You see and help hundreds of tourists coming to Florida every year from all over the world. After all, everybody enjoys a cruise on the ocean or a ride in the amusement park. But recently, your work in the tourism industry has turned into an unpleasant experience.
Your supervisors or employers did not provide you with reliable training and protection or they failed to clearly signpost hazardous areas. And the worst part? You got injured on the job.
Now you're worried about your family and confused about your rights. The truth is that inadequate safety training and safe work practices can cause irreversible damages.
But when this happens, even if you feel stressed or hopeless, it's important to know that you have the right to file a claim or lawsuit for monetary compensation for your losses.
Leisure and Hospitality Industry Work-Related Accidents & Injuries
Everybody working in the leisure and hospitality industry has the right to a healthy and safe workplace. But, unfortunately, many employees in this industry get injured. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, there's been a total of 93,740 injury cases over the course of just one year.
Take a look at these three big health hazards that can be found in the leisure and hospitality industry:
- Falls, slips, trips - at least 29,190 cases over the course of one year. Spills or other hazards that aren't cleaned up or fixed straight away can represent a serious health risk for employees. Over one-third of injuries (over 31%) reported in the leisure and hospitality industry are a result of falls, slips, and trips.
- Injuries from contact with object or equipment - at least 28,040 over the course of one year. These types of injuries, including being struck by or against objects or equipment or getting caught in or compressed by objects or equipment also represent over one-third of tourism injuries and a serious health risk for employees.
- Overexertion and bodily reaction - caused at least 21,190 injuries in one year. The hospitality industry is always busy. Naturally, most employees will be working long shifts. And when you're busy, it can be so easy for overexertion in lifting or lowering and repetitive motion involving microtasks to lead to injuries.
The injuries that are most common in the tourism industry include, in the order of their frequency:
- Sprains, strains, tears
- Soreness
- Cuts, lacerations
- Bruises, contusions
- Heat burns
- Fractures
- Traumatic injuries with sprains
When you get seriously injured at work, remember: you don't have to solve your legal problems alone. An experienced personal injury lawyer can advocate for your rights, answer all your questions, investigate your case, and help you prove that the negligence of a company or individual caused your injuries.
Some of the most common causes of leisure and hospitality-related accidents include:
- Lack of proper instructions and training
- Lack of clear safety signage
- Lifting heavy objects
- Exposure to chemicals
- Driving motor vehicles or working on mobile equipment
Who Can Be Sued?
Consider what this could mean for you and your family: when you suffered an injury while doing your job in the tourism industry, you can file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.
All you need to do is:
- Identify this at-fault party
- Determine how their negligence caused your injury
A word of caution: filing a personal injury claim after incurring injuries while on the job in Florida's tourism industry, but due to someone else's negligence, can be complicated.
But there is a solution. You can work with experts who know the regulations and operations of this field. You can have on your team experts and a personal injury lawyer who knows the ins and outs of legal technicalities.
At The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, our attorney has extensive experience in representing and litigating tourism-related personal injury cases, can help you fight for your rights, and will advocate for you successfully.
To get your case started, we offer a professional, free evaluation of your case.