Tampa Boat Accident Lawyer
Florida is a great state for recreational boating and has more boats registered than any other state in the country. While boating on the lakes, rivers, and ocean can be a lot of fun some boat operators are negligent behind the wheel, and boating accidents happen all too often out on the water. The Tampa boat accident lawyers in our office have extensive experience helping the victims of boating accidents get the compensation that they deserve and can help you with your personal injury needs.
Tampa Boating Accidents
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were 896,632 registered vessels in Florida in 2013. That same year, there were a total of 736 reportable boating accidents, 420 injuries, and 62 boating fatalities on the water. The commission reported that 42 percent of the fatal boating accidents involved falling overboard, and the leading cause of death in these accidents is drowning.
Alcohol or drug use with the boating operators and passengers was noted in 15 percent of the boating accidents that year. The vast majority of the boating accident victims were males, and nearly three-quarters of the operators involved in boating accidents were over the age of 35 years. A total of 63 percent of the operators involved in boating accidents in 2013 had no formal boating education or the proper license. Seek help from an experienced Tampa boating accident lawyer.
Florida Boating Law as Told By Experienced Tampa Boating Accident Lawyers
Section 327.395 of the Florida State Code mandates that “a person born on or after January 1, 1988, may not operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater unless such person has in his or her possession aboard the vessel photographic identification and a boater safety identification card issued by the commission which shows that he or she has completed a commission-approved boater education course that meets the minimum 8-hour instruction requirement established by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators [and] passed a course equivalency examination approved by the commission.”
Violation of this law is considered a noncriminal infraction that comes with increasing fines between $50 and $1,000 for each subsequent violation. If the boat operator does not have a license and caused the injury of a person during the accident, the violation is elevated to a criminal infraction with the possibility of a civil lawsuit.
Compensation for Boating Accidents Victims in Tampa
Most people are unaware of what costs can be compensated in a boating accident, and insurance companies will try to take advantage of that fact to get victims to settle their claims for far less than what they are worth. An experienced Tampa boating accident lawyer knows what level of compensation that you are truly owed, and it typically includes:
- Past and present medical expenses;
- Lost wages;
- Impaired earning ability;
- Pain and suffering;
- Disability;
- Scarring and disfigurement;
- Long-term care costs;
- Property damage;
- Wrongful death;
…and other costs that are related to the damage sustained during the boating accident.
Call a Tampa Boat Accident Lawyer Now
What is supposed to be a day of fun can quickly turn into a horrible experience when a boating accident occurs. If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident around Tampa Bay, let the experienced Tampa boating accident lawyers at Barbas, Nuñez, Sanders, Butler & Hovsepian help. Call the office or contact us today for a private and free review of your claims.