Floridian Contracted Dangerous Brain-Eating Amoeba
A person from Broward County has contracted the brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri recently and is currently undergoing treatment for the condition. This rare yet extremely dangerous and often deadly infection is contracted by swimming in bodies of warm freshwater such as rivers, canals and lakes and results in symptoms including headaches, fevers and confusion and the destruction of brain tissue when water containing the organism gets into the nasal passages. Florida’s Department of Health confirmed that the person became infected in a body of water located on private property.
Treatment And Recovery Rates
Though there is a long way to go in the treatment of this dangerous disease, and the disease itself is usually fatal, there have been a few cases in which infected individuals have recovered. Most recently in 2013, two children contracted the disease and survived; one was treated promptly and made what seems to be a full recovery, and a second child recovered by is reported to have brain damage that is likely permanent. In this second child’s case, the infection was not diagnosed nor treated as promptly as with the first child; as with so many other conditions, prompt treatment seems to be key.
Who Is At Fault?
Depending on the circumstances involved, a body of water located a private property is typically considered part of the property itself. Because of this, any injuries sustained in that body of water will likely be subject to the rules associated with the principle of premises liability. Premises liability refers to the rules that are applied when determining who is at fault when someone is injured on any particular premises.
Determining Liability And The Purpose Of The Visit
Generally speaking, the duty that a property owner owes to those injured on his or her property depends upon the reason the injured person had for being on the property. The three categories include invitees, licensees, and trespassers. A duty of care is usually owed to invitees and licensees – people who are lawfully on the property – but not to trespassers except in special cases as with children. With each individual case involving premises liability issues, the legal system needs to consider which category the injured party fits into and whether the property owner met the applicable standard of care – if not, the case may be one in which the property owner is found to have been negligent and could be held liable for any injuries sustained.
Contact Our Attorneys for Assistance
When you or your loved one has been injured on someone’s property, the attorneys at Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale are here to help. Our premises liability attorneys have experience handling all types of accident cases that concern injuries sustained on private property of others and know the issues associated with determining fault in cases such as these. Visit us online or call us at 954.556.5260 to speak with a legal professional today. We are here to help you recover for the losses you have suffered.
