Location - South Florida
In Miami, Fl on July 4, 2008, someone lit a firework from their hotel balcony which flew in the air approximately 100 feet and hit another patron of the hotel right below the eye causing a gash, which most likely needed stitches. No damage was done to the eye in regards to vision, and there appears to be no permanent damage. The person injured was a girl no older than 12 years old. The family was on vacation from the UK, and was on their 3rd day of a 2 week trip. The person who lit the firework verbally admitted guilt to the police officer on duty, but no rights were read, no arrests were made and only an incident report was filed. The girl was taken to the hospital via ambulance (which was a no-brainer for the EMT once he saw the girls eye). The father of the girl hired a legal firm specializing in insurance claims from the UK, which contacted the person who lit the firework. The legal firm requested the person who lit the firework to aknowledge receipt of the letter and to show the letter to their insurance carrier.
What are the potential legal/monetary consequences and what coudl the likelihood be that this will stand up in a US court? Does it matter that no arrest was made? Does it matter than the father is based out of the UK, as well as the law firm?
In Miami, Fl on July 4, 2008, someone lit a firework from their hotel balcony which flew in the air approximately 100 feet and hit another patron of the hotel right below the eye causing a gash, which most likely needed stitches. No damage was done to the eye in regards to vision, and there appears to be no permanent damage. The person injured was a girl no older than 12 years old. The family was on vacation from the UK, and was on their 3rd day of a 2 week trip. The person who lit the firework verbally admitted guilt to the police officer on duty, but no rights were read, no arrests were made and only an incident report was filed. The girl was taken to the hospital via ambulance (which was a no-brainer for the EMT once he saw the girls eye). The father of the girl hired a legal firm specializing in insurance claims from the UK, which contacted the person who lit the firework. The legal firm requested the person who lit the firework to aknowledge receipt of the letter and to show the letter to their insurance carrier.
What are the potential legal/monetary consequences and what coudl the likelihood be that this will stand up in a US court? Does it matter that no arrest was made? Does it matter than the father is based out of the UK, as well as the law firm?
