Did you or a family member sustain injuries during a boat accident off the coast of New Port Richey, FL? You may be entitled to significant compensation for your losses. An experienced New Port Richey boating accident lawyer at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering.
Since we founded our law firm back in 2001, we’ve dedicated our practice to fighting for injured clients like you.
Collectively, our lawyers have over 119 years of experience handling complex personal injury law matters related to taxi accidents, dog bites, catastrophic injuries in New Port Richey, truck accidents, New Port Richey wrongful death cases, and many more.
The person responsible for your injuries should be accountable for your losses. To learn how a lawyer can help, call our law offices at (727) 910-5060 in New Port Richey, Florida to schedule a free consultation today.
Why Should I Hire Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers To Handle My New Port Richey Boating Accident Case?
When a day on the water leads to traumatic injuries, you may not know where to turn for help. The accident wasn’t your fault–but how do you prove someone else is liable for your losses? An experienced personal injury lawyer in New Port Richey, FL can help.
At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have decades of experience representing accident victims across the Tampa Bay area. We have the resources to conduct a full investigation and prove your case.
When you hire our legal team, you will benefit from:
- Quality legal advice and guidance at every turn
- A lawyer to analyze the state, federal, and maritime laws that may apply
- A law firm that can hire respected experts to prove your case
- A full investigation into the accident
- A lawyer who will carefully evaluate the value of your case
- Someone to protect you if you’re blamed for the accident
- A skilled advocate who will negotiate fiercely for the maximum compensation you deserve
Don’t wait too long to speak with a lawyer. If you were injured in Pasco County, call our experienced New Port Richey personal injury attorneys to schedule a free case evaluation today.
Are Boating Accidents Common in New Port Richey?
Florida has about 8,436 miles of shoreline. Over 1 million recreational boating vessels were registered in the state of Florida as of 2021–more than any other state in the country.
These recreational vessels include:
- Open motorboats
- Cabin motorboats
- Personal watercraft
- Rental boats
- Sailboats
- Airboats
- Jet skis
It’s not entirely surprising that Florida ranks first in the nation when it comes to recreational boating accidents, according to data collected by the U.S. Coast Guard.
751 boating accidents were reported across the state of Florida in 2021–down from a record high of 836 boat accidents in 2020, when recreational boating became extremely popular during the pandemic.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), at least 469 people suffered injuries in boating accidents in 2021. 60 people were killed in fatal boating accidents in 2021–and another 70 victims lost their lives in 2020.
Over half of all boating accident victims were passengers on the vessel. About 42% of all people injured were boat operators.
How Much is My Boating Injury Case Worth?
Before beginning negotiations with the insurance company, it’s important to have an idea about how much your personal injury case is worth. Every case is different. That makes it important to consult an experienced attorney who knows how to value your case.
When we’re calculating your case value, our lawyers will evaluate various factors, including:
- The type of injuries involved in your case
- The cost of your medical treatment
- The types of medical care you will require now and in the future
- The pain and suffering you endure due to the injuries
- How the injuries impact your current and future work prospects and earnings
- Damage to your quality of life and mental health
- The circumstances of the accident
The amount of insurance coverage can also impact your case value if the at-fault party doesn’t have sufficient resources to cover your damages.
Our lawyers will identify all parties that played a role in causing your accident. With the help of experts, we’ll assess your case value and demand fair compensation from any party who shares responsibility for your injuries.
Boating Accident Victims in New Port Richey Are Entitled To Multiple Types of Damages
Boat accident victims are entitled to seek compensation for economic and non-economic losses.
Our lawyers will start by documenting your economic damages, which are your financial losses, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost income during recovery
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Physical therapy
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Property damage
We’ll then begin to assess your non-economic damages, which compensate victims for the trauma of the experience and the personal life changes made necessary by the injury.
Examples of those non-economic losses include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Mental health disorders
- Chronic pain
- Fear and humiliation
- Loss of consortium
In some cases, our lawyers in New Port Richey will work with specialists who can help assign a dollar value to these types of losses.
What Happens If I’m Being Blamed for Causing a Boating Accident in Florida?
If you share some fault for the accident, you can be held liable for your share of the damages. However, you don’t lose your right to seek compensation unless you were the sole cause of the accident.
Florida follows modified comparative fault laws. Each party is assigned a percentage of fault. If you share blame, your compensation will be reduced by that percentage. So, if you were 20% responsible, you’re still entitled to 80% of your compensation. But if you are more than 50% responsible for the accident, these rules will not allow you to recover compensation.
Our Boat Accident Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Injuries
A serious boating accident can easily lead to severe injuries.
According to FWC, some of the most common types of boating accident injuries in Florida include:
- Lacerations
- Contusions
- Broken bones
- Teeth and jaw injuries
- Burns
- Neck injuries
- Head injuries and concussions
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Internal organ damage and other internal injuries
- Hypothermia
- Amputations
- Shock
- Dislocations
Boating wrecks can also be fatal, especially if the victim is tossed overboard in rough seas. Our lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for wrongful death if you lost a family member in a fatal boating accident.
What Are the Common Causes of Boating Accidents in New Port Richey, Florida?
Like motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents tend to happen because of human error. In other words, they occur because someone was negligent.
According to FWC reports, some of the most common causes of boating accidents and injuries include:
- Inexperienced boat operators
- Failure to keep a proper lookout
- Careless or reckless boating
- Excessive speeds
- Poor weather and hazardous water conditions
- Operating a vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Congested waters
- Machinery failures
- Obstructed vision
- Passenger negligence
- Sharp turns
- Defective equipment
- Violation of navigational rules
You deserve to know why you were injured. You also need to identify the cause of the accident to prove that someone else is responsible for your damages.
Contacting a New Port Richey boating accident attorney is always a smart idea. Our lawyers have handled cases similar to yours before. We know how to investigate and gather the evidence to prove your case. Just call our law firm today to learn more about how we can help.
We Handle All Types of Boating Accident Claims
At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, our team handles all types of boating accident cases, including those involving:
- Collision with another vessel
- Collision with a fixed object
- Sinking
- Flooding or swamping
- Falls overboard
- Running aground
- Capsizing
- Slip and fall accidents on the vessel
- Fires and explosions
These types of accidents can cause significant damage. It’s always a good idea to speak with an experienced attorney if you were injured.
How Do I Prove I Deserve Compensation After a Boating Accident in Florida?
The legal basis for most personal injury claims is negligence.
Negligence means that:
- Someone owed you a legal duty of care
- They breached the duty of care
- The breach directly caused the accident
- You sustained damages
Many different types of evidence can be used to prove these four elements. Our lawyers will interview witnesses, search for photos and videos taken aboard the vessel, and even bring in accident reconstruction specialists to examine the data and offer expert opinions.
You Have a Limited Amount of Time To File a Lawsuit After a Boating Accident in Florida
There are time limits for taking legal action after an accident. Under Florida law, the statute of limitations generally gives accident victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. Once two years have passed, you no longer have the right to pursue compensation. You may have longer to file in some circumstances.
Contact a New Port Richey Boating Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Do you have questions about your legal rights after a boating accident? Contact a New Port Richey boating accident lawyer at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers today. As always, we offer a free consultation so you can get the legal advice you deserve.
