A Florida man is taking a Central Florida airboat tour company to court after an alligator encounter left him with facial injuries, setting up a legal battle that could hinge on one key question: who was responsible when a tourist attraction involving a live reptile went wrong?
According to a lawsuit obtained by The Palm Beach Post, Broward County resident Edil Kasenov is seeking more than $50,000 in damages from Airboat Rides at Midway, a company located in the community of Christmas, Florida. The suit stems from an incident on June 9, 2025, when Kasenov allegedly suffered a bite to the face while participating in a complimentary alligator encounter offered at the end of the company's tours.
Court filings claim Kasenov sustained significant injuries that resulted in pain and suffering, disfigurement, disability, lost wages, mental anguish, and a diminished quality of life. The lawsuit argues that the company failed to adequately train employees, warn guests about potential dangers, or implement sufficient safety measures around the animal.
The attraction is known for offering visitors the chance to pose with a baby alligator named Hollywood after touring the St. Johns River by airboat. While Florida's tourism industry has long embraced the state's reputation for wildlife encounters, interactions involving live alligators can carry obvious risks.
Florida is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators, and the reptiles can be found in all 67 counties across the state.
In the lawsuit, Kasenov alleges there were "no warnings, signs, or other devices" alerting guests to the animal's potentially dangerous behavior. The filing also claims that no adequate measures were in place to restrain the alligator or otherwise protect participants during the encounter.
Airboat Rides at Midway has strongly disputed those allegations. In a statement, the company said guests are not required to participate and that staff members provide specific handling instructions before anyone is allowed to hold the animal.
According to the company, the alligator's mouth was secured, and participants were explicitly instructed not to place the animal near their faces or pretend to kiss it.
The company further alleged that Kasenov ignored those instructions, startling the alligator and causing it to swing its head into his cheek. The business described the resulting injuries as "minor scratches" and claimed Kasenov later posted on social media that the incident was his own fault.
The dispute highlights a broader legal reality in Florida: being injured by an alligator does not automatically guarantee a successful lawsuit. Businesses that offer wildlife experiences have a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions for customers, but Florida's comparative fault laws can reduce damages if an injured person is found to have contributed to the incident through their own actions.
