New York residents may have heard that around 21 people were injured on July 6 at a shopping center in the city of Plantation, Fla., in what may have been a gas explosion. The roof of one section was blown off in the blast, and debris was sent out hundreds of yards, raining down on passers-by. People from miles away reportedly heard and felt the explosion.
The city's fire department received a call about the explosion just before 11:30 a.m. on the Saturday. An active gas leak was detected upon arrival at the scene, but whether this caused the explosion has yet to be determined. While 21 victims were accounted for, there may be more. Some of the victims left the scene, only to return later.
In all, two suffered serious injuries with one being diagnosed with Level 1 trauma. Several businesses incurred damage. Fortunately, there were no fatalities. The incident is still under investigation.
Since there is little information to go by, authorities cannot determine if the explosion occurred through anyone's negligence or not. When property owners neglect their duty of care to entrants and either directly or indirectly cause an injury because of it, they may be considered at-fault under premises liability law. Victims, for their part, must show that they had been using the property in a safe and reasonable manner.
Because filing a premises liability claim can be such a complicated process, a victim may want to hire an attorney. Many personal injury attorneys have access to a network of third parties like investigators and medical professionals who can help build up a case. An attorney may also strive for an out-of-court settlement with the other party's insurance company. If a fair settlement cannot be achieved, the victim may decide to take the case to court.
