South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
A Florida jury has awarded a $1.8 million Miami-Dade premises liability verdict to Francisca Vente, the woman who was assaulted by suspected killer Michael Davis in her apartment. Vente claimed the inadequate security at Bay Winds apartment, a Cornerstone complex, made it possible for Davis to get on the grounds and enter her unit.
At the time of the 2009, Davis was fleeing from police who wanted him for questioning in the strangulation death of an 18-year-old man. When he knocked on her door, Vente let him in thinking that he was the air conditioner repairman. Davis came in and choked her until she lost consciousness. When Vente came to, she escaped him by jumping out the window of her third floor unit. Police later shot Davis on the complex grounds.
Vente, who broker her spine, pelvis, and wrists during the fall, spent three months in the hospital and a month in rehab. The former condo cleaning woman cannot bend down or walk for extended periods of time and is on disability. In addition to her physical injuries, Vente says she suffered emotional injuries from what happened and still has nightmares about it.
The 10-building, 230-unit complex had no surveillance cameras at its entrance and security guards only manned the premises at night. Also, although a gated property, the gates are not hard to climb over and on the day that Davis attacked Vente, one of the pedestrian gates had been left unlocked.
Inadequate Security
Proper security on a property is very important and can prevent robberies, physical assaults, sexual assaults, and murders from happening. Failure to make sure there are locks on entrances/exists, surveillance cameras, secured entrances, and other security measures can be grounds for a Miami-Dade personal injury lawsuit if someone gets hurt from a crime that could otherwise have been prevented.
Miami-Dade jury awards $1.8 million to woman attacked by suspected killer, Miami Herald, June 26, 2011
Woman who escaped killer wins $1.8 million, UPI, June 27, 2011
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Miami-Dade Wrongful Death Lawsuit Seeks Damages Over Fatal Jacuzzi Drowning at Bahamian Resort, South Florida Injury Lawyer, May 17, 2011
14-Year-Old Injured in Hollywood, Florida Elevator Fall Accident at Millennium Mall, South Florida Injury Lawyer, April 11, 2011