Boat Accidents in Miami
Our Office
What You Need to Know After a Boat Accident
In Miami, the beach is only 20 minutes from the inner city. Lots of people like to go to the ports and take their boats out and enjoy the waters.
In fact, even during the coronavirus pandemic, until the beaches closed down, there were plenty of boats on the water.
Boating is just that popular in Miami.
Going out to the water and just bathing in the sun. Enjoying some drinks and quality time with friends under the sun. Fishing off the coast is also a hobby people do. In the end, the point is that lots of activities and hobbies in Miami come from boating.
But, with the amount of boats in Miami, it also means there are a lot of accidents. Not everyone with a boating license is actually qualified to maneuver a boat. In fact, it is similar to cars. Just because you have a license doesn’t mean that you will be a good driver.
Just in Miami alone, there are almost 700 boating accidents annually. Of those 700 accidents, about 60 of them are fatal. 300 of them include non-fatal injuries and the rest are just property damage.
So on the surface it may not look bad. Only 60 deaths from boating accidents. Only 300 were non-fatal.
But the key word is non-fatal. Non-fatal also includes broken bones, damaged internals, fractured body parts, etc. As long as it doesn’t kill you, then it is considered non-fatal.
Doesn’t sound so harmless now right? Imagine 300 people get injured on the water. Injuries so serious that they could be forced to take time off work and lose wages. The medical bills can also be insanely high. There are just lots of challenges that come from injuries in boating accidents.
What Causes Boat Accidents
Boat accidents are similar to car accidents. Obviously, the maneuvering of a boat is slightly different than a car because of the road and just in general the dynamic of driving is different. But, the reasons are quite similar as to why boat accidents occur.
One of the main reasons boat accidents occur is because of distracted driving. Maybe they are talking to friends or they are just in general having too good of a time. For any reason, if you are not focused on the driving of the boat and watching what is out at sea, you are distracted.
Another reason for a boat accident is inexperience. This might be one of THE biggest reasons. Boats are not easy to handle. They are much different and the water doesn’t make it any easier. You don’t get to just drive your boat like your car. It is time consuming to learn how to get comfortable in driving a boat. You have to drive to the port and then pull your boat with you. Then you have to manage your way through the port into the water. From there, you can go boating. However, if you have a car you can just put the keys in and go for a drive.
Another very common reason for boat accidents is also mechanical failure or speeding. They both have similar statistics, so we will group them. Mechanical failure like waterlogging, something breaking off, or maybe just a regular mechanical failure are all reasons for boat accidents. That mechanical failure can stop you from properly maneuvering your boat and crashing into another boat.
Speeding on the other hand, is not so reasonable. There is no reason as to why anyone should be driving so fast that they cannot stop their boat in time. That is just irresponsible behavior, but Miami is quite well known for irresponsible driving both on the road and in the water, so it is best to drive with caution instead of being the one that is speeding.
How To Prevent Boat Accidents
Obviously there is no 100% way to stop a boat accident.
But, there are ways to stay safe and make sure that you have done your part to stay safe.
Here is a small list of things to do as a driver and passenger in the boat:
- Drive attentively. Don’t drive your boat while talking to someone else or texting. The water is infinitely more dangerous than the roads. It is open space and you never know what will come at you.
- Don’t distract the driver. If you are a passenger make sure that you are doing your best to just keep the driver focused on the boat and the ocean. Don’t show them any videos or do anything to the driver. That is the most dangerous thing to do while out in the water.
- Don’t drink and drive. This is similar to the first one, but drinking alcohol and handling a boat is extremely dangerous. The risks are infinitely larger than the “fun” you will be having. Stay safe and just focus on the road.
- Drive at manageable speeds. It is true that there are no actual speed limits, so boats can go as fast as they want, but also think of the risks. If you are going fast, and suddenly a jetski or a big boat gets in your way, then you are simply risking your life for the thrill of boating fast. Don’t do that. Drive at manageable speeds and you can still enjoy the water.
Why a Personal Injury Lawyer for Boat Accidents
A personal injury lawyer specializes in any case that you have been injured through negligence. This includes car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, and even boat accidents. If the driver of the boat wasn’t being attentive and caused your accident, then you can be up for financial compensation for your injuries.
Injuries sustained from boat accidents are no joke. Sometimes it can be something as small as small cuts and bruises that still let you function as a regular human being. However, in some cases, the injuries can be so big that they hospitalize you and stop you from working. Not only that, but the medical bills can be high and put you in massive debt. All these reasons are enough to change your life in a bad way.
Don’t be stuck in a sour situation where you are stuck injured and indebted.
Consult our personal injury lawyers that specialize in boat accidents. We can help you get the financial compensation that you deserve for the pain and suffering you had to go through.
Not only this, but also the actual fight to get your money.
The other party will also have a lawyer or adjuster to help them get their money for repairs and injuries. It is not just a fight against the other party, it is also with their legal team.
In fact, there is a great chance that you will probably not be talking to the person that caused your injuries ever again. The rest of you conversation will probably come with their legal team.
The complexities and stressful process is something you shouldn’t go through alone. You are already going through pain and suffering, why should you have to go through another round of stress. It could take up to a year or so to get your money. Why fight for another year by yourself?
Statute of Limitations for Boat Accidents in Miami
Similar to statute of limitations for car accidents in Miami, boat accidents in Miami have a 4 year statute of limitations.
Although it seems like a long time, there are many cases when people ask to file a lawsuit after 4 years.
It isn’t impossible to file a suit after the statute of limitations, but it makes it extremely difficult to build a strong case. The recommended time frame is to file a suit when you get injured and file as soon as possible.
Contact our Personal Injury Team
Let our personal injury lawyers do the fighting for you.
We have been doing this for decades and have experience in almost any kind of personal injury case.
We have won our clients millions of dollars and won hundreds of cases.
Confident in our abilities and our people, we believe we can help you too.
We are a “no win no fee” law firm, so we will not take or charge any money unless we win the case for you. Our fee will be a percentage of the money we win you. So everything is free UNTIL we win.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still open questions?
Ideally, you will want to hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as you get injured. If you are injured and your body is in pain, why wait and live with the pain? That makes no sense. You want to get rid of the pain as soon as possible. If you have more questions contact us
That depends on how badly you were injured. People joke around about “I wish I got hit by a car” or “If I slip and fall here, I’m gonna make a fortune”. Although that is possible, it is not always possible. They are jokes for a reason. You will make as much as you are owed. If it is just a scratch, then you will not be compensated much. If you had to have major surgery and are going through rehab, then you will make MUCH more than just a simple scratch or small bump.
As a personal injury lawyer in Miami, what I do is make sure that you make your money back (maybe even more) from whatever damages you sustained. If someone else caused your injuries, then you have to contact us and consult with our team. We will make sure that you are taken care of. My job is to see if your current situation is actually someone else’s fault and if you can get your money back for the treatment you went or are going through.
We will represent all kinds of cases, from car accidents and work accidents, to truck accidents and uber/lyft accidents.
If you’re unsure if we can represent your case, give us a call at 305-680-5161 to get a FREE consultation and more information on your case.
OUR MISSION
As a personal injury law firm, our main goal is to serve the clients and get them back to full health. When you come to us with injuries, our main goal is to make sure that those are treated. Our second goal, which connects with our first goal, is to get your financial compensation if your injuries were caused by the negligence of someone else.
OUR PEOPLE
My team is ready to serve you. With already 20+ years working in the industry and winning our cases, we keep gaining experience as we keep serving you and making sure that you are taken care of. Do not hesitate to call us at 305-680-5161 or contact us. Our team is ready to serve you and is always ready to take a case.
24/7 Support
My team is always on standby. Whether you have a concern during the middle of the day or night, contact us and we will be sure to give you a response in no time. 24/7 on call team that is always ready to answer whatever question you have.