With miles of coastline and waterways, Florida is a natural docking point for commercial boats, cruise ships and recreational watercraft. Unfortunately, this makes our state the national leader in serious boating accidents, with 77 fatalities on recreational watercraft alone in 2007, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Cruise ships and commercial craft aren't tracked by the FWC, but they, too, have a legal responsibility to keep crews, passengers and passers-by safe, and take reasonable care when moving through our state's navigable waters.

Pilots of recreational boats and personal watercraft like JetSkis have many of the same responsibilities as drivers: They must pilot their craft with reasonable care and avoid boating while intoxicated. They also have speed limits and lane requirements, just like cars. Unfortunately, many boaters ignore these rules, thinking the laws don’t apply when they're no longer on land. The result is more than 60 deaths and 370 injuries each year, mostly to Florida residents and all preventable.

On a cruise ship or a commercial vessel like a fishing craft, crew and passengers are putting their safety in the hands of the pilots and other crew members. Usually, that trust is warranted, but sometimes, it's betrayed in the worst possible way. Commercial ships of any kind are part of a business, and some businesspeople would rather risk their crews' or passengers' lives than lose a penny of extra profit. And because these vessels aren't always registered in Florida (and in the case of cruise ships, require passengers to sign a lengthy contract), they may feel insulated from the law on land.

If your vessel docks in Florida or your injury occurred within the state's waters, contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn for a free evaluation of your case. Our firm represents clients throughout Florida who have been injured in a boating accident, or individuals injured in a cruise ship accident anywhere in the Caribbean.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of a boating accident, contact us online or call us at 954.431.8100 or 305.624.9186 to set up a FREE consultation to discuss your legal options.