Boating Accidents Have Their Own Hazards
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
Florida has the great fortune to be one of the southernmost states in the country, and that means it enjoys warm, comfortable weather all year around. It also means that the seas surrounding the state never freeze, and this, combined with a lot of sunshine, make Florida a popular state for boating enthusiasts.But it’s important for everyone to remember that while there’s a great joy in hopping on a boat to “get away from it all,” one of the things that you can’t get away from is financial and legal responsibility should an accident occur. On the flipside, this also means that if you are the victim of a boating accident and it is not your fault, you have protection as well.
The Law Still Matters
While there are some big differences between maritime and traffic law, there are still a few constants that remain identical to both vehicles. For example, in the event of an accident, blame will be assigned, and the person at fault in a boating accident will be responsible for financial compensation. The same holds true in the even that injuries are involved.
However, one big difference between a car accident and a boat accident is the notion of insurance. Before you are legally allowed to own and drive a car, you need to have insurance coverage. This is not the case with boats in Florida. A boat MUST be registered with the Florida DMV in order to be legally operated here, but insurance coverage for that boat is not mandatory.
This means that should get into a boating accident, such as an unfortunate collision at the docks because the other boater was careless or drunk, there is a chance that the other boater may have no insurance coverage to offset the monetary damages that he or she is responsible for. In such cases, you will need to engage the services of a good accident lawyer and you may be forced to sue the other person directly for the damages that are owed.
Get Legal Help
Just like with an auto accident, if things are serious, and you know that you were not to blame in a mishap, you need to get legal representation to sort things out. A persona injury lawyer in St. Petersburg can be your advocate in navigating the complex, often bewildering world of a civil suit against someone that has wronged you.
It’s important to get this kind of legal help as quickly as you can when you know you have a case. Getting to the heart of an incident and having witnesses, evidence and expert testimony are much easier to do with an experienced advocate like an accident lawyer guiding you through this process. Even if the other person involved in the boating accident doesn’t have insurance, the fact that they are affluent enough to own a boat often means that you still have some chance at financial compensation. If you want to make sure you get the monetary damages that you are owed, an accident lawyer can quickly help you to prove to a court that the other person was at fault and that you are the victim. From there, justice quickly follows.