A record number of people are descending upon Southwest Florida this month, as the winter tourist season reaches high tide.

Sarasota Magazine reports COVID has done nothing to stop people from across the country and around the world from visiting Florida. Overall in 2021, Florida had nearly 118 million domestic visitors, the highest number in state history. Of that 118 million, 1.5 million were overseas travelers—an increase of 43 percent compared to the third quarter of 2021.

Last month, the Governor’s Office reports visitors continue to surpass pre-pandemic levels.

“While tourism in other states is only just beginning to recover, Florida is at the front of the pack — now we are surpassing pre-pandemic levels and setting new visitation records,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

Our Fort Myers injury lawyers urge visitors to stay safe. But when an injury does occur, we encourage victims to consult with professional legal help.

Changing Premises Liability Claims in SWFL

One of the recent trends to impact injury claims among tourists is the rising popularity of private rental units, such as those provided through a service such as Airbnb.

Airbnb offers no liability insurance to customers. And, while it offers liability insurance to property owners, the policies basically focus on shifting liability away from the service. Property owners who do not carry commercial liability insurance may find themselves uninsured in the event a guest is injured.

This can significantly complicate a victim’s ability to obtain compensation for such injuries, making early consultation with an experienced personal injury law firm in Fort Myers essential to protecting your rights and the financial well-being of you and your family. Our attorneys offer free and confidential consultations and charge no fees unless we are successful in winning a recovery on your behalf. In many cases, a victim may not even have to return to Southwest Florida to obtain a judgment against a negligent property owner.

The changing nature of the short-term accommodations industry in Southwest Florida is an important consideration when picking your destination. Because the law does not differentiate between a professional hotel or resort and a private property owner when it comes to renting units for commercial gain. While hotels and resorts may have more experience at mitigating risks, and may carry significant liability insurance, the same is not true for private property owners, who often operate these units themselves or rely upon a management company to do so on their behalf.

Businesses that cater to such patrons are well aware of the risks and must take necessary action to prevent known or foreseeable risks. The law requires owners to correct or warn of dangers about which the owner knows or should know by reasonable use of care. Property owners also have a duty to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition.

When injury does occur, the best course of action is to seek professional legal help as soon as possible.

If you or a loved one is injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, at 1-800-646-1210.