Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Two women have a harrowing tale of how they spent their 2024 Christmas holiday after falling 50 feet into a Citrus County, Florida, golf course quarry.
The women, who have not been named, fell into the cavernous quarry on Christmas Day and were found Thursday morning. Both were in stable condition, according to reporting from the Miami Herald and were taken to a local trauma hospital.
Temperatures dropped to around 50 degrees that night. Additional details, including how many hours the women spent awaiting rescue, were not immediately available Friday morning.
The incident occurred at Black Diamon Ranch, a private, gated golf course community that has been rated among the best in the state for the sport. It is known for its rolling hills and steep drop-offs, with holes 13 through 17 playing around the edges of two canyons up to 80 feet deep, according to the community’s website.
Premises Liability
In Florida, property owners and management companies have a duty to protect visitors and guests on their properties from harm. This means they must ensure their property is free from hazards, and when they are aware of such hazards (or should reasonably be aware of them), they have a duty to address these risks and adequately warn visitors and invitees about the dangers. Under state law, property owners must act with reasonable care to maintain the property and prevent injuries to patrons, employees, and other guests. This includes maintaining the property in a reasonably safe condition. Any failure to keep the property safe or to address known hazards could result in the property management company and/or owners being held liable for damages and injuries that occur as a result.
Previous Cases
Established in 1976, Leesfield & Partners has a long history of representing premises liability clients in record settlements and verdicts achieved throughout Florida. From slip and fall cases aboard cruise ships to dog attacks and perilous falls from balconies, Leesfield & Partners attorneys approach each case with unwavering dedication to their clients and cutting-edge trial techniques.
Most recently, Leesfield & Partners obtained a six-figure recovery for a woman who shattered her hip at a popular Florida tourist attraction. In that case, the property management company failed to ensure that gravel, meant to keep the area around a steep walkway level, was in place. Without this safety measure, our client lost her balance and fell violently to the concrete ground.
Evan Robinson, a Trial Attorney at the firm, secured a $350,000 settlement for the woman in that case.
Mr. Robinson also recently handled two other premises liability cases – one involving non-code-compliant stairs and a decorative boat oar installed as a makeshift railing and the other involving a fall at a Florida resort. The latter
Leesfield & Partners’ Partner and Trial Lawyer, Justin B. Shapiro, also handled the case of the fall at the resort.
In another premises liability case, handled by Mr. Shapiro, involved a terrible fall that forever altered the life of a mother and special education teacher when she stepped on an unstable paving stone at a townhome community. The pain from her severe and gruesome ankle fractures has left her unrecognizable to loved ones as the spirited and energetic woman she was before the incident. Her injuries inhibit her from doing the things she once took great joy in, such as long walks with her husband or hours on her feet teaching and interacting with her students.
Mr. Shapiro secured a $525,000 settlement in that case.
A notable case handled by our firm includes that of a young client who fell from a rickety, second-story apartment balcony, causing him to sustain a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed. The landlord, in that case, had previously been made aware of the issues associated with the hazardous railings in several apartments and, to cut corners and save money, neglected to fix them. A $7 million settlement was reached for our client in that case.
In addition to premises liability, Leesfield & Partners has handled hundreds of negligent and inadequate security cases involving clients who have been injured due to the negligence of corporations and management entities alike. Leesfield & Partners previously handled a case involving a Key West hotel whose employees left a parking garage unlocked, allowing a crazed man with a hammer to enter and roam around for 20 minutes without being questioned. The man eventually encountered our client who he brazenly and savagely attacked with the tool, causing permanent and severe injuries.
The hotel entered into a confidential settlement with our client the night before a $40.58 million verdict was handed down against the remaining defendant, making it among the largest verdicts in Monroe County.
The firm secured a $1 million verdict for a Monroe County hotel housekeeper who was viciously raped while on the job. Collision
Leesfield & partners previously secured $1.13 million for a store employee who was raped and robbed at a shopping mall.
If you or a loved one was injured in a premises liability or negligent security case, don’t wait. Call a Leesfield & Partners client today at 305-854-4900 to see if you might be eligible for compensation.
