The United States offers the best personal watercraft opportunities. However, because boating and other personal watercraft activities are so popular, accidents resulting in personal injury and even death can occur. An accident normally occurs because people are careless or do not understand the nautical rules when using a personal watercraft. Education is also essential to reducing personal injury however many states fail to implement the proper regulations and education programs that includes safety precautions. The result is more accidents are taking place. Below are recent watercraft injuries in the news:
Personal Watercraft Accident Leaves Passenger in the Hospital
The Daytona-Beach News Journal recently reported a personal watercraft accident that took place in the Intracoastal Waterway between Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach. The accident occurred on March 29. After being ejected from the personal watercraft, the female passenger was airlifted to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach. The operator was arrested for boating under the influence.
Singer Sean Kingston Crashes Personal Watercraft into Miami Bridge
The Miami-Herald recently reported that Miami-born pop singer Sean Kingston, 21, crashed a personal watercraft into Palm Island Bridge in Biscayne Bay on May 29. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission stated Kingston was driving the personal watercraft with a female passenger on board when the accident occurred. A passing boater saw the accident and took the two aboard. Miami-Beach Fire Rescue took Kingston and his passenger to Ryder Trauma Center. At the time Kingston was brought to the trauma center, he was believed to be in critical condition.
Personal Watercraft Accident Negligence
The most frequent situations where the boat operator may be found negligent, and therefore responsible for injuries to passengers and/or occupants of another vessel include: contact with propellers, hitting a fixed object such as a pier, navigational aid or bridge, hitting a large wave or wake at an dangerous speed or angle, ejection from the boat due to improper operation, ejection from the boat when navigating in bad weather, operating at a high speed, defective boat design, overcrowding and overloading, failing to keep a watch out while a guest is waterskiing or tubing, not knowing the navigational rules, collisions with another watercraft, and defective boat construction or repair.
Individuals injured due to the negligence of a boat operator may be entitled to compensation in the form of payment of medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages related to the accident. Many recreational boating accidents involve ignorance or violation of a navigational regulation. It is important to enlist the services of a maritime law attorney if you or a loved one is involved in a watercraft accident. Maritime law is very different than land law so a maritime law attorney has the knowledge and experience to protect your rights and will help obtain the compensation
