Spring break can lead to serious injuries as well as complicated legal matters
As the last few weeks of cold weather wrap up, many teens and college students are gearing up for a spring vacation. Although spring break can provide a much-needed respite from studying and other responsibilities, it can also lead to serious injuries, as well as complicated legal matters if you’re injured far away from home.
Here are four spring break injuries to keep in mind, along with tips for avoiding them.
4 Common Spring Break Injuries
- Violent Crime – It’s an unfortunate fact that some popular tourist destinations are also burdened by high crime rates. In 2015, the Coca-Cola Company settled a lawsuit with a Texas college student who was violently attacked and nearly stabbed to death on a beach owned by the soft drink maker.
- Property Owner Negligence – Slips and falls and related injuries can happen anywhere, including parties and gatherings at homes, hotels, resorts, and other places. If your spring break plans include partying at a home or business, keep an eye out for potential hazards, including spills, loose carpeting or floor tiles, and a building that doesn’t have clearly marked exits.
In one of the most horrific nightclub disasters in U.S. history, 100 people were killed and 230 were injured when a fire broke out at a Rhode Island nightclub, completely engulfing the club in under five minutes. An investigation revealed that two of the four exits in the building had been chained shut, preventing people from escaping. The building also lacked a proper sprinkler system, as fire safety inspectors had incorrectly concluded that the building’s age exempted it from having sprinklers.
- Property Owner Negligence – Slips and falls and related injuries can happen anywhere, including parties and gatherings at homes, hotels, resorts, and other places. If your spring break plans include partying at a home or business, keep an eye out for potential hazards, including spills, loose carpeting or floor tiles, and a building that doesn’t have clearly marked exits.
- Cruise Ship Injuries – A cruise can be a great way to enjoy a vacation without worrying about hotel rooms and transportation. However, there have been many cases involving allegations of negligence on the part of cruise operators. In 2017, about 30 passengers injured on a Spirit Cruise filed a lawsuit for damages they say they sustained when their cruise ship crashed into a dock.
- Drinking-Related Injuries – Data from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reveals that half of all college students engage in binge drinking, and a startling percentage of college students take binge drinking to an extreme during spring break, with the average male student drinking 18 drinks per day.
New York City personal injury lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter states, “Excessive alcohol consumption can seriously alter a person’s judgment, causing them to engage in activities that endanger themselves and others. When you’re away from home or in an unfamiliar country or tourist spot, it’s best to avoid any substance that interferes with your ability to make good decisions.”
If you have been injured on spring break or vacation, you may be facing a personal injury case that is more complicated than an injury case involving an accident in your home state. Contact a New York City personal injury lawyer right away to protect your rights and discuss the next steps in your case.
Sources:
- http://valleycentral.com/news/local/coca-cola-settles-lawsuit-after-spring-breaker-was-stabbed-on-beach
- http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-great-white-nightclub-fire-ten-years-later-20130715
- http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/03/10/injured-passengers-demanding-payment-in-lawsuit-after-spirit-cruise-ship-crashes/
- https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2014/03/11/spring-breaks-greatest-danger/&refURL=https://www.google.com/&referrer=https://www.google.com/
Media Contact:
Jonathan C. Reiter personal injury lawyer New York T: 212-736-0979.
