Belle Isle Injury Lawyer

Belle Isle, Florida is a small city situated about 5 miles outside of Orlando, home to more than 6,200 residents. It was originally settled by Native Americans, and later incorporated as a city in 1924. It was deactivated in the 1930’s and then re-established in 1954.

Today, the city has its own police department, code enforcement, zoning and public works. Its name translates to “Beautiful Island” in French, and it’s known for its stunning waterfront views, gorgeous weather and peaceful community of approximately 5 square miles – nearly half of that being water. The area is known largely for its proximity to Lake Conway, one of the biggest lakes in the Greater Orlando area.

Although there is no rapid growth here, city officials are actively trying to draw in more families and children. This was part of the reason behind the initiative to open Cornerstone Charter Academy, a college preparatory school. Our Belle Isle injury lawyers at Freeman Injury Law know that furthering this goal is also going to mean prioritizing safety in many different sectors across the city. Those will include:

• Traffic safety enforcement;
• Careful road design/ maintenance;
• Adequate security at local schools;
• Maintenance of sidewalks and walkways;
• Regular inspection of local businesses to ensure code compliance;
• Ensure proper protection/ fencing around pools, lakefronts, other bodies of water.

Not every injury in Belle Isle is the result of negligence, but it’s worth exploring whether compensation may be available. Hospital bills can quickly add up, particularly when treatment is required long after the incident. Additionally, many times the person injured is unable to work for significant stretches, and some may not be able to return to work at all. This can have a profound impact not only on the daily life of the individual, but also on the financial well-being of the family.

There are many different kinds of injury at Belle Isle that can result in serious and long-term consequences. The Florida Department of Health reports the leading causes of non-fatal injury statewide are:

• Falls
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Drowning
• Bicycle accidents
• Struck by/ against
• Firearms

The median admission charge to Florida hospitals for non-fatal injury is $27,000 per patient. Collectively, that works out to $5 billion every year.

What’s more, an estimated 13,000 people die in Florida every year in preventable injuries.

Officials in Belle Isle have been working to improve the safety of residents with numerous new road improvement projects, plus the addition of a new police force – which doubled the number of city employees. The agency also partners with the Florida Highway Patrol, the police in Edgewood and the Orlando Police Department. The Belle Isle police have been fielding 7,400 calls for service every year.

According to the city’s website, leaders are also planning a number of updates to the local infrastructure, including sidewalks, streets and intersections.

Road drainage issues have posed ongoing challenges for drivers, particularly during the rainy season, and is another priority for traffic engineers.

There are many factors that determine whether an injury claim will be successful. In most cases, the injured person will need to prove – based on preponderance of the evidence – that the defendant was negligent.

In order to prove negligence, the injured person/ plaintiff has to show:

• Defendant owed plaintiff some duty of care;
• That duty of care was breached;
• That breach of duty caused plaintiff’s injury;
• Plaintiff’s injury resulted in actual damages.

Although this sounds relatively straightforward, each element requires a carefully-crafted legal argument. The standard of what is “reasonable conduct” is going to depend on the circumstances and the role of individuals involved.

For example, premises liability – the responsibility of property owners to ensure the safety of guests – will vary depending on what the role of the guest (business patrons are owed the highest level of care, while trespassers are generally owed the least). Similarly, doctors aren’t necessarily penalized for rendering care that results in injury to a patient. Instead, the question is whether the doctor rendered an appropriated level of care as another doctor of the same education/in the same circumstances would.

Many of these claims are settled through negotiation prior to trial. This process is often more intensive than people expect, sometimes involving extensive investigation, input from expert witnesses and ongoing negotiation with an experienced injury attorney. Our Belle Isle personal injury lawyers have a proven track record of success in these cases, and will be prepared to take these claims to trial if necessary.

Freeman Injury Law – (800) 561-7777 -- Someone on YOUR Side