Recreational Boating Accidents

Recreational
Boating Accidents

RECREATIONAL BOATING ACCIDENTS

Fighting For Victims of Miami Yacht Accidents

Florida boating requirements do not place stringent instruction or age restrictions on individuals operating vessels over a certain length. Therefore, people can operate yachts without specialized knowledge of these particular watercrafts, occasionally causing accidents due to limited ability to maneuver the vessels.

Injuries relative to yacht accidents may occur due to a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the negligence of the operator. As such, the operator may become personally responsible for a passenger’s injuries or the injuries of an occupant of another vessel (if another watercraft is involved).

Statistically, yacht-related injuries often result from:

Collisions with other watercraft;
Collisions with a fixed object;
Navigation in poor weather;
Hitting a big wave or wake at an unsafe speed or angle;
Propeller contact;
Excessive speed operation;
Lack of knowledge of navigational rules;
Defective boat design;
Defective boat construction or repair; and
Exceeding maximum capacity.

You May Be Entitled to Compensation

Those injured on yachts due to the negligence of an operator may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. If you or someone you know has been injured on a yacht, contact Chase Justice Injury Attorneys to discuss legal representation for your potential claims.

Fighting for Victims of Miami Jet Ski Accidents

Personal watercrafts, such as jet skis, are widely popular in South Florida. With the growth of Jet Ski use also comes the increase of accidents involving these watercrafts. In fact, twenty percent of boating accidents involve a personal watercraft, which equates to approximately one hundred twenty-five reported incidents per year, with a large portion of these accidents taking place in Miami-Dade County.

Most Jet Ski accidents involve falls from the watercraft and collisions with other vessels and/or fixed objects. Upon such accidents occurring, the owner of the jet ski may be liable if the equipment was unsafe. Additionally, the rental of the equipment to a minor, intoxicated individual, unskilled individual, or in poor weather may also give rise to liability of an owner.

The driver of a jet ski may also be liable if he or she was negligent. Driver errors often occur due to failure to be attentive, inexperience, unfamiliarity with boating rules, excessive speeding, or intoxication.

Florida has specific rules pertaining to Jet Ski safety, in order to protect the operator of a Jet Ski and nearby individuals. These rules include, but are not limited to:

All occupants of the jet ski must wear an approved lifejacket;
Jet Skis can only be operated between sunrise and sunset;
Navigation lights must be used; and
The operator must be fourteen years of age or older.