Slip and Fall Incidents in South Florida
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Personal Injury Attorney, SLIP AND FALL | ,

Misconceptions About Slip and Fall Cases in Florida | The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus

Slip and Fall Personal Injury AttorneysDon’t Believe the Stories You Hear – Contact an Experienced Attorney

Personal Injury cases run from cuts and scrapes to paralysis, permanent brain damage and everything in between. The causes are sometimes the fault of the victim but are most often the result of someone else’s carelessness or negligence.

There is a misconception held my many that “slip and fall” accidents are mostly minor, usually don’t need any medical attention, and that filing a lawsuit for damages is a waste of time. People believe that even if they get a monetary settlement it will be small and their lawyer will take most of it.

mis·con·cep·tion: a view or opinion that is incorrect because based on faulty thinking or understanding.

Consider this case: In Apopka, near Orlando, a jury awarded $948,000 to a woman who fell after slipping on a wet bathroom floor at the Walmart in 2016. Jessica Amador was shopping with her mother and helped her mother into the restroom, which had just been mopped, the complaint said. Source: Insurance Journal

Walmart has between 220 and 250 million shoppers visit their stores each week and they have had thousands of injury claims because of their failure to maintain a safe environment. The most common places for slip and fall injuries are:

  • Sidewalks
  • Parking lots
  • Stairs
  • Escalators and elevators
  • Restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, and other shops
  • Job sites

We represent people who have received serious injuries, which means that the victim is in serious pain and/or has medical bills because of the incident. We will fight diligently to make sure you receive the maximum monetary settlement allowed by law.

It is the responsibility of every business owner to keep their property safe, but if you are hurt because one didn’t we can help. We’re available 7 days a week to speak with you and a call to (954) 356-0006 will put you in touch with Gary or Arleen Lazarus, bit highly experienced personal injury lawyers.

Slip and Fall Incidents in South Florida

Workplace Covid-19 Safety
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Uncategorized | , ,

Covid-19 Liability Waivers – Should You Sign Them? Lazarus and Lazarus Law Firm

Workplace Covid-19 Safety

Everyone makes decisions everyday that will affect their lives, usually in ways that are minimally consequential. We choose to eat some fruit for breakfast or perhaps we choose bacon and eggs. One is better for our health but one might be more satisfying to our taste buds.

Today, our choices involve staying home or going out and that choice might be very critical because of the coronavirus that’s continuing to infect people across Florida and around the world. We wear a mask or we don’t. We wash our hands regularly or we don’t.

Workplace Covid-19 SafetyWhen we visit a business or go to work, we want to make sure the environment is clean and sanitized. Our workplace, especially is where we may spend 1/3 of our days and we may come into contact with not only co-workers but customers who may carry the virus.

Because this is new territory, medically, socially, and legally, everyone is trying to do what’s best to keep people safe. It’s possible that a business you visit or your workplace may ask you to sign a waiver of liability so they will not be blamed if you get sick. Whether this is a good idea or not is not clear at this time.

People are going to have to use their judgement and only visit establishments that meet the safety standards for social distancing, cleanliness, and other guidelines as ordered by local health officials.

Employers are required by law to maintain a safe environment for all employees, not only for illnesses but for all forms of injury. If they don’t, and someone becomes ill or injured, then there may be a good reason to investigate if there is negligence on the part of the employer. The same is true for businesses that do not take steps to make sure customers, clients, and patients are safe. This would be true for nursing homes, personal service establishments, or any business that opens their doors to the public.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been committed to the rights of victims since 1992 and we are proud of our reputation for tenacity and positive results. When innocent people are injured or made ill because of the carelessness of others we step up and fight for your right to a full recovery which includes compensation for medical expenses, lost time from work, and pain & suffering. We don’t quit until we get results.

If you believe you, a friend, or a loved one has been hurt because of someone else’s carelessness we are here to help. Feel free to call us at (954) 356-0006 seven days a week. All consultations are completely free and confidential.

The Federal Government’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for Covid-19 – Click Here

Our areas of expertise include:

  • Automobile, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents
  • Cruise Ship Accidents and Illnesses
  • Covid-19 Illnesses from Workplace Exposure
  • Illnesses and Injuries Caused by Pharmacy Errors
Cruise Ship Covid-19 Attorneys
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | Cruise Ship Coronavirus Liability | , , ,

Covid-19 Exposes Cruise Industry Dangers and Negligence – Cruise Ship Coronavirus Attorneys

Cruise Ship Covid-19 Attorneys

The Covid-19 crisis has made us all far more aware of our surroundings related to our contact with others and the precautions we implement to protect ourselves from contagious diseases. We have taken for granted that our homes, workplaces, and places we frequent for shopping or leisure activities are clean and free from harmful germs.

When you think about being in an enclosed space with other people, elevators come to mind. If you have ever been on an elevator or in a movie theater when someone coughs or sneezes, the first thing you want to do is get away!

If you are prudent you wash your hands frequently and avoid being too close to people you don’t know for long periods of time.

Traveling on an airplane puts you in an enclosed space for a period of time, but usually only a couple hours. Trips in a taxi or commuter train are usually fairly short. Taking a cruise, however, is often several days or even weeks, and the precautions taken by cruise lines against airborne and food-borne illnesses have long been in doubt.

According to the International Air Travel Association, most aircraft have robust filter systems. Except for some smaller or much older aircraft, airplanes are equipped with True High-Efficiency Particle Filters (True HEPA) or High-Efficiency Particle Filters (HEPA).

Cruise Ship Covid-19 AttorneysOn the other hand, an article in US News and World Report  said “Air quality on cruise ships can be five times worse than on the streets of smog-choked Beijing, according to a new report by a Johns Hopkins University researcher.”

Even if you have a roomy and comfortable suite on a cruise ship, crew members are often forced into accommodations that are very cramped and unclean. Passengers come into contact with crew members constantly and there is no way to know if they have been screened for contagious diseases. Health experts have called cruise ships “incubators” for several viruses because people are confined to enclosed, unsanitary spaces for indeterminate periods of time.

The numbers of cruise ship passengers infected with Covid-19 is alarming, and there is mounting evidence that the companies that own and operate the vessels were aware of the dangers to passengers long ago.

Future generations will look back at this time of uncertainty and illness and judge us on our actions. Did we do everything we could to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and were corrective measures put in place, or did greedy corporations place profits above people?

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been putting people first since our start in 1992. People who are made sick or injured because of the carelessness, negligence, or malpractice of others can feel confident we will fight for their right to justice. The law provides a means for victims to receive compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost time from work. We have been challenging the large cruise lines for many years and we understand how to get results.

Please call us at (954) 356-0006 for a free consultation if you believe you were injured or made ill on a cruise ship.

Attorney - South Florida Boating Accidents
| Arleen Lazarus | 0 Comments | BOATING ACCIDENTS | , ,

South Florida Boating Accidents – Spring Break 2017

south florida boating accidentsSouth Florida has been one of the major locations for recreational boating for decades. There is some debate about who actually coined the phrase “Venice of America” for Fort Lauderdale, but with 165 miles of waterway, it certainly is appropriate.

Boating is a year-round passion in Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, with a combined 165,000 recreational vessels registered. When Spring Break rolls around, that’s usually one of the busiest times for traffic offshore and on the inland waterways. Not unexpectedly, accidents increase.

Read more “South Florida Boating Accidents – Spring Break 2017”

Florida Personal Injury Attorney
| lazaruslaw-2 | 0 Comments | Florida Personal Injury Attorney, Uncategorized | , , ,

Let’s not “Visit” the Emergency Room

The dictionary defines the word “visit” as “an act of going or coming to see a person or place socially, as a tourist, or for some other purpose.” Most visits are pleasant experiences, right?

The U.S. Center for Disease Control, which works to keep us healthy also keeps track of injury statistics. They call going to the emergency room a “visit” but there’s not too much pleasant about being treated at the emergency room. Those are visits we can live without.

Florida Personal Injury AttorneySome of the types of injuries and statistics for emergency room visits are surprising, but understanding them might help us and our loved ones avoid visits to the ER. Sometimes injuries are our own fault and sometimes they are due to someone else’s – that’s when a personal injury attorney can help.

Let’s look at some numbers:

Nationwide, in 2011 there were 136.3 million ER visits. 40.2 million were related to injuries. The rate of people visiting the ER was 44 per 100 people, so if you’re an average person, you had slightly less than a 50% chance of going to the ER.

In Florida, the reasons for going to the ER are interesting.

The number one cause for going to the ER – non-fatal injury – is listed as “fall.” Now, a large number of these incidents are in the upper-age segment of the population for obvious reasons, but it is also number one for ages 10-14, probably skateboard and bicycle mishaps.

The number two reason for going to the ER in Florida across all age groups is “struck by.” Struck by? What is struck by? Some research shows that people are struck by many things including Struck By: car, truck, bus, train, boat, golf cart, golf club, forklift, crane, mobile platform, bicycle, tire, flying piece of X, garage door, door opening, rock, another person, mail carrier, farm equipment, falling objects, motorcycle, stock items, batted ball, lawn mower, scaffolding, pressurized hose, hammer head, etc…..

So, it’s probably a good idea to avoid everything on that list. You’d have to stay home under the bed.

Number three is motor vehicle accidents, which we write about often. Wear your seat belts, slow down, don’t text and drive, and never, ever drive if you have been drinking.

Number four is interesting but not surprising in Florida: over-exertion. The heat and humidity can wear you down and wear you out fast if you’re working or exercising above your tolerance. Always see a physician before starting a work-out regimen and stay hydrated. Take regular breaks of you’re working outside in the heat and when you feel that something hurts, stop.

Many visits to the ER can be prevented by exercising good judgement, but sometimes you can’t prevent an injury because they are often caused by someone else’s negligence. Some of the more common injuries resulting from negligence are falls due to unsafe conditions, being struck by unsecured objects, defective products, and assaults by other persons.

If you slip due to a puddle on the floor and you are injured, this is not necessarily a clear-cut “slip and fall” injury. There are legal issues such as duty of care, premises liability, security precautions, and a host of other circumstances to consider in any injury situation.

The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been advising and helping victims of injuries in south Florida for over 20 years. Gary and Arleen Lazarus are eminently qualified personal injury attorneys who will listen to the circumstances of your injury and discuss options which may help you receive any compensation that is appropriate under the law. You can reach the firm by calling 954-356-0006.

 

Cruise Ship Negligence
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENTS, Uncategorized | , , ,

Is Your Safety Assured on a Crowded Cruise Ship?

If you have visited the beach near Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on a Sunday afternoon-evening, you have probably noticed the steady stream of cruise ships as they parade out to sea. One-after-another they go, destined for cruise journeys ranging from a few nights to a few weeks.

There are More Ships and Passengers Sailing from South Florida than Anywhere Else on Earth

When you consider the amount of food, liquor, and other supplies on board each ship it is staggering to imagine what a boom it is for the local economy. The Sun-Sentinel recently reported that a single day record for passengers leaving and arriving at Port Everglades in one day was set on December 20, 2015: 53,485!

South Florida is part of the Caribbean/Bahamas region, and you can see that no other area comes close in terms of market share:

  • Caribbean/Bahamas 3%
  • Mediterranean 9%
  • Europe w/o Med 8%
  • Asia 6%
  • Australia/New Zealand/S. Pac 1%
  • Alaska 4%
  • South America 4%
  • Other Programs 5%

Going on a cruise is usually a wonderful experience, with more sun, fun, and food than most people could ever hope to experience on dry land. But there are issues regarding safety and liability which must be known about before setting Cruise Ship Negligenceout into international waters.

I recall a friend telling me that when he enlisted the U.S. Navy he was informed immediately after being sworn in “You are now under the authority of the Uniform Code of Military Justice” and my friend said he was a bit concerned because he felt he had waived his rights under the U.S. Constitution and was now “doomed!” In a way, he had waived those rights.

Similarly, any traveler who embarks on a cruise ship is playing under a new set of rules. Maritime Law is not like U.S. Law, and incidents occurring on board a vessel at sea are not covered by the same rights and privileges a U.S. citizen can count on here at home.

For example, if an accident occurs as a result of negligence by a cruise line company or an employee of a cruise line it will not be easy to document and pursue compensation for injuries including medical expenses, pain and suffering.

Some of the calamities discussed in a New York Times article about cruise ship on-board events include: adrift at sea, running aground, fires, viruses, overflowing toilets, and finally, sinking. Not exactly sun and fun stuff.

Cruise ships operate under the stress of what’s known as a rigid financial bottom line. They must transport as many passengers as possible in a very competitive market, keeping the fares low and the quality as high as they can. Sometimes corners are cut, and passengers suffer the consequences.

Only a handful of attorneys have dedicated their practice to include the complex area of Maritime Law, and in Fort Lauderdale one such firm is Lazarus and Lazarus. For over 20 years Gary and Arleen Lazarus have represented passengers who suffered losses and/or injuries due to the negligence of cruise ship companies. You may reach the firm by calling 954-356-0006 and asking for a free initial consultation. All information exchanged with the Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus is completely confidential.