Clearwater & Tampa Boat Accident Lawyer

Whenever an individual is out on a boat, regardless of whether the boat is owned by an individual or a company, they expect to be returned to land safely without injury. Unfortunately, hundreds of boating injuries occur every year. The Clearwater Personal Injury Lawyers of the Law Offices of Tragos & Sartes, P.L. handle cases of private boat accidents, charter boat and ferry accidents, personal watercraft injuries, marina or dock accidents, diving injuries, and drunk boating.

Private Boat Accidents

The owner of a boat has an absolute obligation to the safety of any passengers that are on his or her boat. Collisions with docks, bridge abutments, and other boats are all too common and often result in serious injuries. Passengers may be thrown overboard or injured on deck if a collision occurs.

Charter Boats & Ferries

The captains of these boats are held to higher standards as they commonly have to hold a special license to operate the boat. Employed by companies that expect drivers to have a complete understanding of how the boat works, the captains who operate these boats are required to provide passengers a safe journey. Operators and owners of the boats are responsible for any injuries related to collisions or injuries that may have occurred due to the decisions made by the captain.

Personal Watercraft

Waverunners and jet skis are often designed for speed and agility and drivers may not stop to consider the safety of those around when operating the recreational vehicles. This kind of negligent behavior results in numerous accidents each year. Injuries may occur if a swimmer is hit by the watercraft, if the vehicle collides with a fixed object or other boats, or if the driver is thrown from the watercraft.

Marina & Dock Accidents

Many marinas and docks are not properly maintained, causing the injury of many people each year. Docks and ramps may be slick when wet, leading to slip and fall injuries. In other cases, docks that contain rotting wood may cause injuries or become explosive as people refuel their boats and other watercrafts. The Marina office should be notified if an individual is injured by any part of the marina.

Diving Injuries

People of all age groups have begun to enjoy scuba diving. Unfortunately, boaters often do not recognize or do not respect the flags on the surface of the water indicating the presence of scuba divers below. Most often, scuba divers are injured by negligent boaters who ignore these warning flags.

Boating

Operating a boat or watercraft, much like a car, while intoxicated is a criminal offense. In addition, drunk boaters are liable for any injuries or damages that result from the intoxicated operation of a boat or watercraft.

If you or someone you know would like more information relating to boating injuries, contact the Clearwater boat injury lawyers of the Law Offices of Tragos & Sartes, P.L.