No matter how careful you are out on the water, there is always the risk that you may be injured in a boating accident. Similar to car accidents, boating accidents can happen for any number of reasons, and when a boating accident does occur, there may be more than one liable party. The following are some common causes of Miami boating accidents and injuries:

• Speeding
• Alcohol use
• Equipment failure
• Operator inattention
• Operator inexperience
• Reckless operation
• Sharp turns
• Restricted vision
• Improper loading
• Improper anchoring
• Hazardous waters
• Inclement weather

If you were injured in a car accident, you would have a legal claim against the person or party responsible for causing your injuries. The same is true for a boating accident in Miami. Any time you are injured in a boating accident caused by someone else’s negligence or misconduct, you have the right to seek compensation from that person or party for expenses incurred as a result of the accident, including medical bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering. If your boating accident injuries cause long-term damage, you may also be able to pursue compensation for ongoing medical care, loss of future earning capacity, and permanent disability or disfigurement. If you have lost a loved one in a fatal boating accident in Miami, your family may be entitled to compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, lost companionship, and other losses related to the decedent’s untimely death, which you can pursue by filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

The purpose of filing a lawsuit after a boating accident is two-fold. Not only can a personal injury claim compensate the injured victim for his or her losses, it is also a way to hold those responsible for the accident accountable for their actions. That brings us to the key to filing a successful personal injury claim and recovering the compensation you deserve for your boating accident injuries: determining negligence or finding out who is legally liable for the accident.
Any person or party who causes or contributes to a boating accident by failing to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances may be liable for injuries or fatalities resulting from the accident. Pinpointing the negligent persons or parties in a boating accident case has everything to do with proving what caused the boating accident and determining what kind of duty of care those persons or parties owed to the injured victim, a task that requires the expertise of a personal injury attorney. Some possible defendants in a boating accident case may include:

• The person operating the boat;
• Another passenger on board the boat;
• The owner of the boat;
• The boat manufacturer;
• Another boat operator or passenger, if another boat is involved;
• The company employing the boat operator; or
• Anyone else involved in the accident.

For example, if you are injured in a collision with another boat on a lake in Miami, you may be able to hold the other boat operator liable for your injuries if you can prove that they owed you a duty of care, breached that duty of care by acting in a negligent or reckless manner, and, by breaching that duty of care, caused your injuries. This may be the case if they were driving at an excessive speed or operating their boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the accident took place.