Jay M. Fisher P.A. - Boating Accidents

Jay M. Fisher, P.A.
875 Concourse Parkway South
Suite 195
Maitland, Florida 32751
Telephone: 407-628-3015
Fax: 407-628-3909
Email: jmfpa@jaymfisherpa.com

Personal Injury

Boating Accidents

A serious boating accident can impact the lives of those involved, as well as the lives of their family members and loved ones. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida has a total of 1,010,370 registered boats; more than any other state in the U.S. In 2005, Florida reported 163 boat accidents with 366 injuries. Again, Florida was number one in the U.S. for most boating injuries. With 23% of victims reported being under the influence at the time of the accident, it’s not surprising that the number of accidents is so high.

Who is liable?

The most frequent causes of boating accidents are carelessness, violation of navigational rules, and alcohol. Because of the high number of boating accidents, Florida has enacted many laws to regulate safety when operating a vessel.

The insurance industry determines and assesses Florida boating accident claims by evaluating liability, causation, damages, and permanent injury that have resulted in an accident. Injuries resulting from boating accidents can have a huge effect on a person’s life. They can result in economic damages such as wage loss and increasing medical costs. They can even result in intangible damages such as pain and suffering and permanent injury, which can affect a person’s capacity to continue living as they had before the accident.

What to do if you are involved in a boating accident:

Get Medical Attention.

This is extremely important, because some injuries may not be immediately apparent at the time of the accident. Seeking medical attention will give you a better idea of the extent of your injuries.

Contact the Authorities.

The authorities will not only help to organize the situation, but they will also write a report. This is useful in determining who was at-fault for the accident and will be helpful in supporting your claim.

Obtain Contact Information.

• Be sure to obtain the names, addresses, and phone numbers of everyone involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses to the accident.

• If the pilot is different than the registered owner of the boat, also obtain the name, address, and phone number of the registered owner.

• Obtain insurance company contact information and policy numbers from the boats that were involved.

• Gather the names of the authorities that responded to the scene.

Make a note of the following information

• Location of the accident.

• How the accident occurred.

• All injuries that were announced at the scene.

• Whether the person appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

• Damage to the vessels and if you have a camera, take photos of all damage to the boats.

• Whether someone admitted fault for the accident. While it is always important to note if someone else admits fault, NEVER admit fault of your own.

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