Florida is the state with the most boating accidents, and the Miami area alone has more boat accidents than the next leading state. With such lovely weather and water, it is unsurprising that thousands of Floridians and vacationers rent boats each year. However, those piloting a rental boat may not be given the proper training when they take the boat out for the first time. If you or a loved one was injured on a rental boat, you may be entitled to file an injury lawsuit to help cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free consultation on your case, call Miami boat accident lawyer Prosper Shaked today, and for more information about common rental boat accident injuries, read on.
Rental Boat Accident Injuries in Florida
Renting a boat can be fun, but it can be extremely dangerous. Among the leading causes of boat accidents in Miami, improper training and defective boats are often cited. If you were injured while piloting a rental boat, you may have been injured because the boat rental company failed to give you the necessary training or safety lessons to keep you safe. If you were injured as a passenger or in another boat, the inexperienced rental boat pilot may have lacked similar training. In any case, the injuries commonly received in these kinds of accidents vary greatly in severity. In no particular order, the following are all common rental boat accident injuries:
Head Injuries
Many boat accident injuries occur from falling overboard during an accident or being thrown to the deck of the boat. When you’re in the water, a boat or a stationary object can strike you in the head and cause serious brain injuries. Being thrown into a gunwale, sharp edge, or even the deck of the boat itself can cause serious head trauma. If you are injured this way, you may face a long road to recovery, which could mean expensive medical bills and years of time off work (if you are even able to return to work).
Back Injuries
Similarly, during a boat crash, you can be thrown around in ways that seriously injure your back. Falling to the ground, hitting your back against an object, or even the force of impact through your seat back can misalign your spine and cause inflammation and pain. If the alignment is seriously put out of place, you could suffer spinal cord injuries that lead to paralysis, numbness, or loss of sensation below the point of injury.
Drowning Injuries
Falling off a boat or being involved in a capsize accident can put you in the water. Drowning injuries do not always include death, but any time you spend without oxygen going to your brain can cause serious problems. Many people who go out on the water in a rental boat are able to swim, but statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Division of Law Enforcement indicate that around 28% of boat accident deaths involve victims who cannot swim. In a sudden accident, being able to switch gears and begin swimming is difficult. Even if you are a strong swimmer, you should still wear a PFD (a personal flotation device a.k.a. “life preserver” or “life vest”). 82% of boat accident fatalities involve victims who were not wearing PFDs, which are designed to help you float and keep you near the surface, even if you are knocked unconscious during an accident. Plus, PFDs are usually brightly colored to help emergency responders find you and rescue you quickly.
Cuts and Lacerations
There are many sharp objects in the water which can cut or scrape at your skin if you are thrown overboard. Many objects that cause severe head trauma can also be sharp enough to draw blood during an accident. In some of the worst cases, coming into contact with a boat’s propellers can have catastrophic results.
Burns
It seems strange to include burn injuries on this list when boat accidents occur in the water, but a reportable number of boating injuries involve fires each year. This can occur when an engine is overheated or if a fuel line or tank is breached. Oil and gasoline can continue to burn on the surface of the water and can stick to your skin, making it difficult to avoid the flames or put out a fire on the water. These kinds of injuries account for only a few injuries each year, but the number is still appreciable.
Miami Boating Accident Lawyer Offering Free Consultations
If you or a loved one was injured in a boating accident on a rental boat in Miami, talk to Miami personal injury lawyer Prosper Shaked about if you can sue rental boat company today. Call Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA any time day or night to set up a free consultation. Filing a lawsuit against the boat rental company can help you pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages after a serious boat accident injury. To schedule your free consultation, contact our law offices today at (305) 694-2676.