Tampa Boating Accident Lawyer

Were you or a loved one hurt in a boating accident in Tampa, FL? An experienced Tampa boating accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering

For nearly three decades, we’ve dedicated our practice to helping accident victims recover fair compensation. We’ve recovered over $500 million for injured clients in the Tampa Bay area. You can count on us to recover the maximum compensation you deserve.

Please contact our offices in Tampa, Florida, or call us at (813) 222-8656, to schedule a free consultation if you’re interested in learning more.

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Boating Accident in Tampa, FL

How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Boating Accident in Tampa, FL

Boating accidents can be extremely traumatizing–especially if the accident happens far from shore. If you’re suffering from painful injuries and emotional trauma, you deserve to be compensated. Unfortunately, Getting fair compensation isn’t always as easy as it sounds. 

Having an experienced Tampa personal injury attorney in your corner can make all the difference in the world. At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we have over 28 years of experience helping accident victims fight for fair compensation. 

When you hire us, your attorney will:

  • Work with law enforcement, investigators, and others to gather all relevant evidence
  • Identify the likely causes of your boating accident
  • Find out who is ultimately responsible for your damages
  • Hire experts and specialists in Tampa, Florida, to strengthen your injury claim

If you were hurt, let us handle the legal aspects of your claim. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys will negotiate with or file suit against the insurance companies to recover the maximum available compensation in your case. All you have to do is call today to get started.

How Common Are Boating Accidents in Tampa?

Florida has about 8,436 miles of shoreline. Only Alaska has more coastal shoreline miles. It’s not completely surprising that there are more boating accidents in Florida than anywhere else in the U.S.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Florida had 836 boating accidents in 2020. That’s 113 more accidents than 2019–a 16% increase in a single year. 20 of those accidents were reported in Hillsborough County. 56 more accidents were reported in Pinellas County.

In 2020, at least 534 people were injured in Florida boating accidents. Seventy-nine people were killed in fatal accidents.

The vast majority of those accidents involved:

  • Open motorboats
  • Personal watercraft
  • Cabin motorboats
  • Sailboats
  • Airboats 
  • Jet skis

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your accident, our Tampa boating accident attorneys are here to help. Call us anytime to arrange a free consultation to learn more about your legal options.

What is My Tampa Boating Accident Case Worth?

Before sitting down at the negotiating table, you should have some basic information about what your case is worth. Without this information, you risk accepting less than you deserve.

Speaking with an experienced attorney is the best way to get a sense of what your case is worth. To calculate the value of your case, we’ll first have to know the details of the accident. 

Some factors that tend to be most relevant in these cases include:

  • The nature and severity of your injuries
  • The nature and cost of your past and future medical treatment
  • How the injury will impact your life
  • Whether you’ll lose wages or income during recovery
  • Whether you’ll return to work with the same earning capacity

Insurance companies often try to diminish the value of your claim. They might argue that you had a pre-existing condition or shared blame for the accident. Our lawyers are here to fight for the maximum available compensation you deserve. We’ll identify all liable parties and insurance coverage to help you get what’s fair.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Boating Accident Victims?

If you were hurt in a boating accident in Tampa, personal injury laws allow you to recover economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages represent financial expenses. You may be entitled to compensation to cover the cost of:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Lost wages and income
  • Lost future earning capacity
  • Rehabilitation
  • Property damage

Non-economic damages compensate for pain, suffering, and other subjective losses, including:

  • Emotional distress
  • Disfigurement
  • Scarring
  • Anxiety 
  • Depression 
  • PTSD
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Loss of consortium

Courts in Florida rarely award punitive damages in personal injury cases. However, if the at-fault party’s acts were especially shocking or intentional, you may be entitled to damages to punish that person for their actions.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Boating Accident in Florida?

After an accident in Florida, liability is apportioned between all responsible parties. That includes the victim. Under the comparative fault laws in Florida, the insurance company can reduce your settlement if you were partly responsible for the accident.

For example, if you’re allocated 20% of the blame, you’ll only be able to receive 80% of your settlement. You may also be on the hook for paying damages to other injured parties. 

It’s important to work with an experienced attorney if shared fault is an issue in your case. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our lawyers in Tampa to learn more about your rights and options.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Boating Accident Injuries

Boating accident injuries are on the rise in Florida. Just a few years ago, in 2018, only 307 people were injured in boating accidents statewide. By 2020, that number had jumped to 534 injured parties.

Some of the most common injuries sustained by boating accident victims include:

If you were injured or suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, our lawyers at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers are here to help you fight for full compensation. Call our offices today to schedule a free case review to get started.

What Causes Most Boating Accidents in Tampa, Florida?

Boating operators have a legal duty to behave carefully. If they’re careless or reckless, they can be held liable–just like drivers in a car accident. Still, you have to know what caused your accident in order to establish liability.

According to FWC data, the most common causes of boating accidents in Tampa include:

  • Failure to keep a proper look out
  • Operator inexperience
  • Machinery failures
  • Poor weather
  • Excessive speeds
  • Careless/reckless driving
  • Hazardous water conditions
  • Operating a vessel while using drugs or alcohol
  • Overly congested waters
  • Passenger negligence
  • Sharp turns
  • Defective equipment
  • Violation of navigational rules

We handle all types of boating accident claims, including those involving:

  • Collision with another vessel
  • Collision with a fixed object
  • Flooding/swamping
  • Falls overboard
  • Running aground
  • Capsizing
  • Slip and falls
  • Fires and explosions
  • Vessel wake damage
  • sinking

Were you injured in a personal watercraft accident in Tampa? Call our law firm to speak with a lawyer about your legal right to compensation.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Boating Accident in Florida? 

Our lawyers will carefully investigate to find out what caused your boating accident in Tampa. The vast majority of all boating accidents occur because someone was negligent. A person is negligent when they fail to exercise reasonable caution given the circumstances.

To prove negligence, we’ll work to find evidence to establish:

  • The responsible party owed you a legal duty of care 
  • The at-fault person did something to breach that duty of care
  • The breach caused your accident
  • You suffered damages

Most boating accident claims are based on negligence. However, if a defective piece of equipment or machinery caused the accident, the manufacturer may be strictly liable for damages under Florida product liability laws.

Victims often don’t know what caused an accident. At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we’ll work with top boating accident experts and specialists to identify the cause of your crash. We’ll fight to hold every responsible party accountable for your damages.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Boating Accident in Florida?

The Florida statute of limitations in personal injury cases is two years from the date of the accident. In most cases, you’ll have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit

However, boating accident cases can be complicated. Depending upon the circumstances, federal and maritime laws may apply instead of Florida laws. You could have even less time to take legal action.

At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we’ve been handling complex boating accident cases in Tampa for over 28 years. We can help you identify the relevant laws that apply in your case–and work to make sure you meet all relevant deadlines.

Contact a Tampa Boating Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

If you were involved in a boating accident, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. A Tampa boating accident lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you recover the fair amount you deserve. To learn more, just give us a quick call to schedule a free consultation today.