A Reputable Law Firm For Your Boating Accident Needs
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
Florida has 1,350 miles of coastline. It is the ideal location for enjoying the open water on a boat. People regularly visit the state to fish, water ski, or experience other recreational activities. However, with so many vessels present, accidents are becoming more common. Research by the American Boating Association revealed 4,463 incidents occurred across the United States in 2016 alone. The events led to 701 deaths and 2,903 injuries. Plus, the boating accidents caused approximately 49-million dollars in property damage. There are nearly 900,000 registered vessels in Florida, so it is easy to see how a day of fun in the sun can turn into a nightmare. Most people understand the dangers of auto accidents, but not everyone realizes the risks on the water. While broken bones, lacerations, and other things can arise from boating accidents, people can also become ejected from the watercraft. When a person lands in the ocean, they face problems like hypothermia, drowning, or even becoming struck by another boat.
The top culprits that cause these incidents include skier mishaps, collisions with fixed objects, impacts with other vessels, and grounding or flooding. Some accidents are avoidable while others are not, but owners should always inspect their boats to make sure they are seaworthy before hitting the water. It must not have holes or cracks in the hull, and the operator needs to check to see that the plug is installed correctly. After all, nobody wants the craft to start taking on liquid as soon as it is launched. Life jackets need to be in excellent condition and the first aid kit well-stocked too.
It is not a bad idea to provide someone that is staying behind with a map of your route. This piece of information can be given to the coast guard should you fail to return to port. Speeding, driving under the influence, and operator inexperience can lead to events. Keep your head on a swivel, always remain on the lookout for potential dangers, and with any luck, you can avoid these kinds of misfortunes. However, when a boating accident occurs, it is of the utmost importance for all parties involved to stay level-headed.
For instance, if one boat is sinking, everyone should be allocated to the vessel that is still in top-notch physical condition. Everybody should make a conjoined effort to locate all of the involved individuals and get people out of the water. Emergency first aid needs to be rendered whenever possible too. Once each person is safely back on dry land, then, the mess can be sorted out.
Consider Hiring An Experienced Law Firm
If it can be proven that another party's negligence, carelessness, or recklessness is to blame for the accident and injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages. Unfortunately, determining fault is easier said than done. Our firm investigates the facts and recreates the accident scene as necessary to build a strong case. Recovering from these injuries can become quite costly. Victims often lose wages from missing work and medical bills continually pile up. Don't get left with a substantial amount of debt for damages that you didn't cause. Instead, put a proven commodity in your corner, and let us fight for the settlement that you deserve.