FL Injury Lawyers (Home) / Clearwater Boat Accident Lawyers

Spring is finally here, and it couldn’t come soon enough. If you’re looking forward to getting out on the water, you are not alone – and there is likely not a more idyllic spot for boating than the Tampa Bay and Clearwater area. While boating is all about relaxing on the water, boating accidents are a frightening proposition that are exceptionally dangerous. If someone else's negligence leaves you injured in a boating accident, you need an experienced Tampa Bay and Clearwater area boat accident attorney in your corner.

Things Are a Bit Different on the Water

When you’re on a boat, you’re on a motor vehicle, and the operator who is guiding the boat – no matter how large or small it is – is responsible for doing so safely and in accordance with the State of Florida’s rules, regulations, and restrictions as they relate to boating. When you are on the water, however, the feeling is quite a bit different than when you are a passenger in a car. Consider all of the following:

  • When you’re on a boat, there’s often a party vibe that includes drinks and soaking up the sun.
  • When you’re on a boat, you don’t have the protective shell of a car to help take the force of a blow in an accident – and neither do you have a seatbelt or airbag to help shield you from danger.
  • When you’re on a boat, there is the very real risk of drowning in the event of an accident.

In other words, when you’re on a boat, you’re vulnerable to dangerous accidents, but you may not see it that way at the time.

Boat Operator Negligence

Just like car accidents, boat accidents are often the result of driver negligence. The waterways that operators must safely travel are less regulated and are less well defined than the roads we drive on (for obvious reasons), and this means that operators must be hyper-vigilant to whatever comes their way. In order to navigate a boat safely, there is no room for negligence, and such negligence is often at the root of dangerous boat accidents. Operator negligence looks a lot like driver negligence, including:

  • Impairment – When a boat’s skipper joins his or her passengers in raising a glass or two, it puts everyone on the waterway at increased risk.
  • Distraction – It is the skipper’s job to keep a keen eye on the waterway, and distraction can play no safe role in this job description.
  • Exhaustion – Exhaustion is closely associated with many of the same impairments caused by alcohol and can cause dangerous boat accidents.
  • Excess Speed – Excess speed on the water plays far too significant a role in dangerous boat accidents.

An Experienced Boat Accident Attorney in the Tampa Bay and Clearwater area Can Help

If you’re injured in a boat accident caused by someone else’s negligence, the accomplished boat accident attorneys at Tragos, Sartes & Tragos – proudly serving the Tampa Bay and Clearwater area – are committed to skillfully advocating for compensation that covers your damages in their entirety. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 727-441-9030 today.