Florida Boat Accident Lawyer
Boat accidents often cause catastrophic injuries or even death. They are also often more complicated than a vehicle accident. If you or a loved one was injured in a boat crash, you deserve compensation, regardless of how complex your case is. Our Florida boat accident lawyers want to help you get it.
See what we can do for you today. Call Meldon Law for a free consultation.
Getting Compensation After a Boating Accident Can Be Difficult
If you’re injured in a boating accident, the possibility that the at-fault operator was not insured makes it even more important that you seek legal help to pursue a claim. When no insurance policy is available, victims may need to sue the boat operator as an individual rather than simply file a claim through the insurance company.
Additionally, a boat crash attorney can help uncover additional potential sources of compensation. For example, if a mechanical defect in the boat caused your injuries, you might be entitled to pursue a claim based on that defect.
If the at-fault operator was working on a charter or fishing boat at the time of the crash, you might have a right to sue the company that employed the at-fault operator. The Florida boating accident attorneys at Meldon Law will leave no stone unturned when it comes to conducting a thorough investigation of the causes of your crash.
Compensation Our Team Can Help You Recover After a Boat Accident
You deserve to recover every dollar you lost due to the boat accident. You also deserve compensation for what you will lose in the future and the pain and suffering the accident caused you.
Our team will help you fight for compensation for:
- Medical bills, such as emergency transportation, emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, assistive devices, physical therapy, prescription medications, and co-pays
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Accident-related out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Inconvenience
- Physical impairment
- Mental anguish
- Lost enjoyment of life
Unfortunately, boat crashes are commonly fatal. If you lost a loved one in a boating accident, we want to help you seek justice. We can also recover compensation for your new expenses and losses, including:
- Medical bills your loved one incurred before their passing
- Lost support and services
- Funeral and burial costs
- Mental anguish
- Lost companionship (parental or spousal)
- Loss of protection
- Lost guidance and instruction
Please allow us to help you during this most difficult time. Our boating accident lawyers are ready to stand by you and support you during this process.
Why Are Boat Accidents So Common in Florida?
There are an estimated one million registered and other non-registered watercraft that use Florida’s many waterways each year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). With this many boats around, there is an enormous range in both the skill and maturity of boat operators, especially seeing as people as young as 14 can operate a boat.
In this sort of environment, accidents are bound to happen. In fact, hundreds of Florida residents are injured in boating accidents each year, according to the FWC. Many of these accidents could have been avoided had boat operators used reasonable care and paid attention while piloting their craft.
Why Should I Work With a Meldon Law Boating Accident Attorney?
A personal injury attorney will handle every aspect of your case. This means you don’t need to worry about:
- Attempting to understand the claims process
- Learning about liability laws
- Determining a value for your case
- Negotiating with insurers
- Preparing a case for trial
You focus on your recovery while our lawyers handle your case.
However, you don’t want just any legal team handling your case. You want Meldon Law. You want a team that CARES, with the skill, knowledge, and experience to get you what you deserve.
Our team has over 50 years of experience helping injured Floridians recover compensation. We know how insurers think and how to fight against their tactics. And the boating accident lawyers at Meldon Law never back down from a fight.
We also handle cases on a contingency-fee basis. You pay us nothing upfront and only pay us for our time if we win your case.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Florida Statute § 95.11 gives boating accident victims two years to file a lawsuit. If you fail to do so within this time, you risk recovering nothing. You can negotiate for a fair settlement, but you will have no leverage. You could end up needing to settle for much less than you deserve. In a boat accident claim, this could be tens of thousands out of pocket.
Call us today to get started.
What Are Common Types of Boating Accidents in Florida?
We see all types of boat crashes. Some of the most common include:
- Falling overboard
- Grounding
- Fuel spills and fires
- Colliding with another boat, vessel, or jet ski
- Colliding with piers, jetties, or other fixed objects
- Flooding
Any Type of Negligence Can Cause a Boat Crash
Operating a boat is like operating a car. Any type of reckless or negligent action can cause a serious accident. Types of negligence we commonly see include:
- Boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Reckless operation of a boat
- Operator inexperience (According to Florida boating laws, you can be as young as 14 and operate a boat.)
- Operator inattention
- Violation of other safety laws
Do I Have Options if I Contributed to the Accident?
Boat accidents are rarely black and white. They often involve negligence of some sort on both sides. Many people assume that they can’t recover compensation if they contributed to the crash, but that’s not always true.
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence law which allows people injured in accidents to recover compensation, even if they contributed to the crash or their injuries. However, there are some important caveats.
- You must not be more than 50% responsible for the accident. If you are, you will recover nothing.
- Your percentage of fault will decrease your compensation. For example, you share 30% responsibility for the crash. Your final damage award is $100,000. You can recover $70,000. This is one reason it is so important to hire an attorney who can place the blame squarely on the shoulders of the other party.
What to Do After a Boat Crash in Florida
There are several things you can do after an accident that can help to protect yourself and your case.
At the scene:
- Call 911. Have them send out law enforcement paramedics. They can create an accident report and link your injuries to the crash.
- Check everyone for injuries. Do not move anyone who might have a neck or back injury unless their safety requires it.
- Do not apologize for the accident, even if you think you caused it.
- Do not speculate about what the other party was doing. Let law enforcement do their jobs and investigate. If there are inaccuracies in the report, our team can help get them corrected.
After you leave the scene:
- Continue with your medical care. It’s imperative that you obey your doctor’s orders. If you don’t, you give the other party and/or their insurer reason to deny or devalue your case.
- Watch what you say to the insurance adjuster. In the days following the accident, the other party’s insurance company will call and ask you to give a recorded statement detailing your side of the story. This is often a trap. They will ask leading questions so they can twist what you say in their favor. We recommend that you direct any questions they have to our team.
- Do not accept any settlement offers until our team reviews them. Without legal experience, it’s likely that you won’t know exactly what your case is worth. The insurance company is counting on this. What they aren’t counting on is that you have us. Our team will look over all offers and ensure they cover all your costs. If it doesn’t, we’ll fight tooth and nail for what you deserve.
- Stay off social media if possible. Anything you post (or anything a friend posts about you) can be used against you. We recommend that you stay off social media until your case concludes.
Common Injuries in Florida Boat Accidents
The impact of a boat crash can be catastrophic. Victims often suffer severe or even fatal injuries. Our team often sees clients who have suffered:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Brain damage from near drownings
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations
- Drownings
Our team can help with any type of severe or catastrophic injury.
Help Is Available After Serious Florida Boating Accidents. Contact a Florida Boat Accident Attorney
Florida boating accidents can leave victims with serious injuries, such as burns, brain injuries, spinal damage, or broken bones. Victims of these accidents deserve legal representation they can count on to fight hard for their compensation. If you’ve been injured in a Florida boating accident, contact the Florida boating accident attorneys at Meldon Law to discuss your claims and find out if you’re a good candidate to file a boat accident lawsuit.
