Were you recently injured in a boating accident in St. Petersburg, Florida? Don’t struggle with the consequences on your own. Call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, and discover how our St. Petersburg boating accident lawyers can help you fight to get the compensation you deserve at (727) 314-5988.
Since 2001, our law firm has helped boating accident victims stand up, tell their stories, and demand rightful compensation for the devastating injuries they’ve suffered.
Collectively, our top-rated Florida trial lawyers have 119 years of experience dealing with cases like St. Petersburg slip and fall accidents, negligent security cases, workplace accidents, product liability in St. Petersburg, and assault injury cases, among others.
We’ve won millions of dollars on behalf of deserving clients, and we’re ready to fight to get you top results, too. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our law office in St. Petersburg, Florida to learn more. We offer a free consultation, so contact us for help today
How Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Boating Accident in St. Petersburg, FL
What caused the boat accident? Was it a mechanical failure or operator error? Who’s at fault and on the hook for your damages? What can you do if at-fault parties (or their insurance companies) try to shift blame to you? What’s your boating accident case worth?
You’ve got enough on your plate right now without having to worry about these (and other) important questions after a boat accident. You need to focus on your physical and emotional well-being. The good news is that you can invest in your recovery and put yourself in the position to win your boating accident case.
That’s where our St. Petersburg injury attorneys can help.
We’re ready to invest our extensive experience, in-depth knowledge of Florida personal injury law, and considerable resources into your boating accident case. We’ll take on the negligent parties, boating manufacturers, insurance companies, and anyone else who attempts to stand between you and the compensation you deserve.
As we navigate your boating accident case, our award-winning personal injury attorneys in St. Petersburg will:
- Coordinate an independent investigation into your boat accident
- Identify why the accident happened, how it could have been avoided, and determine who’s at fault
- Gather evidence to support and strengthen a claim for damages, including vessel maintenance records, accident reports, medical records, boater licensing details, weather reports, witness statements, and physical evidence from the scene
- Interview maritime and boating accident experts
- Defend against allegations of shared fault
- Aggressively negotiate the terms of a settlement offer so that you’re fully compensated for your injuries and suffering
- Prepare to bring your boating accident case to trial, if necessary
At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, we understand that a boat accident can put you in an incredibly stressful financial situation. We don’t want the cost of a lawyer to add to your burden. That’s why our law firm works on contingency. There’s no cost to you unless we win your boating accident case.
Call our St. Petersburg, FL law office to arrange a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more.
St. Petersburg Boating Accident Statistics
St. Petersburg, surrounded by Tampa Bay to the west, south, and east and Old Tampa Bay to the north, is one of the most popular boating destinations in Florida. Home to no fewer than ten marinas, it’s easy to find a spot to drop into the water and set sail.
Given the popularity of boating in St. Petersburg and surrounding cities in the Tampa Bay area, it’s no surprise that boating accidents are fairly common.
In fact, Pinellas County ranked 5th for boating accidents statewide in 2021.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were at least 40 boat accidents reported in Pinellas County that year.
This included:
- 22 accidents causing property damage
- 15 accidents resulting in an injury
- 3 fatal boating accidents
That’s roughly 3.3 boating accidents a month in St. Petersburg and surrounding towns in Pinellas County.
Common types of boating accidents reported in St. Petersburg include:
- Collision with another vessel (30 percent)
- Collision with a fixed object (22.5 percent)
- Falling overboard (12.5 percent)
- Flooding (7.5 percent)
- Capsizing (5 percent)
- Grounding (5 percent)
The vast majority of boating accidents in St. Petersburg involved personal watercraft (77.5 percent) rather than commercial vessels.
What Causes Boating Accidents in St. Petersburg?
Boat accidents are largely avoidable.
Most boaters in Florida are required to obtain a boating education ID card, which involves taking a NASBLA- approved boating education course (or equivalent). This helps to ensure that operators are familiar with state boating laws, the proper operation of a vessel, and safety protocols.
Unfortunately, despite this, boating accidents still happen. Typically, they’re the result of negligence.
In 2021, the leading causes of St. Petersburg boating accidents included:
- Inattention/distraction
- Operator inexperience
- Speeding
- Careless operation
- Drug and alcohol use
- Lack of proper lights
- Sharp turns
- Off throttle steering-jet
- Standing on the gunwale, bow, or transom
Other factors that can contribute to boating accidents in the Tampa Bay area include negligent vessel maintenance, vessel defects, hull failure, and hazardous or overcrowded waterways.
We Handle All Types of Boating Accident Cases in St. Petersburg
No two boat accidents are the same, so it’s important to work with a law firm that has experience representing clients in all types of boating accident cases.
At Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle boat accident cases involving:
- Jet skis
- Kayaks
- Motorboats
- Speedboats
- Tour boats
- Sailboats
- Fishing boats
- Commercial boats
- Yachts
- Cruise ships
- Towing accidents
- Marina accidents
- Dock accidents
Call our law offices in St. Petersburg to discuss the specific details of your boating accident case today.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a St. Petersburg Boating Accident Claim?
If you’re hurt in a boating accident in St. Petersburg, you can typically file a claim for compensatory damages.
This can include compensation for your financial losses (economic damages) and hard-to-value life changes (non-economic damages), such as:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages and income
- Disability
- Property damage
- Nursing assistance
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Our experienced boating accident attorneys in St. Petersburg will carefully evaluate the details of your case and work closely with experts and specialists throughout the process. We’ll want to fully appreciate how the boat accident has affected your life and how it will continue to do so for years to come.
The more information we have to work with, and the more we understand the extent to which you’ve been affected, the better the chances of securing a financial award that really reflects what your boating accident case is worth.
Who’s Liable for My Boat Accident Injuries?
Under Florida law, liability for a boating accident can extend to:
- Negligent boat operators
- Negligent boat passengers
- Boat owners
- Boat rental companies
- Employers
- Boat maintenance professionals
- Boat manufacturers
Our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys will work to get to the bottom of what happened and why. With this information, we can identify those responsible for your boat accident and fight to hold them accountable.
How Long Do I Have To File a Boat Accident Lawsuit in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Florida has a two-year statute of limitations that applies to most boating accident lawsuits. You may have four years depending on when the boating accident occured.
If you’ve lost a family member in a fatal boat accident in St. Petersburg, you’ll also have two years to file a wrongful death action.
Two years might seem like a lot of time, but it’s important to get a jump-start on your boat accident claim. Evidence can get lost or destroyed, and witness memories will fade over time. You also don’t want to miss the deadline because that will prevent you from getting the compensation you need and deserve.
Reach out to our compassionate legal team in St. Petersburg as soon as you can after your boating accident for help.
Common Boat Accident Injuries
Boat accidents have the potential to be more catastrophic than car accidents and other accidents on land. Water adds another layer of danger, putting victims at risk of additional serious and life-threatening injuries, like drowning.
Some common boat accident injuries include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Neck injury
- Whiplash
- Back injury
- Broken bones
- Burn injury
- Amputation
- Cuts and lacerations
- Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
- Hypothermia
- Wrongful death
It’s important to have your injuries checked out immediately after a boat accident. Once you’ve reached shore, get to the closest hospital in St. Petersburg for medical treatment. Once your condition is stable, don’t hesitate to contact our experienced boat accident attorneys to discuss your legal rights and options.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced St. Petersburg Boating Accident Lawyer
You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one has recently been involved in a boating accident in St. Petersburg, Florida. You don’t have to take on the challenges of a boat injury lawsuit on your own. Call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers and discover how our St. Petersburg boat accident lawyers can help you fight to get the financial accountability you deserve.
Benefit from a team with 119+ years of combined experience that’s won millions on behalf of deserving clients like you.
We offer a free case evaluation, so give our law office in St. Petersburg, FL a call to set up a time for yours today.
Our personal injury law firm in St. Petersburg, FL also provides:
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Visit Our Law Office In St. Petersburg, FL
Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyer – St. Petersburg
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: (727) 314-5988
Hours: Open 24 Hours Daily
