South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

In possibly the most serious boating accident Florida has seen in 15 years, a crash between a 22-foot vessel and a tugboat killed five people, the Florida Times-Union reported April 16. The newspaper said the pleasure craft was carrying 14 people when it hit a 25-foot tugboat anchored at a dock construction site near Palm Valley. The crash killed five people and injured nine others, throwing many into the water. Nobody was on board the tugboat. Investigators from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission are investigating the cause of the accident.

Initial reports suggested that authorities were investigating the tugboat. However, the Times-Union reported that the 22-foot boat, which is rated for only 12 passengers, was overloaded with the 14 people on board. Rescuers also found alcohol aboard, the newspaper said, although it is not clear who may have consumed it. A spokesman for Fish & Wildlife also said that speed was likely a factor, given the amount of damage to the vessels. Authorities have already interviewed the crash survivors who were able to talk about the accident, but expect the full investigation to take quite a while. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating along with Fish & Wildlife, said its investigation could take a year.

It’s clearly too soon to say whether carelessness or intoxication contributed to this accident. But if it did, victims and their loved ones would be entitled to file a Florida boating accident lawsuit against the person or people responsible for the bad decisions. In addition to the possibility that someone may have been boating under the influence -- a criminal charge in Florida -- there is also the possibility that inexperience and overloading the boat caused or contributed to the accident. And because the crash took place in a dock construction site, a good South Florida boating accident lawyer should also look into whether the construction site and tugboat were well-marked and compliant with all safety regulations.

If you or someone you love was seriously hurt in a Florida boat crash like this one, our firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, can help. Serious accidents can leave their victims with severe financial hardships as well as debilitating injuries, pain or grief. In a Miami-Dade boating accident lawsuit, these victims can win the money they need to pay their medical or funeral bills and other costs of the accident, make up for lost wages and compensate them for their losses, injuries, pain and suffering. To learn more about your options and your rights at a free consultation, please contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn online or call today at (954) 431-8100.