Florida Child Injury Lawyer Blog

Yamile Campuzano-Martine was on her way to the airport to pick up a relative. She had two children in the car with her. Reportedly, her six-year-old child was riding in the woman’s lap when she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fish tank that was part of an exhibit at the Tampa Bay International Airport.

The collision destroyed a 1,500 gallon tank, worth $50,000 - 100,000. The tank held about 30-40 saltwater fish, worth $3,000 - 5,000, none of which were expected to live. The detroyed aquarium was part of the airport’s “El Movimiento del Mar” public art program. TIA reportedly spent $200,000 on the exhibit; the fish and tank maintenance were provided by the aquarium.

Ms. Campuzano-Martine was cited for careless driving, failure to use a child restraint device and failure to provide a driver's license. It appears that no one in the car was injured seriously, and Ms. Campuzano-Martine declined a hospital visit for the six-year-old boy. No one in the airport was injured.

Parents should always make safety and security a priority for children when they are riding in a vehicle. This includes the use of seat belts and child safety seats. According to Florida state law, all passengers of a vehicle under the age of 18 years old must be restrained by a safety belt or child restraint device, and it is the driver’s responsibility to make sure they are in compliance. In this case, the six-year old should have been wearing a seat belt. While it is always important to follow the law, it is even more important to provide for the safety of children when they are in riding in a vehicle.

You can read more about this car accident involving two children at With child in lap, woman drives into TIA fish tank.

Millions of people visit Disney World every day. With such a large congregation of people including children, there is a concern by many that such a location would be a prime breeding and distribution site for the Swine Flu otherwise known as the H1N1 flu. It is a concern not only for adults, parents, and children visiting the Magic Kingdom but also employees who work there. Disney is taking some steps to try to make Disney World a safer and cleaner place for visitors and workers. Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed at high traffic locations including the park entrances, hotel lobbies and other locations. The problem is that it is impossible to maintain any theme park in a perfectly clean or sanitary condition. Rides are not wiped down after every passenger and counters are not wiped down every moment. It is good that some steps are taken but visitors can take their own precautions as well by washing their hands throughout the day and carrying their own sanitizers. You can read more about this topic at Disney World and Swine Flu Precautions.

Good parenting involves consistent care, supervision, and education. A good parent will also show an interest in the child's sports and hobby activities. Sports card collecting is a great hobby for a parent to spend time with a child and interact with a child. Like any other hobby, there is a great deal to learn in sports card collecting. Some read a book or an article or two to get an education in a hobby. Others seek out experts in the field for advice and collecting. In Jacksonville, Florida, Dick and Jane's Sportscards is a great family owned business. The store is located at 1819 Dean Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32216 (904) 725-2316 - www.dickandjanes.com. Whether you are a first time collector or an experienced collector of football cards, baseball cards, or basketball cards, places like Dick and Janes are great locations to share a hobby with your child and to spend quality time pursuing a fun hobby like sports card collecting.

Twelve-year old Jennifer Valdivia was attending a Florida Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies baseball game last July when Ryan Howard hit his 200th career home run. Jennifer was lucky enough to catch the ball, but Howard apparently wanted the ball back.

A representative from the Phillies ball club approached Jennifer in the stands, and told her that if she handed over the ball, he would have Howard sign it for her and Howard would give it back to her personally after the game. After the game, Howard was nowhere to be seen, but a security guard found Jennifer and gave her ball that had been autographed by Howard - a brand new ball, not the one she had caught.

Upon learning what happened, Jennifer’s mother, Delfra Vanegas, called the Phillies and asked them to give her daughter the ball back. The Phillies did not respond until the family’s attorney sued the club for $15,000 and the ball. The Phillies then returned the ball to Jennifer, who says she has no plans to sell it.

When a fan catches a ball in the stands, it is generally accepted that they are allowed to keep it. Taking a ball from a small child because it is believed to be worth a lot of money is an act that is bound to make both Howard and the Phillies look bad to the general public. The fact that they mislead the girl into giving them the ball with false promises would have undoubtedly helped the girl’s case if it had gone to trial.

Find out more about this story at Jennifer Valdivia 12-Year-Old Sues Philadelphia Phillies Over Ball.

Walt Disney World recently announced plans to expand the Fantasyland part of the theme park in Orlando, Florida. Disney will add a Little Mermaid Theme Ride. In addition, plans include relocating the Dumbo ride and adding a Circus theme part of Fantasyland. See Walt Disney World Facelift Will be Biggest Renovation in Theme Park's History.

Theme Parks like Disney World need to update and renovate over time in order to attract more business and re-energize those who have visited Disney in the past. In addition it is important to renovate in order to update safety precautions for guests including children who visit the park. Safety precautions that were put in place 20 years ago have been and should be updated. In adding new rides and taking down old ones, Disney can evaluate and re-evaluate safety measures.

Many people believe that Disney will pay for any injury that takes place on its premises. Not true. Disney has a duty to provide for a reasonably safe environment. Disney has a duty to inspect and maintain its theme park. Just because a child happens to be injured while visiting the theme park does not mean that there is civil liability for the injury. Each injury or incident is evaluated on its own merits. Issues or questions that arise include the following:

*Where did the incident take place in the theme park?

*Was there anything that a Disney employee did or failed to do that caused the injury?

*Was there a maintenance issue or mechanical defect that caused the injury?

*Was there anything that Disney and its staff could have or should have done to prevent the injury?

*Were there any witnesses to the incident?

*Did any employees of Disney make any statements regarding the incident, maintenance in the area, or condition in the area?

While Disney is a big company that rakes in millions every day, Disney will not just open its "wallet" because there is an injury that takes place at the park. If there is no fault on the part of Disney or if it is difficult to prove fault, Disney, in most cases, will challenge or fight any attempt to collect money from Disney. In most cases, it is helpful to have the advice, counsel and representation of a Florida child injury attorney or a Florida personal injury lawyer to find out your legal rights and options.

What is done about dirty and unsafe hotels in Orlando / Central Florida? Over the years, I have visited Orlando with my family and on business a great many times. Personally, I have stayed at or visited hotels from the very nice to the very scary. Pulling into one hotel late at night many years ago, I saw the flashing of police lights and the presence of officers in the hotel lobby. I asked the front desk clerk what happened. She said that a woman threw her boyfriend out of the plate glass window of her room. I was concerned and asked if this was the first time that this sort of incident happened. The clerk said, "No - not at all - it happens all of the time.". This is one hotel that I have not returned to. Since many hotel is unsafe, dirty or poorly maintained, parents and other guests in the hotel area should be careful about the selection of a hotel. The Orlando Sentinel recently published an article that reported on the problems with dirty hotels and hotels that were not in compliance with hotel regulations. The investigation seemed to indicate that violations were documented by officials but no real punishments or fines were levied in many instances if corrective action was taken. You can read more about this story at Does Florida Lack Teeth in Punishing Dirty Hotels?

A Walt Disney World employee cast member died as a result of a recent accident at the theme park known as Hollywood Studios. During a rehearsal, Anislav Varbanov, asge 30, died while performing a tumbling move in the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Anislav apparently suffered a head injury during the rehearsal. The Orange County Sheriff's Office and the Federal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Office will be performing an investigation into the incident. From news reports, it is difficult to determine if the staff at Disney or any contractors were negligent regarding this incident. Florida law allows worker's compensation victims to pursue a claim for damages / injuries regardless of fault. If the injury occurred during the scope and course of the employee's employment, worker's compensation should then provide benefits to the injured employee. When there is a death that takes place at work, worker's compensation has provisions in place to compensate family members for the death regardless of fault. You can read more about this story at Disney Employee Dies During Rehearsal.

In Orlando, Florida, Disney World is a major theme park that entertains millions of guests every year. There are many dedicated employees at the theme park. Some employees have the responsibility of wearing a character suit or costume and going around the park to entertain guests. This job can be quite challenging. In summer months, it can be quite hot working in the outfit. In addition to heat, weather elements, and being on their feet, it appears that characters at Disney World are also at risk for assault and groping. In Orlando, Florida, a man was recently convicted of groping Minnie Mouse. It was reported that John William Moyer went to trial on charges that he groped a woman in character as Minnie Mouse when he fondled her breasts. As part of his criminal sentence, Mr. Moyer must write a letter of apology, complete fifty hours of community service, pay a fine, serve a term of probation, and undergo a mental health evaluation with treatment. You can read more about this story at Man Convicted for Groping Disney World's Minnie Mouse.

In Orlando, Florida, a bus crash led to the injuries of 12 people at Walt Disney World. People travel to Orlando to see theme parks like Disney World. Unfortunately, some vacations are cut short or ruined completely by personal injuries suffered as a result of the negligence of a driver. In this case, one Disney bus rearended another Disney bus. There were approximately 50 people on both buses.

Even though Disney World and its driver are at fault, Disney World will demand proof of the injuries in form of medical bills, testing, and reports. Even when these documents are provided, Disney (like many other large corporate companies) will still question the injuries and argue that the injuries are not as severe or permanent as indicated in the medical reports, testing, and evaluations.

You can read more about this story at Disney Bus Crash Causes Injuries to 12 People.

The Associated Press reported an incident that recently took place at Busch Gardens, Tampa, Florida. Maikon Bonani, age 20, was working at the theme park at the Skyride Attraction which takes park guests on a gondola ride. Maikon thought that one of the gondola doors was unlocked and held onto the door to check on it. Apparently, he held onto the door as the ride left the platform area. Thereafter, Maikon let go and fell 35 feet into a landscaped area. Maikon was later taken to the hospital.

As an employee or Busch Gardens, Maikon's medical bills and injuries should be covered by worker's compensation. In Florida, a worker can recover benefits for an on the job injury even if the injuries were caused by the acts of the employee. From news reports, it is uncertain what safety precautions were in place to prevent an injury of this nature.

The circumstances regarding the injury were released by Busch Gardens. You can read more about this story at USF Football Player Injured After 35 Foot Fall at Busch Gardens.

Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon was the site of a recent report of the molestation of a 13 year old boy at a water park in Orlando, Florida. David Eugene Thomas has been charged with the molestation / victimization of the child. It was reported that Mr. Thomas was an employee of Amazon.com. It is believed that Mr. Thomas may have molested 6 other children as well.

Why are children being molested at Orlando Water Parks? The fact that multiple incidents have taken place over this summer has caused management at some water parks to review their security measures and acts to protect the health, safety, and welfare of children at these parks. You can read more about this story at Why Are Children Being Molested at Florida Water Parks?

In Orlando, Florida, there are many water parks including several at Walt Disney World. For most, being at theme park is a pleasant and enjoyable experience. For some, theme parks are reminders of traumatic incidents, personal injuries, and even deaths at times. Recently, a 15 year old girl reported that a 51 year old New York man pulled off her bikini top and touched her chest. The Orange County Sheriff's Office reported that Robert Chester Double, Jr., age 51, was arrested for the incident at the Typhoon Lagoon Water park. He was charged with the crime of lewis and lascivious molestation. Newspaper reports did not indicate what legal defense, if any, Mr. Double had regarding the charges. The evidence in place, whether through video or other eyewitnesses, was also not reported. This story shows that even in large crowds at theme parks - there are dangers lurking for small children and teenagers. You can read more about this story at Man Charged with Crime at Orlando, Florida Water Park - Molestation of Teen Victim.

The Walt Disney World Monorail System has enjoyed a relatively good safety record over the year and there have been no deaths reported from the monorail system until just recently. Tragically, a 2 a.m. crash between two monorail trains left an employee / cast member dead and another employee / cast member with personal injuries requiring medical attention. The crash took place on one of the last runs of the day. The trains were transporting guests from Epcot Center. Walt Disney World is asking for any information or photographs that guests have regarding this incident as part of the investigation. You can read more about this story at Walt Disney World Monorail Crash Leaves One Employee Dead.

Holiday parades are fun and bring the community out for a celebration. Unfortunately, parades, like July 4th parades, are often times the site of serious personal injuries and in, some instances, deaths. In Naples, Florida, a woman suffered a head injury as a parade float was being taken apart. The injuries were so serious that she was airlifted to a local hospital.

When attending parades, have fun but also watch out for the dangers of the crowds and moving floats. You can read more about this article at Woman Injured by Parade Float in Naples, Florida.

In Florida and other states, summer time brings warm weather and an opportunity to enjoy various swimming and aquatic activities at theme parks, water parks, public pools, and other areas. Unfortunately, these activities and locations also have been targets of child predators and sexual offenders. There have been several incidents reported at Wet N Wild (rape of a 14 year old girl) and Seaworld's Aquatica (molestation of three girls). Parents should only have to worry about sunscreen and supervision while swimming. In today's world, parents and caregivers must be diligent about supervising their children and keeping them safe from child predators and sex offenders. This includes supervision in locker rooms and changing areas. You can read more about this story at Sexual Incidents at Water Parks in Orlando, Florida Prompts Review.

Walt Disney World is magical in many respects except for its long lines. Many people visit Disney World and have a great time. Long lines, however, are never fun. A dad, who was tired of long lines, created a nice program for Apple's i phone. Wait Times is an iphone application that will display reported wait times for lines for rides at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Users of the program can enter or view wait times on their iphone. The accuracy of the wait times will depend on visitors to Walt Disney World. At the present time, Walt Disney World does not provide such information on its website or the internet. At 99 cents for the download, Wait TIme appears to be a worthy program for the price. Spend a buck and save some time the next time that you visit the Magic Kingdom. Another piece of advice from me - hang on to your iphone and other mobile phones at Walt Disney World and other theme parks. I misplaced my mobile phone once while at the Magic Kingdom. With all of my information on the phone, I was worried about losing the phone permanently. Fortunately, a good citizen turned my phone into Lost and Found.

You can read more about Wait Times,a program created by Brent Pope of Jacksonville, Florida at Tired of Long Lines at Disney World? Now There Is an iphone Application for Them.

Inflatable bounce houses are common sites in cities and towns big and small throughout Florida and the rest of the United States. Children love to play in them and jump around. Unfortunately, bounce houses are the site of serious personal injuries for children as well. Personal injuries and even wrongful deaths can occur especially when safety rules are not followed. In Washington State, a three year old boy died (Jacob Pierce) when an adult jumper fell on the little boy and crushed his skull. It is always important to separate children from adults. Furthermore, it is important to separate children by size and age. In Pop Warner Football, 110 pound boys do not play in the same games as 70 pound boys. This should work the same for bounce houses.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that almost 5000 injuries resulted during the use of bounce houses between 1997 and 2004. Between 2002 and 2005, 4 people were reported to lose their lives during bounce house use / play. The ages of the victims were between 14 and 24. As you can see, young children, teenagers, and, yes, adults are all at risk for injury with bounce house use / play.

You can read more about this bounce houses - dangers and safety tips at Fatal Fun - Inflatable Bounce Houses.

Orlando, Florida is a tourist destination for many people throughout the United States and internationally. People visit Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and many other attractions in the Orlando area. Unfortunately, many visitors are injured at the theme parks. The Orlando Sentinel is the leading daily newspaper in Orlando, Florida. The Orlando Sentinel gathered data and information from reported injuries at theme parks between 2004 and 2008. You can research and obtain information on various injuries by performing searches by theme park or injured person's name. There are very few theme park cases that go to trial. As such, it is difficult to determine which incidents / injuries that the theme parks took financial responsibility for and which the theme parks did not.

You can access the database at Orlando Sentinel Theme Park Injuries and Claims.

Whenever a person (especially a child) is injured at an Orlando, Florida theme park or other locations, it is important to get the advice, counsel, and representation from a Florida personal injury attorney or a Florida child injury lawyer on the issues of liability (who is at fault for the injuries?), medical bills, medical treatment, and compensation for the personal injuries.

A toddler is in critical condition after falling off a train ride at the Southland Mall in Dade County, Florida. The toddler was on an electric train at the Southland Mall and for some reason fell off of the ride and suffered a head injury and trauma. Paramedics from Dade County or Miami Fire Rescue arrived on the scene to find a mother who was very upset and stressed over the injuries to her young son. The Southland Mall management shut down the ride for inspection by the Department of Insurance. The toddler was rushed to Miami Children's Hospital for admission. The incident was reported in the news but there are several questions or issues that come to mind on a serious personal injury matter like this.

What kind of train was it?

What the the speed of the train at the time of the incident?

What safety measures were taken by the mall and / or ride operator to insure the safety of young children while on the train ride?

What seat belts or safety harnesses were in place at the time of the incident?

Was the toddler riding alone, with his mother, and / or with others?

Have there been any other incidents with this train in this mall or other malls?

Miami Dade Police and the Department of Agriculture will investigate this matter to determine if there were any defects in the train, tracks, or operation of the same. You can read more about this tragic injury at Toddler Injured on Train Ride at South Florida Mall.

Disney World has been the site of some heart attacks and other medical conditions during thrill rides. As far as I can remember, there are warning signs on many of the high action thrill rides advising of the risks of the rides to guests with heart conditions, guests with pace makers, guests who are pregnant, and other guests. Some take the risks of the ride even though they are aware of the risks. Others do not know that they are at risks and then suffer a medical condition or event during the ride. Whatever the situation, it is important for Disney World located in Orlando, Florida and other theme parks throughout Florida and the rest of the nation to be prepared for a medical emergency that takes place during a ride at a theme park. Disney World sets up its theme parks in a way that encourages people to remain at the park rather than leave and come back. It is quite a chore, walk, and ride to get back to your vehicle at Disney World. Due to this, it makes it even more important for Disney World to be prepared for a medical emergency. Hopefully, the number of medical emergencies in the future at Disney World are limited in number. When there is a medical emergency and a defibrillator is available, then the staff should be trained in its use, the defibrillator should be in good working order, and the defibrillator should be properly used. The timely and proper use of a defibrillator can save a life. You can read more about this story at Disney World To Install Defibrillators at Its Thrill Rides.