
Boating Accidents & Injuries
Florida is the boating capital of the United States, if not the world!
With over 1,000,000 registered recreational boating vessels not only does it lead the nation in most registered boats, it also leads the nation in reported boating accidents. Florida averaged approximately 725 boating accidents a year over the past 10 years. About 58% of these boating accidents resulted in injuries, and unfortunately almost 1% resulted in fatalities. The leading contributor to most boating accidents is the operator's inattention or failure to maintain a proper lookout, but other types of negligence on the part of the boat operator or vessel's owner include:
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negligent operation of the vessel at high speeds,
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collisions with other watercraft,
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collisions with fixed objects,
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overcrowding or exceeding vessel passenger limits,
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failure to provide life vest and safety equipment,
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defective boat design,
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failure to maintain the boat,
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unsafe operation resulting in passengers being tossed or thrown within
the boat interior or even ejectment overboard, or -
failure to follow the U.S. Coast Guard's "rules of the road
The majority of injuries suffered in accidents caused by the negligence of the boat operator or vessel's owner are usually from the occupants impact with the boat interior. Common injuries suffered in boating accidents include:
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lacerations,
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contusions,
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broken bones,
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head injury,
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neck injury,
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back injury,
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sprain/strains, and
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other injuries.
If you have been injured in a boating accident you may be entitled to payment for your medical bills, lost past and future wages, as well as compensation for your physical and mental pain and suffering, call 813-825-1267 or email me for a confidential consultation and initial case review with a boating accident attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.