Boat Accident Injuries in Florida

 Posted on May 08, 2024 in Catastrophic Injury

People live in South Florida for many reasons: Summer-like weather all year round, excellent wildlife, and easy access to several coastlines and waterways, to name a few. With so much water around, Florida is also home to an abundance of boats. Much like areas with heavy traffic can be prone to car accidents, Florida has an increased risk of boating accidents. These accidents can cause a variety of injuries that might require a great deal of time and money to recover from. If you or a loved one were injured in a boating accident, speak with an experienced Broward County, FL personal injury lawyer to understand the options you might have for compensation of those costs.

5 Injuries That Are Common with Boating Accidents

Boating accidents can happen in a wide range of circumstances. Additionally, since anything from a canoe to a yacht to a cruise ship might be considered a boat, there is a large variety of potential damage that can happen in a boat accident. While this list does not cover every possible injury, the following are five common injuries that can happen when someone is involved in a boat accident:

• Concussion: Sometimes, a collision can cause a boat passenger to hit their head with significant impact that can result in a concussion. People often recover from concussions especially if those around them can monitor their condition and call for help if needed, but sometimes there is a greater danger. For example, someone might hit their head, get a concussion, and fall into the water, facing a risk of drowning. 
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): When your head suffers a blow with a hard surface, like the side or floor of a boat or rocks nearby, it can lead to significant brain injury. TBI is a serious condition and can cause long-lasting damage.
• Spinal cord injury: If someone is tossed off a boat from the impact of a collision, their body might crash into something like another boat, a rock wall, a dock, or anything else nearby. Spinal cord injury can cause permanent weakness, numbness, and paralysis, 
• Fractures: Passengers can be violently shoved if the boat they are on crashes into rocks or another boat. If they fall into or onto something hard, whatever bone absorbs, the greatest impact might be fractured. Fractures often require a period of healing and recovery involving immobilizing the fractured bone in a cast, although surgery is sometimes needed. The passenger might require pain medication and physical therapy, and they might never have a full recovery.
• Lacerations: Impact from a collision can jostle passengers violently. Sometimes, boats have sharp objects around, like propellers and boat maintenance tools, and injury from something like that might require prompt stitches and medication to prevent infection. Otherwise, these seemingly moderate wounds can intensify.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Fort Lauderdale, FL Boat Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one was injured in a boating accident, the recovery might be overwhelmingly expensive and time-consuming. Let a skilled Broward County, FL boat injury attorney review your case and seek maximum coverage of damages. Call The Law Offices of John D. Ameen, P.A. at 800-555-4011 to schedule a free consultation.