured travelers typically want to know if they have a right to compensation despite their foreign nationalities. Fortunately, there is a good chance those injured while visiting Florida can recover their damages.
State Tort Laws
Florida’s tort laws allow those injured as a result of someone else’s negligence to pursue compensation. State law recognizes that accident victims should not experience further loss or pay for their own damages when someone else causes them. If another party acts carelessly and causes an accident, they could be held liable for any subsequent injuries.
These statutes extend to people from overseas who are hurt while visiting resorts such as Disney because of another party’s recklessness. Regardless of whether you are from Ireland or Scotland, the law states you are entitled to compensation for any injuries resulting from an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
Florida’s Statute of Limitations
An injured person must file a claim before the statute of limitations expires, which is generally four years from the date of an accident. Claims against the government have a statute of limitations of three years, and those involving wrongful death have a time limit of only two years. Filing a claim after any of these timelines will likely result in a claim being thrown out entirely.
It is important that travelers who are injured while vacationing in Miami speak to a local tourist injury attorney before the statute of limitations runs out. In fact, they should speak to legal counsel before they return home to the UK.
Compensation for Travelers Hurt on Vacation
Florida law allows injured tourists to recover many different types of compensation for their losses. For example, economic damages have an actual dollar value, are easy to calculate, and may cover the following:
- Lost income
- Past and future medical expenses
- Property damage
- Rehabilitative costs
- Hospital stay expenses
- Unexpected travel arrangements
Non-economic damages may also be available in a Florida personal injury claim. These do not have a quantifiable value, so a skilled legal representative can help calculate the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
An experienced attorney can determine whether any additional types of compensation would be available in your claim for damages.
Speak to a Florida Tourist Injury Attorney to Learn More
If you have been injured in an accident while on vacation in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or Orlando, you should speak to a local tourist injury attorney before you return home. A lawyer from our team can handle your claim when you leave the state and give you the best chance of claiming compensation for your injuries. If you have already returned home to Ireland, Scotland, or the United Kingdom, you can still reach out to our firm to work with an attorney in your area to expedite the legal process.
The post I Was Hurt While Visiting Florida from Outside the United States. Am I Entitled to Compensation? appeared first on Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa.
