Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office issued a recent warning, urging people across South Florida against celebratory gun fire this New Year’s Eve, according to reporting from WSVN.
Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, along with others from the sheriff’s office, discussed the dangers at a recent press conference.
“We have felt this pain here at home, during the most recent New Year’s Eve celebration,” she said. “Yaneliz Munguia, a little girl of 10 years of age, lost her life in Northwest Miami-Dade.”
In order to combat the reckless behavior, the sheriff’s office will have “high visibility patrols,” technology, and respond immediately to reports of gunfire. Violators could face penalties from fines to jailtime if found guilty, Cordero-Stutz said.
For those who suspect they are in imminent danger from the night’s celebratory gunfire, the sheriff suggested getting “under cover” and urged them to call 911 as soon as possible.
Another common danger associated with ringing in the new year is burns and other injuries related to fireworks. Data released in June 2024 from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission of 2023 injuries shows that there were reports of eight non-occupational, fireworks-related deaths. Five of these tragic and preventable fatalities were related to misuse. Two of the deaths were linked to a device misfire or malfunction and the circumstances surrounding the remaining death are unknown.
The report noted that the firework-related fatality data for 2023 is incomplete and the number identified should “be considered a minimum.”
Fireworks have been linked to at least 9,700 injuries seen by emergency departments in the U.S. in 2023, marking an increase of 561 fireworks-related injuries per year since at least 2008. Approximately 18% of the selected products used and tested for the CPSC analysis contained “non-compliant components,” meaning that they had prohibited chemicals, fuse violations, and or pyrotechnic materials overload, meaning that they are intended to produce loud noises which is a violation of the federal regulatory standard.
Leesfield & Partners
As a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience throughout Florida, Leesfield & Partners has seen every instance of negligence imaginable at the hands of individuals and corporations. In that time, the firm has handled numerous cases involving burns, fires, explosions, carbon monoxide and other gas exposures at the hands of negligent corporations and individuals. Our skilled trial attorneys approach every case with the care, compassion, creativity and knowledge of the law necessary to return the best possible outcome for every client.
In 49 years of personal injury law from offices throughout the state in Key West, Orlando, and Miami, our attorneys have obtained numerous record and landmark verdicts for victims and families, earning the firm both statewide and national recognition.
While no one can completely shield themselves or their loved ones from accidents or tragedies, landlords, homeowners, hotels, and others responsible for a property have important legal duties to help keep people safe. Under Florida premises liability law, property owners and managers must maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. When a dangerous condition exists, they have a duty of care to repair it within a reasonable time or, at minimum, to warn guests, tenants, and other invitees to the property — such as workers making repairs or conducting inspections — of the potential hazard.
While no one can ever fully prevent an accident from occurring, knowing what to do in case of an emergency can mean the difference between life and death in certain situations. Below are only some fire safety tips that may help in case of a fire emergency. This is not an exhaustive list, and everyone should defer to fire personnel and other emergency responders for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Fire Prevention and Safety Tips
- Come up with a fire safety plan that everyone in the household can remember. This plan should include a meeting spot that is a safe distance away from the home so that everyone knows where to go once they have escaped in case you are separated by the flames.
- Ensure that all smoke detectors are in working order.
- Never allow children to play with household items such as matches, candles or lighters.
- Educate your family about the dangers of fire
- If a fire breaks out in your home, escape immediately and call 911. Never attempt to put out the fire yourself or to
- Always keep fire extinguishers on hand near kitchens, outdoor fire pits and barbecues.
- Always stay in the kitchen while cooking as stoves that are left unattended can become fire hazards.
- Extinguish candles before leaving a room.
- Never smoke in bed and keep flammable materials like curtains away from heat sources.
- Take a fire safety course with your family to ensure that everyone gets the most up-to-date information regarding fires.
Firework Safety Tips
Although the Fourth of July is over and most Americans won’t think again of pyrotechnics until New Year’s Eve, everyone knows one neighbor who will be lighting any leftover fireworks for at least a week. Fireworks present a clear risk, especially when not used as directed or by an inexperienced individual. Below are some firework safety tips to keep you and your family safe.
- Never allow children to play with or light fireworks as they can easily be burned.
- Do not let children play with sparklers, as the hand-held fireworks can burn as hot as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CPSC.
- Never light off fireworks while impaired by substances such as alcohol or drugs.
- Do not purchase illegal fireworks, know the regulations for your area, and only purchase fireworks labeled for consumer use.
- Fireworks should be lit individually.
- Do not stand near a lit firework.
- Keep a fire extinguisher, hose, or bucket of water handy in case of an accidental fire.
- Only use fireworks outdoors and away from fry grass and trees to avoid a fire.
- Fireworks should be soaked in water before they are thrown out to avoid accidental ignition or malfunction.
- Never try to relight a firework.
- Do not point or aim fireworks at another person.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners previously handled a case involving the fire deaths of a mother and her two children. The three had become trapped in a blaze that broke out at their rental home, which was caused by a defective electrical outlet. Despite previously notifying their landlord about difficulty opening windows, the issue went unaddressed. On the day of the fire, the mother and children were unable to open the windows to escape and perished.
Trial Attorney Eric Shane secured a multi-million-dollar settlement for a client who was burned in an electrocution case.
In an explosion case that started from a spark aboard a cargo ship, Leesfield & Partners secured a substantial award for clients who were badly burned.
For a couple celebrating their honeymoon, what was meant to be the start of their happy life together soon became a nightmare after an improperly capped pipe caused an explosion at their accommodation. Both were severely burned and, tragically, the wife passed away from her injuries.
The firm secured a multi-million-dollar for the husband in that case.
In an explosion that caused burns, Leesfield & Partners secured a $3.25 million recovery for the injured client.
Leesfield & Partners secured a $2.95 million award for a family who lost their 13-year-old daughter after a TV set caught fire in their home. The manufacturer of the defective television set was named as a defendant in the lawsuit alongside the distributor of a defective smoke alarm and the family’s condominium association, which was named in the lawsuit for safety violations. The father involved in this incident burned over 30% of his body when he tried to rescue his daughter.
A construction site accident that resulted in burns to a Leesfield & Partners client resulted in an $862,000 recovery.
In a fire that killed at least one person due to the negligence of a company, Leesfield & Partners secured a $600,00 recovery.
For a patient who was burned in an operating room due to the negligence of a hospital’s medical staff. Attorneys at the firm secured a $600,000 recovery.
The firm has also handled other cases involving burn injuries to clients, including a child who was burned at a neighbor’s home by stew that was cooking on the stove. The child in that case, an 11-year-old boy, sustained second-degree burns to his legs when the improperly installed range tipped forward on him. An investigation by our firm determined that the landlord’s failure to use anti-tip brackets paved the way for the incident to occur.
Leesfield & Partners secured a $300,000 settlement in that case.
