Issues of Negligence with Orlando Tragedies

We extend our deepest, sincerest condolences to everyone who was affected by the horrible events which transpired in Orlando earlier this month. Our hearts are with the victims and their families at this difficult time.

When tragedy strikes, communities often come together and console one another, dealing with the consequences of seemingly unpreventable horror. Some people discuss ways to prevent tragedies by getting right to the source: after the terrorist shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, politicians proposed policy changes with respect to immigration and gun control. After a toddler was snatched away by an alligator at Disney resort, some people proposed walling-off access to the lake.

But as our Delray Beach personal injury lawyers at Aronberg & Aronberg know, there is another question to be asked: did negligence play a role in these tragedies? At these terrible times, it isn’t always popular to suggest that perhaps the entities and/or facilities themselves didn’t do everything they could have done to prevent the tragedies; that said, holding them accountable if they did err is not just a way to compensate the victims—it’s a way to help ensure that these tragedies don’t repeat themselves.

The Shooting at Pulse: Negligent Security?

Whether the problem here was Islamic terrorism, homegrown radicalism, easy access to firearms, botched FBI investigations, or some other external factor, our personal injury lawyers know that negligence on the part of the security team at Pulse might also be a factor. We know that there was a security guard at Pulse on the night of the shooting.  To be sure, security guards don’t—and certainly can’t—stop every threat. There was an armed security guard at Columbine High School, of course, and that didn’t stop two teenagers from turning their high school into the poster child for youth violence in America. But if a company is being paid to provide (armed) security services for a nightclub, that company has a duty to provide reasonable, adequate security services.

An investigation is warranted to determine whether or not negligence was involved; perhaps the negligence might be ascribed to the security company for failing to properly outfit and equip its security guard. Perhaps not. Regardless, when a tragedy such as this takes place, we, as a society, owe it to the victims and potential future victims of similar attacks to analyze every facet of this case.

The Alligator Attack at Disney: Defective Warning?

There might be an even stronger case for negligence and premises liability against the Disney resort at which a 2-year-old little boy was grabbed, pulled underwater and left for dead by an alligator who grabbed the toddler as the toddler was wading into the lagoon just outside the resort at which he and his family were staying.

There are now reports that Disney employees had complained to company officials that alligators had been spotted in the area. (This Orlando Sentinel article also describes how alligators have been a frequent sight at Disney.) Moreover, videos and photographs have emerged showing other toddlers standing right where this unfortunate toddler was, indicating that the fact that toddlers waded into the lagoon waters was not—or should not have been—news to Disney officials. In other words, the facts precipitating this horrible event were not out-of-the-blue.

With all of this in mind, many people are asking whether Disney did a poor job of warning its guests about the danger that awaited, and awaits, them. It’s been reported that the warning signs only warned people not to enter the water. Legal analysts, such as our personal injury lawyers at Aronberg & Aronberg, know that this warning sign may be deficient because it does not warn guests about the actual dangers. A far more meaningful sign might have read something like, “WARNING: ALLIGATORS PRESENT, CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. DO NOT ENTER WATER.” True, this sign might have had an effect on business, but it might also have had the effect of making sure that parents did not let their children anywhere near the water.

In the end, it is true that some tragedies are just unavoidable. But as lawyers who work to represent individuals who were harmed through no fault of their own, it is our responsibility to advocate on their behalf and to identify all possible causes of their harm.

If you believe that you or someone you know has been injured due to the wrongdoing or negligence of another, please contact our offices to schedule a free consultation. You can reach us by calling 561-266-9191 or by emailing us at daronberg@build.simple.biz.

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