Injured as a Result of a Florida Jet Ski Accident?
Florida residents and visitors to the sunshine state enjoy waterways and beautiful waterfronts. Many people enjoy a day on the water, riding a personal watercraft such as a Jet Ski. There are different dangers on a personal watercraft than there is when on a boat. The small vehicles can make sudden turns, for example, which could lead to accident injuries.
If you sustained injuries in a personal watercraft accident, connect with a Florida personal injury lawyer. You may be facing high medical expenses due to your accident. After all, just like a motorcycle operator is not protected by the frame of a vehicle, operators of Jet Skis or Sea-Doos are also exposed. When accidents happen, injuries can be severe and result in large hospital and specialist fees.
Collisions, Fires, and Other Concerns
Accidents happen for a variety of reasons, this is true for car accidents, boat accidents, and personal watercraft accidents, whether they are a Jet Ski, WaveRunner, or Sea-Doo. Those are trademarked names that cover different brands of personal watercraft machines. Whatever type of machine you are riding on or within, there are accident risks to operators, passengers, and others on the road and waterways.
Some of the reasons for personal watercraft accidents:
- Explosions or fires, due to a mechanic issue such as an engine explosion.
- There is a collision with another water vessel, debris, or dock.
- Speeding leads to a loss of control or capsizing.
- Swimmer is in the water and struck.
- Machine rides onto land, beach, or is grounded on a sandbar.
- Inexperience or intoxication leads to a crash.
While they feel different to ride than boats, under the law, a personal watercraft vehicle is a motorboat. There are laws in place that both a motorboat and a personal watercraft must abide by, even though each has qualities that make operating it much different than operating the other.
Mechanical Defects Could Be to Blame
There are other situations when the machine itself has defects. If a damaged part leads to an accident involving injuries, it is possible the manufacturer will have a responsibility to pay for part or all of a claim. Manufacturer defect claims can be incredibly complex, but they can be part of the reason for an accident.
Inexperience and tricks can lead to accidents as well. When a person is not familiar with a personal watercraft or is overly confident in their ability to do jumps and stunts, injuries can result. This is particularly true when an individual is showing off and does not notice swimmers in the area. In other situations, individuals who are not paying attention collide with buildings at the shore.
Were you injured because of another’s negligence while on a Sea-Doo, Jet Ski, or WaveRunner? Talk to an experienced attorney as soon as possible to strengthen your case. When another is negligent, you are not responsible for all of the fees connected to an accident. With over 100 years of combined experience, the personal injury lawyers at Roman & Roman will help you to understand your rights. Schedule your free consultation today in Clearwater, Hudson, or Tampa.