Stuart Boating Accident Lawyer

Did you recently sustain injuries in a boat accident in Stuart, Florida? Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers. You could be entitled to a sizable financial award for your medical bills, sudden loss of income, and emotional distress. Our Stuart boating accident lawyers are ready to help you fight for compensation and achieve the best results in your personal injury case.

Since 2014, Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers has been fighting for injury victims and grieving families in Stuart and throughout Southern Florida.

With over 80 years of combined experience, our award-winning trial attorneys have won over $200 million on behalf of clients with cases involving catastrophic injuries, Stuart brain injuries, premises liability, Stuart slip and falls, and wrongful death cases.

When your life has been turned upside down because of a boat accident, we’ll be there to offer the support and guidance you deserve. Your first case evaluation is free, so call our Stuart, FL law office at (772) 444-7000 to get started today.

How Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Boating Accident in Stuart, FL

How Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After a Boating Accident in Stuart, FL

Boat accidents can be tragic, and related claims for damages can be incredibly complex. It can be tough to figure out what caused a vessel to crash, and several parties could be on the hook for damages. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate the aftermath of your Stuart boat accident on your own. Our Stuart personal injury lawyers are ready to jump in and take on your fight for compensation.

When you choose Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, you’ll benefit from the insight of a former insurance defense attorney and a team that’s spent decades handling complex accident cases like yours. We understand how much is riding on your claim, and we’re ready to do everything in our power to get you the financial victory you deserve.

You take time to rest and recover while our law firm:

  • Coordinates an independent investigation into your boat accident
  • Gathers critical pieces of evidence that can be used to build a claim, including video footage, vessel maintenance records, operator license information and accident history, photographs, physical evidence from the scene, witness testimony, and more
  • Works closely with boat and maritime accident experts
  • Handles all conversations and negotiations with insurance companies and other parties
  • Rejects lowball offers and brings your case to a jury in Martin County if you’re not offered a reasonable settlement

Our boat accident attorneys in Stuart work on a contingency fee basis. You pay absolutely nothing to get us on your side unless we win your case. Call our law firm today to arrange a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.

Florida Boating Accident Statistics

Florida ranks first for boat accidents and boating accident fatalities, according to the United States Coast Guard.

In 2021, there were 804 boating accidents reported in waters across the state of Florida. California ranked a distant second, with 493 boat accidents.

469 people suffered injuries in these Florida boat accidents. More than half of the victims in these crashes were vessel passengers and occupants, and 42 percent of injury victims were boat operators.

70 people were killed in fatal boat accidents in Florida that year.

What Are the Leading Causes of Boat Accidents in Stuart?

According to data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, leading causes of boat accidents in the state include:

  • Operator inexperience
  • Speeding
  • Improper lookout
  • Distraction
  • Overloading
  • Drugs and alcohol
  • Bad weather
  • Vessel or machinery failure

Other common causes of boat accidents include:

  • Ignoring state and local navigational rules
  • Boat defects
  • Negligent vessel maintenance
  • Aggression
  • Reckless operation
  • Crowded waterways

Whether your boat strikes a fixed object, capsizes, collides with another vessel, or is involved in another type of boat accident, Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers can help you move forward and seek compensation from responsible parties. Call our law office in Stuart to arrange a time to discuss your legal options today.

Who’s Liable for My Injuries After a Stuart Boat Accident?

Depending on what caused your boating accident in Stuart, potentially liable parties might include:

  • Boat operator
  • Boat passenger
  • Boat mechanic
  • Boat rental company
  • Boat manufacturer
  • Employer of a negligent party
  • Boating service, including cruise lines and tour services

Our legal team will carefully examine the details of your boat accident to determine why it happened and, in turn, who’s at fault. Once liability is clear, we will work tirelessly to secure full compensation from them on your behalf.

What Damages Can I Recover By Filing a Stuart Boating Accident Claim?

When you sustain injuries in an accident on the water, you can generally file a claim for compensatory damages.

Compensatory damages include economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are awarded to make up for the monetary costs of your boating accident, which might include:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Disability
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Property damage
  • Nursing assistance

Non-economic damages make up for the trauma and day-to-day life changes that are difficult to value, which might include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Emotional distress
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of consortium
  • Disfigurement
  • Reduced quality of life

Our boating accident lawyers in Stuart will work closely with respected experts and specialists as we build your claim. With their insight and expertise, we can really dig in and understand how your injuries affect your life today and how they’re likely to impact you down the line. Taking the time to appreciate the full scope and impact of your trauma will help us secure a financial award that reflects what your boating accident case is worth.

How Will Shared Fault Affect My Ability To Recover Compensation After a Florida Boat Accident?

Florida has a modified comparative fault rule, so you won’t automatically be disqualified from recovering compensation after a boat accident unless you’re mostly responsible for the incident. However, your damages will be reduced to reflect your contribution to the accident.

Let’s say you’re assigned half of the blame for a boat accident and suffer damages worth $200,000. Your financial recovery will be limited to $100,000 when shared fault is taken into consideration. But if you are more than 50% at fault for the accident, you will be barred from recovering compensation.

Negligent boat operators, insurance companies, and liable parties will be quick to point fingers and try to shift blame in your direction. If you don’t fight back against these allegations, you could watch your financial award disappear.

You won’t have to worry about defending yourself when you have Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers fighting for you. Our experienced Stuart personal injury attorneys will be prepared for these tactics and work hard to minimize how much (if any) blame is assigned to you.

We Handle All Types of Boating Accidents in Stuart, FL

Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers represents clients who have sustained severe and catastrophic injuries in all types of boat accidents in Stuart, Florida, including:

  • Kayak accidents
  • Canoe accidents
  • Rowboat accidents
  • Sailboat accidents
  • Jet ski accidents
  • Water skiing accidents
  • Tour boat accidents
  • Rental boat accidents
  • Cruise ship accidents
  • Commercial fishing accidents
  • Party boat accidents
  • Yacht accidents
  • Marina and dock accidents
  • Fatal boat accidents

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our top-rated litigators if you or a family member has recently gotten hurt in an accident on the waters in or near Stuart. We’ll listen to your story, assess your situation, and help you understand what legal options may be available to you.

Is There a Time Limit To File a Florida Boating Accident Lawsuit?

Yes, most boat accident lawsuits will be subject to Florida’s two-year statute of limitations.

If you’ve lost a family member in a fatal Stuart boat accident, you’ll also have two years from the date of their death to bring a wrongful death action.

There may be exceptions to the two-year deadline. But don’t let too much time pass before you file a lawsuit. Once the statute of limitations expires, so does your right to recover the compensation you need and deserve.

We’ll Help You Recover Compensation for All of Your Boat Accident Injuries

Victims of boating accidents risk serious and life-threatening injuries since they’re out on the open water.

Call our Stuart personal injury law firm for help seeking compensation for:

  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Broken bones
  • Drowning injury
  • Hypothermia
  • Loss of oxygen
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Concussion
  • Neck injury
  • Back injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Burn injury
  • Amputation
  • Crushing injury
  • Joint injury
  • Soft tissue damage
  • Wrongful death of a family member

Get to the closest hospital in Martin County once you’ve made it to dry land. Prompt medical treatment can be the difference between life and death, significantly reducing the odds of life-threatening complications. Once your condition is stable, reach out to our law office in Stuart to arrange a time for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Stuart Boating Accident Lawyers 

Are you struggling with painful physical injuries and emotional distress because you were recently involved in a boat accident in Stuart, Florida? Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers and get top-rated Florida trial attorneys to stand up and fight for you.

Our Stuart boating accident attorneys have 40+ years of combined experience and have won tens of millions of dollars for clients like you.

Now we’re ready to be your biggest advocate. Call our law firm to arrange your free consultation to learn more. We’re always standing by to help – 24/7/365.

Our personal injury law firm in Stuart, FL, also provides:

Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Stuart, FL

Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers
73 SW Flagler Ave
Stuart, FL 34994
Phone: (772) 444-7000
Hours: Open 24 Hours Daily

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