Category: <span>BOATING ACCIDENTS</span>

Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America” because of the miles of inland waterways, but actually all of south Florida is bustling with thousands of boats. On weekends and holidays the normally tranquil waterways and canals become treacherous maritime raceways with frequent serious collisions and accidents.

One such accident occurred this past 4th-of-July which killed four people, then another during the Columbus Day holiday killed a 29-year-old woman. It’s not yet certain if alcohol contributed to these incidents, but nationally it is the number one cause of boating deaths cited by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2012:

Contributing Factor———————-Accidents———-Deaths———-Injuries Operator inattention——————————-581————-47————-359 Operator inexperience—————————-417————-51————-303 Improper lookout———————————–391————-13————–278 Machinery failure———————————–346————10————–115 Excessive speed———————————–310————-31————-288 Navigation rules violation————————290————13————–236 Alcohol use——————————————-280———– 109————-227 Force of wave/wake——————————-228————–06————-204 Weather————————————————221————–43————-103 Hazardous waters———————————-184————–57—————92
The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been representing victims of boating accidents for over 20 years, and they are experts in the field of maritime law. If you or someone you know has been injured in a boating accident, contact the Fort Lauderdale attorneys who have a solid reputation protecting the rights of their clients by calling 954-356-0006

A Pinellas County boat crash has left one teenager dead and another injured. The two teens were involved in an accident while riding on an inner tube being pulled behind a 24-foot fishing boat at the Redington Yacht and Tennis Club. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the driver of the boat, 15-year-old Brandon Noah, reportedly navigated the vessel too close to a dock. Although the boat did not strike the dock, the tube attached to the vessel did and the two teens riding on the inner tube were thrown into the air. Although one girl landed in the water, 15-year-old Deviny Boese flew into a piling on the dock. Following the accident, Noah reportedly pulled the girls from the water and administered CPR until rescue crews arrived. Boese was transported to St. Petersburg General Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. 16-year-old Sarah Dobbs was taken to All Children’s Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

A passenger on the boat, 15-year-old Noah Epstein reportedly took the boat to Noah’s home in order to notify his parents about the crash. According to law enforcement officers, the accident is still under investigation but appears to have been caused by boater inexperience. Noah was cited for misdemeanor reckless operation of a boat that resulted in a fatality and failure to have a boating safety identification card. The teens apparently did not have permission to use the boat when the accident occurred.

Although no license is required in order to operate a boat in Florida, anyone born in 1988 or later must obtain a boating safety identification card in order to operate a vessel with a 10 horsepower or larger engine. There are no age restrictions placed on boaters who wish to enroll in the boating safety course required to receive an identification card. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about 27,000 boating safety cards were issued in the state last year. About 7,500 safety cards were issued to Florida residents aged 16 and under. At the time of the accident, Noah was reportedly driving a boat with 280 horsepower.

If your family member was killed in an unexpected Florida boating accident, you may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person who caused your loss. Generally, you have the option to file a lawsuit when a close relative’s wrongful death was caused by another person’s carelessness, recklessness, or negligence. In the State of Florida, relatives generally have up to two years to file a wrongful death claim unless the claim is against a cruise ship. The damages available to the relatives of someone killed on a cruise ship are subject to the terms of the passenger’s ticket.
Read more “One Teen Killed, Another Injured in Redington Beach Boating Accident”

A retired astronaut who flew two space shuttle missions was recently killed in a tragic Pensacola Beach jet-ski accident. 51-year-old Alan Goodwin Poindexter died after the jet-ski he was riding on was struck by another personal watercraft in Little Sabine Bay. Poindexter was reportedly jet-skiing with two of his adult children when the accident happened. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the incident occurred after the jet-ski Poindexter was riding on with his son Samuel suddenly slowed. Another jet-ski driven by his son Zachary reportedly hit the back of Poindexter’s jet-ski at a high rate of speed.

The force of the deadly crash allegedly tossed both Poindexter and Samuel into the water. Friends reportedly pulled Poindexter onto a nearby boat and performed CPR until emergency responders arrived. The former NASA astronaut was then taken by emergency helicopter to Baptist Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The exact cause of the accident is currently under investigation by the Wildlife Commission.

Every year, many people in Florida are killed in unnecessary and avoidable boating accidents. Because our state it is a popular tourist and boating destination, people often spend a lot of time on the water in Florida. Whether on a lake or in the ocean, anyone using a boat or personal watercraft should always be careful to follow established safety rules and guidelines.

Losing a loved one in an unexpected watercraft accident like this one can be devastating. If your close relative was killed in a Florida boating accident that was caused by someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or negligence, you may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person who caused your loss. Although no amount of money can bring back your family member, filing a wrongful death claim may help to relieve some of your financial burden and deter similar behavior in the future. Because the amount of time you have to file a wrongful death claim in Florida is limited, it is a good idea to contact a capable personal injury attorney as soon as possible following your loss.
Read more “Retired Astronaut Killed in Pensacola Beach Jet-Ski Crash”

Nine people were rescued by the United States Coast Guard in Clearwater Pass, Florida over Memorial Day weekend after a 21-foot pleasure boat hit a rock jetty. According to the Coast Guard, the vessel struck the jetty while traveling at about 20 miles per hour early Sunday morning. All nine passengers on the boat were reportedly thrown into the water by the force of the impact. Another boat notified the Coast Guard of the accident around 3 o’clock in the morning. Rescuers discovered all nine passengers stranded on the jetty.

A representative for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission stated three passengers were taken to Morton Plant Hospital and Largo Medical Center for injuries sustained in the southwest Florida boat accident. The remaining passengers were taken to Station Sand Key where the driver of the boat purportedly passed a field sobriety test. The driver of the vessel was later ticketed for failing to maintain a proper lookout. The watercraft sustained a large hole in the bottom as a result of the collision and was reportedly a total loss. The accident is currently under investigation by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission.

Luckily, no one involved in this particular crash sustained life-threatening injuries. Every year, however, many deaths in Florida stem from avoidable watercraft accidents. Because South Florida offers many wonderful boating spots, people tend to spend a great deal of time on the water. Due to the associated safety risks, all boaters should follow established safety guidelines and rules. Watercraft owners and drivers have a legal responsibility to protect themselves, their vessel, and their passengers.

If you lost a loved one in a Florida watercraft accident, you may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person who caused your loss. Normally, you may sue for a family member’s wrongful death following a fatal accident caused by someone else’s recklessness, carelessness, or negligence. In Florida, relatives generally have up to two years to file a wrongful death claim unless the claim is against a cruise ship.

If you lost a family member in a cruise ship accident, you may be limited to filing a lawsuit within one year of the accident based on the passenger ticket. If you have lost a loved one in a boating or other watercraft accident, you should contact an experienced South Florida wrongful death attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Read more “Nine Passengers Ejected, Three Injured in Florida After Vessel Hits Clearwater Rock Jetty”

Recently, a 30-foot boat caught fire and overturned in the Intracoastal Waterway near Fort Lauderdale. All six passengers, including three adults and three children aged 10, 12, and 14, abandoned ship as a result of the flames. A spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale Fire and Rescue, Matt Little, stated all of the passengers were able to swim to shore where they were pulled from the water by onlookers and emergency crews. Little also said no one was injured in the incident.

According to witness Linda Nair, smoke from the fire rose about 100 feet into the air and could be seen for miles. She said she was impressed by how quickly area firefighters extinguished the flames. It took firefighters approximately 15 minutes to put the blaze out. The cause of the flames is currently under investigation. The owner of the boat was not onboard at the time of the incident.

Luckily, no one was severely injured or killed in this particular accident. Still, a great many Florida deaths are the result of tragic and avoidable boating accidents. With so many great boating spots in South Florida, boaters often spend a great deal of time on the water. Because boating is such a popular form of recreation, it is vital for boaters of all ages to follow safety guidelines and rules. Boat operators have a responsibility to protect not only themselves and their vessel, but also their passengers. Losing someone you love in an unexpected watercraft accident can be devastating. It is often made even worse when your loss was preventable.

If you have lost a family member in a Florida boating accident, you have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the party at fault. Generally, you may sue for wrongful death following a deadly accident that resulted from someone else’s act of negligence, recklessness, or carelessness. In the State of Florida, relatives have up to two years to file a wrongful death claim unless your claim is against a Cruise Ship in which case you may be limited to filing a lawsuit within one year based on the passenger ticket. If you have lost a family member due to another person’s negligence, you should contact a capable South Florida personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
Read more “Six Abandon Ship Due to Fire in Intracoastal Waterway Near Fort Lauderdale”