5.0 of 2,000+ Reviews on Google
Fort Lauderdale's hotels, high-rise condos, bars, and waterfront venues welcome millions of visitors and residents, and every one of those properties carries a duty to keep people reasonably safe. Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers represents people injured on unsafe property throughout Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, from Las Olas Boulevard to the beachfront along A1A. If you need a Fort Lauderdale premises liability lawyer, consultations are free and available 24/7, and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Our firm has recovered over $250 million for injured clients. Call 561-800-8000 to find out whether the property owner may be responsible for your injury.
What Premises Liability Cases Do We Handle in Fort Lauderdale?
Premises liability cases in Fort Lauderdale arise whenever a dangerous condition on someone else's property causes an injury that reasonable care would have prevented. The city's mix of tourism, nightlife, and high-rise living creates a wide range of these claims.
Our firm handles cases involving:
- Slip, trip, and fall injuries in stores, restaurants, and hotels
- Assaults linked to inadequate security at bars, garages, and apartment buildings
- Swimming pool injuries and drownings at hotels, condos, and rentals
- Balcony, railing, and stairway failures
- Elevator and escalator malfunctions
- Falling objects and unsecured fixtures
- Exposed wiring and other electrical hazards
Each type of case calls for different proof, from security records to maintenance contracts, so we tailor every investigation to the hazard involved.
Hotels, Vacation Rentals, and Tourist Properties
Hotels, resorts, and short-term rentals in Fort Lauderdale owe paying guests reasonable care to keep the property safe and to warn of hidden dangers. Visitors often do not know a property's layout, which makes clear lighting, signage, and maintenance especially important.
Hotel and Resort Injuries
Lobby floors, pool decks, stairways, and parking garages are common sites of hotel injuries. Incident reports, guest complaints, and staffing records often show whether the hotel knew about a hazard before someone was hurt.
Short-Term Rental Injuries
Vacation rentals booked through online platforms may involve an individual owner, a management company, and the platform's own insurance. Broken railings, unsafe pool areas, and poor exterior lighting are common problems at rental homes and condos.
Guests From Out of Town
Many people hurt at Fort Lauderdale hotels and rentals live in another state or country and leave soon after the injury. Their claims still proceed under Florida law, and we handle much of the work by phone and video so recovery at home does not slow the case.
Pools and Water Safety
Pool injuries in Fort Lauderdale range from slips on wet decks to near-drownings and drownings, and they often involve hotels, condominium associations, and rental owners. These cases usually turn on whether the property owner followed safety rules and maintained barriers, drains, and lighting.
Questions we investigate in pool cases include:
- Was the pool area fenced, gated, and self-latching?
- Were depth markers, warning signs, and safety equipment in place?
- Was the deck surface maintained to reduce slipping?
- Were drains and covers in good repair?
- Was lifeguard staffing or supervision promised or required?
Public pools at hotels and condominiums are subject to state health regulations, and inspection records often help show whether a property kept up with them.
Nightlife and Negligent Security
Fort Lauderdale's bars, nightclubs, and entertainment districts draw large crowds late at night, and property owners must take reasonable steps to protect guests from foreseeable crimes. A negligent security claim may arise when an assault happens in a poorly lit parking garage, an unmonitored entrance, or a venue with too few staff.
Prior Incidents and Foreseeability
The strongest negligent security claims show that the owner knew or should have known about the risk, often through prior incidents, police calls, or complaints at the same property. Those records help prove that better lighting, cameras, or staffing would have made a difference.
How Fault Is Divided
In these cases, section 768.0701 requires the jury to consider the fault of everyone who contributed to the injury, including the person who committed the crime. Building a clear record of the owner's security failures protects your share of the recovery.
Condominium Towers and Building Safety
Fort Lauderdale's condominium towers share walkways, balconies, pools, and parking structures that associations must maintain. Under section 718.113, maintenance of common elements is generally the association's responsibility.
Milestone Inspections for Older Buildings
Florida now requires milestone structural inspections for condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller under section 553.899, generally by the end of the year a building turns 30 and every 10 years after that. Inspection reports and repair records may show whether an association knew about balcony, railing, or structural problems before an injury.
What Must Be Proven in a Fort Lauderdale Premises Case?
A Fort Lauderdale premises liability case requires proof that the owner owed you a duty, failed to meet it, and caused your injuries. The table below breaks down each element and the evidence that commonly proves it.
| Element | What it means | Evidence that helps |
|---|---|---|
| Duty | The owner owed you reasonable care based on why you were on the property | Receipts, reservations, leases, or invitations |
| Notice | The owner knew or should have known about the hazard | Complaints, prior incidents, inspection logs, video |
| Breach | The owner failed to fix the hazard or warn about it | Photos, maintenance records, missing signs |
| Causation | The hazard caused your injury | Witness accounts, medical records, physician opinions |
| Damages | You suffered real losses | Medical bills, pay records, treatment history |
Insurers often attack notice and causation first, so early evidence on those two elements carries the most weight.
What a Fort Lauderdale Premises Claim May Recover
A Fort Lauderdale premises liability claim may recover both financial losses and the personal toll of an injury. The value depends on how serious the injury is, how long recovery takes, and the insurance available.
Recoverable losses may include:
- Hospital care, surgery, and future medical treatment
- Rehabilitation, therapy, and in-home care
- Lost income and reduced ability to work
- Pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring, disfigurement, and permanent limitations
Under section 768.0427, juries often see the amounts actually paid for medical care, so organized billing records matter.
What Insurers Ask After a Premises Injury
Property insurers often contact injured people within days, and their questions usually aim to shift blame or minimize the injury. Knowing what is coming helps you respond carefully.
Common Questions and What They Aim to Do
Adjusters often ask what you were looking at, what shoes you wore, whether you had been drinking, and whether you had prior injuries. Each answer may later be used to argue that you caused the fall or that your injuries came from something else.
Recorded Statements and Medical Authorizations
You have no obligation to give a recorded statement to the property owner's insurer, and broad medical authorizations may open records unrelated to your injury. Having a lawyer handle these requests protects your claim.
Fault, Deadlines, and Broward County Courts
Shared fault reduces your recovery under section 768.81(6), and you recover nothing if you are found more than 50% at fault. If your damages total $240,000 and a jury finds you 20% at fault for using a dim stairwell instead of an elevator, you recover $192,000.
Two-Year Limit and Government Claims
Most premises liability claims arising after March 24, 2023, must be filed within two years under section 95.11(5)(a). Claims involving city or county property follow sovereign immunity rules, with written notice required within three years and damage caps.
The 17th Judicial Circuit
Fort Lauderdale is the seat of Broward County and part of Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit. Lawsuits seeking more than $50,000 are filed in circuit court in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Results for Clients With Back and Hip Injuries
Our firm has recovered compensation for clients with spine, hip, and other serious injuries. Published results include:
- $750,000 for cervical and lumbar injuries
- $550,000 for cervical, lumbar, and hip injuries
- $465,000 for a lumbar injury
- $225,000 for a non-surgical cervical injury
Each recovery reflects the evidence and injuries in that matter, and past results do not predict a future outcome.
Why Fort Lauderdale Clients Choose Frankl Kominsky
Injured people across Broward County choose Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers because we investigate quickly and push back when property insurers deny responsibility. Our Pompano Beach office on McNab Road is a short drive north of downtown Fort Lauderdale, and we meet clients by phone or video when that works better.
Our clients rely on:
- A lawyer who leads the case personally and stays reachable
- 60+ years of combined injury law experience
- Over 2,000 verified client reviews and a BBB A+ rating
- Super Lawyers and National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 recognition
- Staff fluent in Spanish and Creole
We prepare each premises case for trial from the start, which gives you leverage at the negotiating table. Call 561-800-8000 for a free consultation.
FAQs: Fort Lauderdale Premises Liability Cases
What if I was injured in an elevator or on an escalator?
An injury from a malfunctioning elevator or escalator in Fort Lauderdale may lead to a claim against the property owner, the maintenance company, or both. Maintenance logs, inspection certificates, and service records often show whether problems were reported before the incident.
What if the property owner says I was trespassing?
A property owner who claims you were trespassing is trying to lower the duty owed to you under Florida law. Receipts, invitations, and the purpose of your visit often show you were a customer or guest, which carries much stronger protection.
Can I bring a claim if I was hurt at a private party in someone's home?
Yes, a guest injured at a private party in a Fort Lauderdale home may have a claim if the host failed to fix or warn about a known hazard, such as a broken step or loose railing. These claims are usually paid through the homeowner's insurance policy.
Can I recover compensation for scarring from an injury on someone's property?
Yes, scarring and disfigurement from a premises injury in Florida may be part of the damages in a claim, including the emotional effects and any future treatment such as scar revision. Photos taken throughout healing help show the full impact.
How much does a premises liability lawyer cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers handles premises liability cases on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. The fee percentage is set out in a written agreement that follows Florida Bar rules.
When a Property Owner Cuts Corners
Property owners and their insurers often move quickly after an injury, repairing the hazard and building their own version of events. Every week that passes gives them more time to shape the story.
Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers investigates Fort Lauderdale premises cases from day one and builds each claim around the full cost of your injuries. Call 561-800-8000 for a free consultation with a Fort Lauderdale premises liability lawyer, available 24/7.
