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South Florida Vacation Rental Accommodations During The Holidays

This holiday season has already proven itself to be a busy one, especially in South Florida.

Nearly 110 million people are expected to travel throughout the United States between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, according to AAA. That’s nearly 28 million more travelers than the 2020 holiday period.

Considering that Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International and Miami International airports are ranked as a top destination for Christmas and New Year’s travel, it’s safe to say that a significant number of that total will descend upon our sunny beaches and roadways. Also, they will all need a place to stay.

South Florida Vacation Rental Accommodations During The Holidays 1 Hotel Accidents South Florida Injury Law Firm

It’s exciting to plan a vacation to somewhere new and being somewhere will it make it even more memorable.

A good number of those traveling here to South Florida may have their own place to stay or have accommodations with family or friends. Even more though are staying at a hotel, motel or a vacation rental like an Airbnb and Vrbo.

Many hotels are centrally located, with easy walking or transport access to nightlife, restaurants, and cultural attractions.
But if you really want to blend in with the neighborhood’s full-time residents, a vacation rental is a better choice for many.

Airbnb and Vrbo vacation rentals are very popular throughout South Florida and there is little wonder as to why.
With the ability from property owners to make their beachside home or their scenic skyscraper condo available to rent,it can provide a unique holiday stay experiences.

In most cases, their trips will be a delightful memory that can last a lifetime.
However, with recent cases of rape and sexual assault that can happen at these vacation rental establishments, it needs to be considered in order to take the right precautions and action.

South Florida Vacation Rental Accommodations During The Holidays 2 Hotel Accidents South Florida Injury Law Firm

Any business that caters to vacationers need to do more than simply just opening their doors. They have a responsibility to provide protection from any preventable hazards and generally, safe premises.

Often there are no issues with these rentals and both customers and owners share positive experiences. Staying at an Airbnb or Vrbo property should be a positive experience and equally, there should be no case where you end up in the hospital due to the negligence or unaddressed conditions of the property instead.

If you do or have experienced sexual assault during your stay at a short term rental, your response should be determined by the nature of the incident. If dangerous and ongoing, the most important thing that you can do is to remove yourself from the situation. If you need to seek assistance, do so immediately.

You have the right to file a claim if you’ve been the victim of a sexual assault or other type of misconduct (whether physical or sexual in nature) at an Airbnb or Vrbo property.

Separate from any criminal case proceeding, a sexual assault lawsuit can also help survivors recover damages for the harm caused. Emotional distress damages are compensation one recovers for impact that would include anxiety, humiliation, and psychological trauma.

Our attorneys at The South Florida Injury Law Firm are here to make sure that you are fairly treated in the aftermath of such an incident and to help you take the necessary legal action you need to get the compensation you deserve. Our experienced attorneys work diligently to fight for their clients rights who have either suffered serious injuries or assault on or around their vacation rental.

South Florida Vacation Rental Accommodations During The Holidays 3 Hotel Accidents South Florida Injury Law Firm

Wherever you choose go or stay. we wish you all a safe and enjoyable Holiday season

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VRBO Sexual and Physical Assault Cases

VRBO and others revolutionized the vacation rental industry when they launched, providing a simple platform for homeowners to rent their partial or entire properties for short-term stays.

 

Instead of limiting your stay to hotels and motels, VRBO and other similar vacation rental companies have allowed property owners to make their vacant properties available for any party registered with them as a guest or host. The platform provides a list of available accommodations ranging from apartments and houses up through castles; some listed by private individuals who rent them directly; others offered by professional real estate firms, hotel chains, resorts & spas offering timeshares.


VRBO Sexual and Physical Assault Cases 4 Hotel Accidents South Florida Injury Law FirmVRBO Background

VRBO was founded in 1995 as Vacation Rentals by Owner, but was later acquired by Expedia/Home Away and has grown into the largest source for short-term vacation rentals. Although the vacation rental service provides many benefits that have consistently been used and enjoyed by hundreds of parties throughout time, there are also negative aspects. Similar to the Airbnb platform, VRBO has experienced tremendous growth in volume that has surpassed its ability to ensure the safety for its hosts and guests.

 

Although most accommodations are comfortable, safe and successful, what happens if you unluckily become a victim of a violent or sexual assault or injury?
VRBO and AirBnb have admitted they receive more than 250,000 safety issue reports each year from both hosts and guests, but have chosen exponential growth over taking the proper steps to protect their customers.

Concerningly, many of these reports are from those who were guests that have reported sexual assaults by VRBO hosts.
With a variety of allegations that include claims of kidnapping, rape and other acts of sexual violence. Some accusations have even included child sex abuse. However, guests are not the only victims stated in these assaults. Hosts and their families have also been assaulted by the guests they have rented their properties to.

Because of this, many strongly believe VRBO and others have not done enough to ensure the safety of both guests and hosts on its platforms. In their proven effort to provide quick service, many believe VRBO has failed to properly protect its guests and hosts from predators by not ensuring adequate security, check-in safeguards and background checks. Although VRBO screens rental owners and renters, many claim the background checks don’t do enough to protect either party.

VRBO Sexual and Physical Assault Cases 5 Hotel Accidents South Florida Injury Law Firm

 

In response, the company has deployed a crisis response team of nearly 100 agents to quickly hush up these crimes and pay settlements to those affected before they go public.
However, victims should never agree to a release without learning their full legal rights to compensation. Until 2017, every potential guest who negotiated a settlement with them over events and incidents involving attacks, assault, rape, and murder was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Media reports indicate the vacation rental company’s high-profile operatives are trained to negotiate the potential publicity nightmare of some of the gruesome events involving the Company’s worst crises. Because of the wording in the non-disclosure agreement meant that they could not reveal their harrowing stories involving VRBO that would likely go unreported.

While they’ve assembled teams of crisis responders to handle complaints, these people do not work for victims or have their best interests in mind.

VRBO Sex Assault Legal Assistance

Survivors of these assaults can take legal action to get the justice they deserve. Lawyers are now investigating VRBO lawsuits for those who’ve suffered sexual assault, physical assault or homicide while using their services. Given the complexity of these lawsuits, and the numerous parties involved, the assistance of a personal injury attorney with knowledge of the VRBO platform is imperative. If you’ve been a victim, you should speak directly with a lawyer today.

At South Florida Injury Law Firm, our attorneys represent sexually abused victims. Tell us what happened in a confidential setting. Then, let us hold those responsible for causing your harm financially accountable for their negligence.

Our South Florida attorneys have developed a reputation for being compassionate advocates. We understand the challenges you are facing and cater our representation to your unique situation and needs. Our legal team accepts all personal injury cases and wrongful death lawsuits through contingency fee agreements to ensure no payments are made until we resolve the case through a negotiated settlement or jury trial verdict.

Hurt Due to Bad Conditions at a Florida Hotel? You Can Fight Back

Hurt Due to Bad Conditions at a Florida Hotel? You Can Fight Back

Hurt Due to Bad Conditions at a Florida Hotel? You Can Fight Back

If you are injured at a hotel, you may be entitled to compensation if you can prove negligence.

That’s what happened for one 75-year-old woman. After an unfortunate accident, she sued a Days Inn hotel in Bradenton and recently won $675,000 in her lawsuit against them.

What happened?

The woman slipped in a hotel bathtub and broke her leg. Her attorney claimed that it occurred because the bathtub lacked safety features like grab bars and slip-resistant surfaces, and the hotel failed to warn guests of the risks. This negligence led to the woman’s injury.

Though the hotel argued that the bathtub was properly maintained, and the woman failed to exercise reasonable care, the company representatives decided to settle out of court.

Why were they held responsible? Below, we’re going to explain how a skilled Florida injury attorney can use the laws of our state to help you receive the benefits you deserve.

Hotel Premises Liability in Florida

According to Florida premises liability law, hotels are responsible to provide a reasonably safe experience for guests. This means, in part, that hotels are accountable for warning guests against reasonable dangers. If they fail to adequately provide safety or reasonable warnings, they can be held liable for resulting injuries to those invited onto their property, including guests.

A personal injury attorney can help you if you are injured while staying in a Florida hotel by helping ascertain the cause of your injury and let you know if they believe you are entitled to compensation.

Examples of breaches in hotel responsibilities include the following:

  • Failure to clean up or mark off a slippery surface, which can lead to slip-and-fall injuries
  • Failure to inspect, maintain, and repair appliances, such as lamps
  • Failure to regulate the water temperature to prevent scalding

In a premises liability lawsuit against a hotel, you must be able to prove that the hotel’s breach of duty to you directly caused your injury, which resulted in financial losses.

However, note the special stipulations outlined in this section of Florida law:

“Premises liability for transitory foreign substances in a business establishment.

(1) If a person slips and falls on a transitory foreign substance in a business establishment, the injured person must prove that the business establishment had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action to remedy it. Constructive knowledge may be proven by circumstantial evidence showing that:

(a) The dangerous condition existed for such a length of time that, in the exercise of ordinary care, the business establishment should have known of the condition; or

(b) The condition occurred with regularity and was therefore foreseeable.

(2) This section does not affect any common-law duty of care owed by a person or entity in possession or control of a business premises.”

Florida courts will examine the foreseeability of your situation. If your attorney can prove that the situation was foreseeable and therefore preventable, you may have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit.

Why You Should File a Florida Premises Liability Lawsuit

Remember how much compensation the woman in the above example received? $675,000.

Why would the hotel be made to pay that much for a simple slip in the bathtub? Because it’s not a “payout.” The money is meant to cover the specific damages the woman incurred. Medical bills. Lost income. Transportation costs. Any pain and suffering she may have experienced.

Why You Should File a Florida Premises Liability Lawsuit

Expenses for even “minor” injuries can add up quickly, and if you’re forced to pay for it all on your own, it can be just as devastating as the accident itself – if not more so. Filing a premises liability lawsuit and winning compensation is a way to keep you from falling into a financial hole due to something that wasn’t even your fault.

Don’t you owe it to yourself and your family to avoid paying for another’s mistake?

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for the South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.

South Florida Hotel Accident Lawyer

When Are Hotels Liable for Accidents and Injuries?

South Florida Hotel Accident Lawyer
Millions of tourists flock to Florida each year, seeking sunshine, beaches, and adventures in some of the world’s most beloved theme parks. After a day spent swimming with dolphins and riding roller coasters, vacationers head to their hotel for rest and relaxation.

 

Once vacationers are back amid the fluffy pillows, sleek décor, and luxurious facilities of their hotels, few imagine that they are in danger of injury and harm. However, while most hotels are designed to provide guests with a secure, restful, and comfortable experience, accidents and injuries do happen frequently on the premises of Florida hotels.

 

Hotels have a responsibility to protect their guests and visitors. Under Florida law, hotel owners and operators must keep the hotel premises—including rooms, lobbies, spas, pools, and restaurants—in safe condition. When hotel management fails to live up to this standard, accidents and injuries can occur.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most common accidents that occur because of dangerous conditions or staff negligence in a hotel.

 

Slip-and-falls. Hotel owners have a responsibility to maintain the safety of all walkways and eliminate dangerous conditions. Wet floors, worn carpeting, and cracked and uneven flooring can cause slip-and-fall accidents. These types of accidents are particularly dangerous in pool areas, where falling guests may hit their head on concrete and suffer traumatic brain injury.

 

Boca Raton Hotel Accident Attorney

Food poisoning. Unrefrigerated, under-cooked, and contaminated ingredients can poison room service and hotel restaurant dishes. Hotel operators have a duty to comply with approved food handling and sanitation measures to avoid transferring harmful bacteria to their guests.

 

Bedbug bites. When hotels do not maintain the cleanliness of mattresses, pillows, and furniture, the likelihood of a bedbug infestation increases. In the event of infestation, hotels have a responsibility to employ proper pest control measures. If they fail to eradicate bedbugs, hotel guests may suffer painful bites, and could unknowingly carry bedbugs home with them in their clothes and luggage. Once bedbugs infest a private home, it can be incredibly expensive to eradicate them.

 

Drowning. Drownings and other swimming pool accidents may occur in hotel pools if management fails to train staff to prevent such disasters, and if pool, hot tub, and waterslide conditions are unsafe.

 

Burns. There are a variety of unsafe conditions that can cause burns for hotel guests, including water thermostats that are set to high and broken irons.

 

Assaults. Guests often drop their guard and relax in hotels, making them more vulnerable targets for violent crimes such as assault and robberies. Hotel owners endanger their guests if there are inadequate security issues in their hotels, such as insufficient lighting, faulty locks, and a lack of security cameras and staff.

 

Holding a Hotel Accountable

 

Under Florida law, hotels may be held liable if you were injured or harmed in any way due to unsafe conditions. However, you bear the legal burden of proof to demonstrate that the hotel knew or should have known of the condition and fixed it. For instance, if you can show that the hotel neglected to recognize a dangerous condition because management failed to appropriately maintain and inspect the premises, the hotel may be held liable for any injuries you suffer as a result

 

To successfully hold a hotel accountable for your injury in a personal injury claim, you must meet the burden of proof by showing sufficient evidence. That’s why it’s important to take the appropriate steps after falling victim to an injury at a hotel.

 

West Palm Beach Hotel Accident Lawyer

Alert the hotel. Contact the hotel manager as soon as possible to alert them of your injury and the dangerous condition. This way, they can secure medical assistance for you and address the danger to prevent harm to other guests.

 

Seek medical attention. Even if you believe your injuries are minor, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. Prompt medical treatment is important for your physical well-being and the strength of your case, and medical records will provide valuable evidence of the harm you suffered. Whenever possible, secure copies of medical bills, prescription receipts, and other treatment-related costs.

 

Contact an attorney. It can be difficult to hold a hotel liable for your injury, even if it was caused by blatant negligence. Hotels are often owned by large, multinational corporations and backed by a team of top lawyers. That’s why it’s important to enlist the aid of your own attorney, ideally one who is experienced in Florida hotel injury cases. An experienced attorney will understand Florida’s complex personal injury laws, and gather evidence, find witnesses, and file an insurance claim. And if it becomes necessary to court, your lawyer can fight to for your right to be compensated for medical costs, lost wages, and overall pain and suffering.

 

About the Author:

Jeffrey Braxton is a trial lawyer in Fort Lauderdale who has devoted his 22-year career to the practice of personal injury law. As lead trial attorney for The South Florida Injury Law Firm, Jeff has litigated thousands of cases and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have resolved cases in excess of one million dollars.