Boat & Jet Ski Accidents
Florida is full of beautiful rivers and lakes, and we as citizens of Florida are fortunate enough to live in a water world of paradise. Unfortunately, with such extensive access to these pristine waterways, the chances of a boat or jet ski accident occurring drastically increase, and if you’ve recently sustained an injury in a watercraft accident, you must speak with an experienced attorney. Contact Merricks Law Group to schedule your initial consultation with our firm.
Why Hire an Attorney?
Florida was the leading state in boat accidents from 2015-2019, and many of those accidents occur in Tampa and its surrounding bodies of waters. If you are someone who was injured in a boat accident in Tampa, you need a personal injury attorney with sufficient experience handling these cases. Merricks Law Group has handled countless watercraft accident cases involving boats, jet skis, and more, and we are prepared to handle yours as well.
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Boat Accident Statistics in Florida
The boat accident statistics in Florida are remarkable. As previously mentioned, Florida has been the leading state in boat accidents between 2015-2019. In fact, a report released by the United States Coast Guard states that in 2019 alone, there were nearly 700 boat accident deaths, and in the years 2015-2019, Florida has seen at least 600 recreational boating deaths per year. These numbers are inexcusable, and if you’ve been injured in a boat accident or you’ve lost a loved one in a boat accident, our firm is ready to help you fight for your rightful compensation.
Frequent Causes of Boat Accidents
Unfortunately, boat accidents are, at times, simply unavoidable. For example, sometimes boat owners get caught up in horrifying and unpredicted weather conditions, leading to accidents. However, in most cases, boat accidents are the result of negligence. Some of the most common causes of these accidents in Tampa are as follows:
Boating while under the influence of alcohol
Operating a boat without sufficient experience
Boat owners failing to provide passengers with the necessary safety equipment, such as life jackets
Colliding with fixed objects, such as large rocks
Defective boat parts
Operating a boat at excessive speeds
Colliding with other boats
Frequent Causes of Jet Ski Accidents
Just as boating accidents can occur when certain actions are, or are not taken, this is true for jet ski accidents as well. Jet ski accidents can also occur for a wide variety of reasons, including the following:
- Failing to properly maintain and service the jet ski
- Boaters failing to pay attention to jet skis passing by
- Defective jet ski parts
- Speeding
- Operating a jet ski while intoxicated
- Operating a jet ski without sufficient training
- Poor weather conditions
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Fulfilling the Burden of Proof
When someone is injured in an accident and they are looking to file a personal injury claim, they will have to satisfy the burden of proof. Simply put, this means that they must prove that they were injured due to another party’s negligence. In many cases, passengers are the injured parties in boat accidents, though there are other times where other boaters are injured in accidents caused by operators of other boats. Regardless of the circumstances of your injury, if you were injured in an accident due to no fault of your own, you should do everything in your power to document the incident to maximize your chances of winning a future claim. To start, you should take pictures/videos of the accident and its aftermath. You should also ensure that your accident is reported to the authorities and that you ask any witnesses for their contact information. Finally, you should ensure that you seek immediate medical treatment and retain the services of a knowledgeable personal injury attorney
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The bottom line is that no one who’s been wrongly injured in a boat or jet ski accident should have to face the uphill battle of recovery alone. If you’ve been hurt in a boat or jet ski accident, contact Merricks Law Group today.
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