St. Petersburg Boating Accident Lawyer

Florida is well known as a haven for boating. With thousands of miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, there are an estimated one million boats registered to operate throughout the state. And unlike a car or land-based motor vehicle, the certification and licensing requirements to operate a boat are far less stringent.

Of course, that also means that boating can be quite a dangerous activity, especially when an inexperienced or unqualified operator is behind the wheel of a vessel. And innocent people often pay the price. If you have been injured while aboard a watercraft and need legal advice or representation from a qualified St. Petersburg boating accident lawyer, attorney Frank D. Butler and his team are here to help.

Operator, Owner Negligence Can Lead to Serious Accidents

Boating accidents often occur for the same reason as any accident involving a motor vehicle–human error. A personal injury claim does not require proof of criminal intent or deliberate action to hurt someone. It only requires proof of negligence. And when it comes to most boating accidents, negligence is generally the culprit.

Some of the more common examples of negligence leading to a boating accident include:

Distractions and Failing to Keep a Proper Lookout – Boating is for many people a recreational activity. This means they are often enjoying themselves and their guests and not keeping a proper lookout for other boats, people in the water, or navigational hazards.
Speeding – Waterways typically do not have posted speed limits like those on a highway. But that does not mean traveling at a high or excessive speed is safe just because you are in a boat. To the contrary, speeding in a boat carries much the same risk as speeding in a car–i.e., the operator’s reaction time is reduced.
Drunk Boating – One way the law is the same for boats and cars is when it comes to drunk driving. It is against the law to operate a boat while legally intoxicated. Yet many people ignore this law–and the result is often a catastrophic boating accident.
Improper Maintenance – Some boating accidents are not the result of operator error but negligence on the part of the owner in properly maintaining the vessel. If a boat is not regularly inspected and maintained, the result may be a mechanical failure at a critical moment that leads to an accident.

Contact Attorney Frank D. Butler Today

Boating accidents often involve questions of federal admiralty law. This is a specialized body of law that can differ in terms of rights and procedures from the normal state personal injury law case. That is why it is crucial that you work with an experienced St. Petersburg boating accident attorney who regularly deals in admiralty and maritime law. You do not want your case thrown out of court because you did not follow the proper procedures.

So if you have been injured in a boating accident and need legal advice on what steps to take next, call the offices of Frank D. Butler, P.A., today at 888-BOAT-LAW to schedule an initial consultation.

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