The University of Miami, located in Coral Gables, has a campus that includes multiple buildings throughout Miami-Dade County and is home to over 30,000 undergrad and graduate students. These students come from all over the country and all over the world, but they live and work here in South Florida. If you or a loved one was a University of Miami student injured in an accident on campus or in the surrounding areas in Florida, call Miami personal injury attorney Prosper Shaked today to discuss filing a personal injury lawsuit to seek financial compensation for your injuries.
Prosper Shaked, a personal injury lawyer serving University of Miami students, represents injury victims throughout South Florida and fights to get them financial compensation after injuries. If you suffered an injury, talk to our lawyer today to learn more about holding the University of Miami accountable for accidents on campus.
Suing the University of Miami for On-Campus Injuries
The University of Miami’s campus is quite large, and other portions of campus (such as the medical school campus) are located at other sites throughout South Florida. These campuses consist of many different types of buildings and features, from student dorms to class buildings and from dining halls to open fields and quad areas. If you were injured in any of these places or because of anything the University or its staff did wrong, you may be entitled to sue the University for damages.
Accidents on college campuses occur for a number of reasons. First, and most likely, are the accidents that occur because of car accidents on campus. Campus facilities management staff have vehicles they use in day-to-day operations, and many of these staff members drive around campus. If you are hit by one of these vehicles, a campus shuttle, or any other vehicle owned or operated by the University of Miami, you may be able to sue them for negligent driving or dangerous driving.
Injuries on the University’s property can also occur because of everyday hazards. Slip and fall and trip and fall accidents are quite common and can lead to severe injuries. While these accidents usually result in minor injuries that might not be worth taking the school to court over, severe injuries like back injuries, broken bones, and brain trauma that should have been avoided can lead to substantial damages. The same is true for injuries brought about by collapsing balconies, stairs, and railings as well as electrocution or injury from sharp objects or fixtures.
Colleges provide many services, including on-campus dining services. The food prepared at these facilities must be safe for people to consume. If you come into contact with expired, unsafe, or tainted food, you could suffer foodborne illnesses like botulism, salmonella, E. coli, listeria, or other instances of food poisoning. This could entitle you to sue the college for their dangerous food.
Lastly, you could suffer injuries if the campus fails to provide adequate security for its students. Providing emergency call boxes, patrolling with police or security personnel, and keeping building access restricted to students are important steps to ensure a college campus is safe. Crime committed by people coming in from off-campus or from other students should be avoided, and if the school fails to keep you safe, it might be liable for damages from crime and other intentional harm.
Damages for On-Campus Injuries at the University of Miami
Suffering a serious injury can take a severe toll on your life. Permanent injuries and disabilities sustained in an accident can lead to expensive medical care, ongoing care, and reduced ability to work. If you are currently working while in school, an injury – even a moderate injury – could mean having to spend time in the hospital, missing work, and missing school. In some cases, the impact on your life could prevent you from graduating and may make working for self-support impossible. These harms should all be compensated through “damages” paid in a lawsuit.
The damages for medical bills can be paid to cover any medical care expenses resulting from the injury. This means the cost of hospitalization, surgical procedures, doctor’s visits, ongoing care, and physical therapy should all be covered in full by the responsible parties.
Damages for lost wages can include wages you missed because of the injury as well as wages you will miss. Wages you lost while recovering from the injury should be paid by the party who injured you. In addition, injuries that reduce your ability to work or make money in the future can be compensated by paying you for your reduced earning capacity. This should cover the difference between your projected money-making capacity and your money-making abilities after the injury. Your lawyer and a financial expert can help you calculate these damages.
Lastly, you may be entitled to damages for pain and suffering. These damages can pay for the physical pain and mental suffering you face. While these damages cannot reverse injuries, they can attempt to compensate you for the harm you suffered in addition to the damages for financial harms.
Personal Injury Lawyer Offering Free Legal Consultations for University of Miami Injury Victims
If you or a student in your family was injured while attending the University of Miami, call Prosper Shaked to discuss filing a personal injury lawsuit. If the University’s negligence caused you serious injuries or you were injured by someone else while attending the University of Miami, call personal injury lawyer Prosper Shaked today at (305) 694-2676 to set up a free legal consultation on your case.