Taking out a boat offers a great deal of freedom and excitement for both Tampa visitors and residents. Out on the open water, boaters can enjoy the wind, the waves, and a host of Tampa’s many pleasures. Boating accidents, however, can interfere with the entire experience, including leading to extreme injury and death.
Did you suffer serious injuries in a boating accident because of another party’s negligence? Contact a Tampa boat accident lawyer at Perenich Law Injury Attorneys to learn more about the compensation you may deserve. Our experienced personal injury attorneys are here to help you move forward.
How Perenich Law Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Tampa Boating Crash
Following a boating collision, you may find yourself wondering about your next steps and how to protect yourself. Most boating accident victims do not know the law and how it may apply to a boating accident case.
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, we know the laws that apply to Tampa boating accidents and the parties that may share liability for the accident.
We help investigate the full details of your boating accident.
To pursue compensation through a boating accident claim, you need to know how your boating accident occurred, including what factors may have contributed to the accident and your injuries. Did the boat malfunction? Did the malfunction occur due to poor maintenance or a manufacturer defect? Did you have an accident because of debris in the water in a marina or other private area?
Our capable Tampa boat accident attorneys take a look at all the critical details of your accident so we can help you get a better idea of who bears liability. Our investigation can also help turn up the evidence you need to prove your right to file a claim.
We make sure you know how much compensation to expect after a Tampa boating accident.
Many Tampa boating accident victims do not know how much compensation they might deserve, or even if they really deserve compensation at all. Do you have the right to pursue compensation after a collision with another boat? What if your rented boat malfunctions when you take it out on the water, leading to a serious accident? At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, we can break down the financial damages you sustained in your Tampa water vessel collision and put together a compelling claim for you.
We support our clients as they manage their boating accident claims.
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, our committed boat accident lawyers in Tampa want our clients to have the legal support they need to navigate all the details of their boating accident claims. That may mean anything from negotiating on our clients’ behalf to making sure they have the right information available before they start to move forward with a boating accident claim.
Whether we need to represent our clients through the negotiation process or go to court with our clients to represent them before the judge and increase the odds that they will get the best possible outcome, we work with our clients as they deal with every aspect of their claims.
Boating Accident Statistics
Each year, in Florida, around 836 boating accidents occur.
Seventy-nine people lose their lives in boating accidents each year.
Falling overboard causes more deaths than any other type of boating accident injury, often because of drowning.
Forty-four percent of collisions on the water occur because the operator fails to pay attention or exercise a proper lookout while operating the boat. Those dangerous decisions can also increase the risk that someone will fall out of the boat.
How Boating Accidents Occur in Tampa
Boating accidents can occur for a variety of reasons. Carefully planning before you get on a boat can decrease the risk of potential accidents.
#1. Collisions
Collisions can mean significant serious problems out on the water. Frequently, collisions occur because of a lack of operator attention. Sometimes, collisions occur due to drinking while boating, which Florida law makes illegal.
Collisions can mean severe damage to both the boats involved in the collision and the people in those boats. Sometimes, collisions can damage the boats so much that they can no longer make it back to shore, which may mean an even higher risk of drowning and other injuries.
#2. Boat Problems
Sometimes, problems with the boat can lead to serious issues out on the water. Engine failure or broken parts, for example, may lead to potent hazards out on the water. In some cases, boaters may end up in the water due to the inability to operate the boat or a mechanical failure that causes the boat to explode. Mechanical problems may also make the boat dangerous to operate.
Boat problems may occur for a variety of reasons. The cause of the problem may determine who bears liability for any boating incident that results in injuries due to that mechanical problem.
The Owner of the Boat
Many Tampa residents and visitors choose to rent boats when they go out on the water, rather than owning and maintaining their own—especially if they only need a boat for a brief visit to the Tampa area.
When renters choose to borrow a boat from a rental agency, they assume they will get one free of damage, that they can use safely. When an error occurs due to poor maintenance on the boat owner’s part, including failure to take care of regular maintenance or ignoring minor problems that eventually cause more serious issues, the boat’s owner may bear liability for the incident.
The Manufacturer of the Boat
Sometimes, mechanical errors occur due to errors in the manufacturing process. Boat owners may find that manufacturing errors can pose a serious problem, especially if the error occurs unexpectedly. When a manufacturing error causes a serious incident, the boat manufacturer may bear liability for that incident.
#3. Debris or Hazards in the Water
Some water hazards, including debris in areas of open water, boaters may simply have to keep a lookout for and avoid when possible. In private waters, on the other hand, owners may bear responsibility for clearing debris and offering a safe ride through the area for anyone that visits.
Sometimes, debris and hazards in the water may cause serious accidents, and the owner of that area may bear partial or full liability for the incident. Private owners, including companies, may also bear liability for failing to properly warn guests and visitors about low water levels, which could spell disaster for some types of boats.
#4. Weather Hazards
Tampa weather can quickly turn dangerous and unpredictable, especially for boaters who ignore weather reports or fail to take the current conditions into account before going out on the water. People do not generally bear direct liability for the weather itself. However, boaters, especially boating companies that routinely take guests out for rides, may bear liability if they fail to keep an eye on the weather and end up taking their boaters out in dangerous conditions.
#5. Dangerous Behavior
Some boaters behave dangerously out on the road for a variety of reasons. They may drink, engage in dangerous behaviors, or speed, especially around other boats or while trying to complete tight maneuvers. Dangerous behavior on the part of a driver can increase the risk of injury to passengers on the boat or others in the area. The driver may bear liability for accidents caused by those dangerous activities, especially in cases where the driver deliberately engages in those dangerous behaviors.
Common Boat Accident Injuries
Boating injuries may depend on how the accident occurs.
#1. Drowning
Fatal drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide. Victims may also suffer non-fatal injuries, which occur when the victim inhales water but does not die. These non-fatal injuries can result in brain damage, lung problems, and long-term complications for many victims.
#2. Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries often occur on the water when someone jumps into shallow water. Falling into shallow water from a boat can also result in severe injuries, including spinal cord injuries. Incomplete spinal cord injuries may result in some loss of mobility, while complete spinal cord injuries may mean complete paralysis below the site of the injury.
#3. Broken Bones
Broken bones may occur as a result of dangerous boating collisions. Victims with broken bones may require immediate medical care, including surgical treatment of those broken bones to set the bone and raise the odds of healing.
#4. Severe Lacerations
Falling into the propellers on a boat may result in severe lacerations, as can explosions and other interactions with sharp or dangerous items out on the water. Severe lacerations may have a heavy risk of infection and can lead to substantial amounts of blood loss.
#5. Burns
When a boat catches fire, victims may have few options. The effort to put out the fire or avoid further damage may result in serious burn injuries for the victim.
How Much Compensation Can You Recover After a Water Vessel Collision?
Following a boat wreck, recovering compensation for your injuries can prove incredibly important. You have a lot of financial losses to deal with in addition to the other suffering related to your accident, and compensation through a boating accident claim can make a huge difference in your ability to pay those bills and manage those expenses.
At Perenich Law Injury Attorneys, our Tampa lawyers cannot guarantee your boating accident claim compensation. We can, however, work with you to outline your financial and non-financial losses and put together a compelling personal injury claim.
What medical bills did you face after your boating accident?
Many people find even a trip to the emergency room following a boating accident extremely expensive. If you sustained severe injuries in your boating accident, you may find yourself with even more considerable medical bills.
You may have bills for hospitalization, including a long stay in the intensive care unit in the case of severe injuries. You might require surgeries, specialist visits, or follow-up appointments. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may also need to go through physical or occupational therapy to help you recover from your injuries, which can further add to your medical expenses.
Did you have to miss time at work because of your boat accident and the injuries you suffered?
Missing time at work may mean a distinct drop in your income. Even if you have a short-term disability option, you may still find yourself missing much of the income you relied on before your accident. Sometimes, boating accident injuries may prevent you from working altogether. Other times, your employer may prevent you from coming back to work until you can safely take on your pre-accident responsibilities.
As that time off work continues, you may find your financial woes increasing. Including those losses as part of your boating accident claim can help you manage your finances more effectively.
How did your boating accident injuries affect other areas of your life?
While boating accident claims generally focus on the direct financial losses you suffered due to the accident, you may also claim compensation for non-financial elements of your loss: the pain and suffering you experienced due to your accident and your injuries. Talk to your lawyer about the suffering you have faced because of your accident, the losses you have had to contend with, and how to include them as a compelling part of your boating accident claim.
Contact a Tampa Boat Accident Attorney Today
If you suffered injuries in a boating accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to compensation for those injuries. Perenich Law Injury Attorneys can provide you with a better look at your rights, including how much compensation you might deserve. Contact a Tampa boat accident lawyer today for your free consultation.
(727) 669-2828