St. Petersburg Boat Accident Lawyer

You would be incredibly hard pressed to find a city more enthusiastic about boating than the Sunshine City. With great year-round weather and access to the Bay and Gulf on nearly all sides, St. Petersburg is home to tens of thousands of jet skiers, wakerboarders, fishers, speedboaters, stand up paddleboarders (SUPs), and more. Unfortunately, not everyone follows the rules out on the water. Intoxicated boat operations, distracted operating, speeding, reckless riding of jet skis, and operator inexperience all lead to dozens of serious injuries each year, and even fatalities. If you were injured in any type of boating incident caused by another party, you deserve to be compensated. The St. Petersburg boat accident lawyers at the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely will hold the negligent party responsible so that you are not stuck with massive medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and more.

Common Causes of Florida Boating Accidents

Florida almost always leads the nation in annual boating accidents. In 2018, 57 people were killed and 297 were injured in Florida boating accidents, resulting in $7 million in property damage, according to WUSF Public Media. The most common causes of boating accidents includes the following:

• Improper lookout;
• Intoxication;
• Operator inexperience;
• Operator distraction;
• Speeding;
• Reckless operating; and
• Lack of lifejackets on board.

When and Where Boating Collisions Occur

There are more registered boats in Florida than in any other state (just under one million), according to mywfc.com, which partially explains why Florida has the most boating deaths and accidents. However, most of these incidents are preventable.

• At the dock or pier—Cars, pickup trucks, and boat trailers may also be involved in docking collisions;
• At night, when there is fog, or otherwise poor visibility—During low light and low visibility times, boating collisions are more likely to occur, particularly if motorboats are not properly equipped with lights;
• During holidays—Intoxicated operation rates increase during holidays and during the weekend, as does overall boating traffic in general;
• When the operator is focused on two things at once—If the boat operator is fishing, towing a wakeboarder or tuber, or otherwise focused on another task, the level of attention they give to looking out for other boats and objects decreases;
• Far out at sea—While collisions are more likely to occur in congested areas, operators are more likely to let their guards down, make erratic movements, speed, and otherwise let themselves become distracted once they are a half mile out or more from shore.

Damages in a Boating Accident You Can Be Compensated For

• Medical expenses;
• Lost wages and earning ability;
• Property damage;
• Pain and suffering;
• Loss of joy of life;
• Emotional distress; and
• More.

Call Our St. Petersburg Boating Accident Lawyer Today

Whether you were the occupant of a boat operated by the at-fault party, a swimmer, a stand up paddle boarder or kayaker hit by a reckless motor boat operator, or another party that was injured in a collision, you deserve compensation. Call the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely today at (727) 550-8800 to schedule a free consultation.