Boating Accident Lawyers and watercraft injury attorneys:
Our Tampa Bay area watercraft and boating accident lawyers have experience in achieving solid results with a variety of cases that all involve personal injury or property damage. Florida is surrounded by the Gulf and Atlantic coastlines, home to the Everglades and the Keys, and where people constantly use the state’s waterways for fishing and boating. As the number of people on the water increases, so do the accidents. Florida leads the nation in registered vessels and has more boating accidents and fatalities per year than any other state.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an boating accident due to the negligence of somebody else, do not try to handle a claim on your own or risk using an inexperienced lawyer.
Not all watercraft and boating accident lawyers have our commitment to achieving full justice for their clients, nor do they have our trial experience and proven skills.
If you were injured in a boating accident, our lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Our attorneys have a combined legal experience of over 50 years in handling all types of personal injury cases, and a large portion of our work involves boating accidents. Propeller accidents, boats capsizing and colliding with other objects, people and vessels are the most common types of cases we’ve seen but we’ve handled them all.
We put not one, but multiple boating accident lawyers on your case in order to give it the extra attention it deserves. Not only that, but we’re also fewer than 10% of Florida attorneys who are also authorized to practice in federal courts. Let us put our experiences and resources to work for you today, and you can expect to get the results you deserve.
Personal Injury:
This firm did an amazing job on my daughter’s personal injury case. If you want above and beyond service and great results, hire Fernandez Law Group! Thank you so much!
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kevin Ferman on
on October 26, 2015 | Link to Review
Our boating accident lawyers are very experienced and fully prepared to litigate aggressively on your behalf. There are no up front fees or costs unless we win and our consultations are always free. And we make it very easy to reach us – by phone, email, our quick contact form, and even live chat right here on the website. And if you’re still unsure, have a look at some of the reviews we receive.
Our Watercraft and Boating Accident Lawyers are ready to provide you with a detailed consultation for FREE!
Let’s take a look at some statistics involving boating accidents in Florida:
Florida leads the nation in total registered recreational vessels and also has the highest rate of recreational boating accidents and fatalities. According to reports filed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in 2023 there were 1,035,911 total registered vessels.
Reportable boating accidents for 2023 show 659 total incidents, down from 735 in 2022. 59 of these accidents involved death, while 408 of the incidents involved some type of injury.
The primary type of boating accidents in Florida for 2023 were as follows:
- 182 collisions occurred with a fixed object
- 180 collisions occurred with another vessel
- 65 cases of a boat becoming flooded or swamped
- 37 incidents where a passenger went overboard
- 27 accidents involving a boat getting grounded
- 24 accidents involving a slip or fall on a boat
- 13 accidents occurred from boats capsizing
- 11 accidents occurred due to the wake of another boat
- 4 accidents occurred as a result of boats striking objects underwater
Other types of boating accidents in Florida for 2023 included 15 explosions with fuel, 15 non-fuel explosions, and 9 getting struck by a skeg or prop/
Many of these accidents also included a secondary type of accident that occurred simultaneously or as a result of the initial accident.
Common types of secondary boating accidents as a result of a primary boat accident in Florida for 2023:
- 85 falls overboard
- 57 incidents of capsizing
- 27 people struck by another boat
- 27 boats collided with a fixed object
- 20 falls inside the boat
- 22 boats sunk
- 16 boats flooded or got swamped
- 12 collisions with other vessels
- 11 people were struck by a skeg or prop
- 7 boats were grounded
The most common type of boat involved in the majority of accidents were open motorboats or cabin motorboats with propellers, which account for approximately 70% of accidents. Personal watercraft accounted for about 22% of boating accidents.
Different types of negligence that results in boating accidents:
If we take a look at the statistics even further, we can determine that the primary causes for boating accidents that were discovered by the proper reviewing authorities were for the most part all due to the negligence of another person.
- Not maintaining proper look-out
- Being careless or inattentive
- Operator inexperience
- Inattention
- Excessive speed
- Alcohol and drug use
- Improper anchoring
- Operating in overly congested waters
- Poor behavior by occupants and skiers
- Violations of navigation rules
- Overloading
- Lack of proper lights
Incidentally, it should be noted that out of all boating accidents in Florida for 2020, 51% of those were caused by experienced operators who all had over 100 hours of experience. 88% were male, and the 51+ years or older range accounted for the highest totals at 40%.
Primary causes of death were drowning and trauma.
After negligence is proved in my injury claim, what kind of damages can I expect?
Our boating accident lawyers are ready to work extremely hard and have no issue devoting a great deal of effort and resources on your behalf because we accept only serious, legitimate cases. Our clients find great peace of mind in our experience and commitment to go far as necessary to make a substantial and meaningful difference in the lives of injured citizens.
Here in Florida, and particularly in the cases our law firm has handled over the years here in Hillsborough County, most boating accidents which result in a personal injury have resulted in our clients receiving several different types of recoverable damages, including the following:
- Past and future physical pain and/or mental anguish and suffering compensation
- Past and future disfigurement compensation
- Past and future physical impairment compensation
- Recovery for lost wages, or loss of future earning capacity
- Past and future medical expenses
- Punitive damages (in some cases)
While the above list is a general idea of what you can expect when settlement is reached, each case is very unique and results may vary. Our experience and dedication to your case will ensure we work aggressively on your behalf to get you the very best possible outcome for your situation.
– Additional Resources and Information on Personal Injury and our Personal Injury Lawyers