It’s no secret that The Sunshine State is a popular vacation destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors from all around the globe, and a part-time haven for a huge number of “snowbirds” from our northern neighbors. In Southwest Florida, our sugar-sand beaches, year-round temperate climate and endless family oriented vacation possibilities draw people here to bask in the idyllic Florida lifestyle.
According to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, there were 450,000 visitors who came to Lee County in June 2009, with roughly 20,000 of those being from Germany. During 2008, one third of the visitors staying in paid accommodations were from Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Switzerland.
Many times, however, what may begin as the perfect getaway can turn into a life-altering disaster. An accident that involves someone visiting from a foreign country can be even more traumatic than those involving a Florida resident. There may be language barriers, confusion about Florida laws and the legal rights of non-residents, and other factors which come into play after an automobile, motorcycle, boating, aviation crash or any other injury suffered as a result of the negligence of another. Additionally, with so many foreign visitors attracted to Florida by the abundance of world-renowned theme parks and resort destinations here, many are injured and even killed due to negligent operations or faulty equipment which may be found at some facilities.
According to Attorney Warren Zimmerman of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, “The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides, among other things, that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The Supreme Court of the United States has pointed out that the Equal Protection Clause upholds the right of access to the courts for foreign nationals and even undocumented aliens. Accordingly, a foreign national or undocumented alien who suffers personal injury in Florida may sue the wrongdoer and recover money damages in the same manner as a U.S. citizen or national.”
At Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand the special circumstances presented when someone visiting Florida from a foreign country is the victim of an accident. Whether it’s a drunk driver who may cause a car crash, or a parasailing accident caused by a negligent operator or equipment, our highly trained and experienced staff of lawyers and support personnel are intimately familiar with handling such occurrences. Our entire team is solely dedicated to providing complete assistance during what can be an extremely traumatic and confusing time. From visiting you in your hospital room or hotel to handling every aspect of putting your life back together,
Bruce L. Scheiner‘s more than 39 years of fighting for accident victim’s legal rights makes him a powerful ally to have by your side – every step of the way.
So, no matter where you call home, when it comes to protecting the legal rights of accident victims, we speak your language.