Florida Boating Accidents: What Happens When Someone Is Injured on the Water?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident in Florida, protecting your legal rights needs to be a priority. Injuries from boating accidents can prove to be extremely expensive; and, in many cases, they can cause emotional trauma, pain and suffering, and other serious long-term effects as well.

Even if the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) or local police responded to the scene of the accident, you still need to take action in order to seek just compensation. In this scenario, it is up to you to assert your legal rights effectively, and nothing will happen unless you are proactive about seeking the financial compensation you and your family deserve.

5 Important Steps to Take After a Boating Accident in Florida

With this in mind, if you or a loved one has been injured on the water, you should:

1. Report the Accident Promptly

If the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida DLE or local police did not respond to the scene of the accident, you should report the accident promptly. While boat operators are required to report accidents resulting in injuries requiring medical treatment, victims and their families can report boating accidents as well. Reporting the accident will create a record of where and when the accident happened, and this will help with proving your legal rights.

2. Keep Your Photos and Videos

If you have photos or videos from your day on the water, you should keep all of these to share with your lawyer. This includes photos and videos from both before and after the accident. If any friends or family members were on the boat with you, you should ask them to keep any photos or videos they took as well.

3. Take Detailed Notes

Regardless of whether you have any photos or videos from the day of the accident, you should take detailed notes. Write down everything you can remember about: (i) the boat itself; (ii) the moments leading up to the accident; and, (iii) what happened in the accident’s aftermath.

4. Hire a Florida Boating Accident Lawyer

Seeking just compensation after a boating accident involves filing a personal injury claim; and, to file a personal injury claim, you will need as much evidence as possible. Once you hire a Florida boating accident lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to promptly launch a comprehensive investigation focused on gathering the evidence needed to recover the compensation you deserve.

5. Work with Your Lawyer to Seek Just Compensation

Conducting an investigation is just the first step in the process. Along with documenting the cause of the accident, you will also need to document your accident-related losses, and then you will need to be able to either negotiate a fair insurance settlement or take your claim to court. Once you hire a lawyer to represent you, you should work closely with your lawyer while he or she fights for just compensation on your behalf.

Speak with a Florida Boating Accident Lawyer at Douglas Law Firm for Free

If you need to know more about protecting your legal rights after a boating accident in Florida, we encourage you to contact us promptly. Call 800-705-5457 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Florida boating accident lawyer today.