Injured While Visiting a Museum? What to Do Next
Hurt while visiting a museum? Supporting your community and patronizing the arts are noble efforts you should feel good about, not come away from with unexpected injuries. Museums are well-funded and can be owned by government entities, so it is wise not to try fighting one alone if you are injured on a visit. Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore’s personal injury attorneys in Tampa can help you get compensated for your misfortune was caused by the negligence of the museum, its contractors, or its staff.
Museums owe you safety.
Museums must block incomplete or in-progress construction, installations and exhibits from the general public. They are liable when negligently insufficient security and guard coverage leads to incidents – including from something as unlikely but dangerous as aggressive robbery attempts. Also, museum staff must position sculptures and visual installations with jagged edges or sharp hooks in a safe manner that keeps visitors from coming into close contact.
Common injuries during museum visits include:
In a New Orleans museum, an art handler recently suffered near fatal injuries and disabilities after a weak room-dividing partition fell on him. That is just one example of what can happen – and what unexpected dangers might befall museum patrons.
Museums must perform safety checks and monitoring activities as a normal part of their supervision. When their failure to do so amounts to negligence, and a patron has been hurt from their inaction, the museum bears legal responsibility for the damages that result.
Do not delay. Get a lawyer involved now.
An attorney helps evaluate what the museum is liable for. This may include your medical bills, treatment costs, pain, suffering, and lost wages.
