Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog
In a tragic accident that occurred earlier this month near Dinner Cay in Coconut Grove, four people lost their lives when three boats collided after a Fourth of July fireworks display. According to a report by the New York Daily News, one man from Long Island was killed while he was aboard a boat owned by his girlfriend’s family celebrating the Fourth of July.
Evidently, the family had taken the boat out to watch the fireworks and were heading back in to the marina when one of the family members noticed that another boat was heading straight toward them. The driver of the boat attempted to quickly turn out of the oncoming boat’s path, but he was unable to do so, and the boat was struck right where the Long Island man was sitting.
The New Yorker was killed in the accident, as were three people aboard the other boat. Although the details are still unclear, it appears that there was another boat involved in the accident as well. In total, 20 people were injured in the three-boat accident.
Investigators found alcohol aboard the boat that caused the collision but have yet to definitively determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash. The man’s surviving girlfriend told reporters of her boyfriend’s plan to propose to her and move her to New York with him in the coming months.
Boating and Drinking
Like any other motorized vehicle, boats and alcohol don’t mix. While it is not certain that alcohol played a role in this month’s tragic accident, it very well could have. Boating while intoxicated is a crime in the State of Florida, and like drunk driving, it can also be the basis for liability in a civil suit for loss of life or personal injuries.
Any boater who is found operating a vessel with a blood alcohol content of .08 or more is legally intoxicated and in violation of the law. This can result in criminal sanctions, just like driving a car under the influence of alcohol.
However, even if a boater has less than that amount of alcohol in his or her system, he or she could still be boating under the influence and found to be liable for the damages they caused in a civil action. This is because a boater does not need to be “drunk” in order to be found civilly liable for an accident.
Have You Been Involved in a Florida Boating Accident?
If you or a loved one have recently been involved in a serious Florida boating accident, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your injuries or loss. It is important to keep in mind that a boater does not need to be intoxicated to be found at fault for an accident, although in some cases it makes recovering easier if the other boater is found to have been under the influence of alcohol. In either case, however, the accident victim must prove negligence on the part of the other boater. To learn more about how accident victims can recover for their injuries, click here, or call 352-387-8700 today to schedule a free initial consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Two Dead in Fatal Flagler County Accident, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published July 18, 2014.
Ocala Woman Gets into DUI Accident with Her Autistic Child on Her Lap, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published July 17, 2014.