Two Teens Injured in Tubing Accident
Two teenagers were injured recently in a watercraft accident during a fun tubing experience gone wrong. According to the authorities, the teens were out of Lake Padgett when the accident occurred. Both of the injured teens, whose names are not being released by the authorities, were 16 years old. The accident happened at around 2:30 p.m. in a gated subdivision of Collier Parkway, called The Lake at Sable Ridge.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that the teenagers were riding in a tube that was being pulled by a jet ski when the accident happened. A second watercraft passed by the jet ski and attached tube, making the driver of the jet ski turn towards the docks. The tube then struck the dock, jettisoning the teens into the water.
One teenager was airlifted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa and was listed in critical condition. The second teen was taken via ambulance to the local hospital in stable, yet serious, condition. The Conservation Commission reported that the operator of the jet ski was also 16 years old. The accident remains under investigation by the authorities, and so far no charges have been filed in the accident.
Florida Personal Watercraft Accidents
According to the 2014 report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there were a total of 634 reportable boating accidents last year. Of those, towed watersport activities were involved in 16 accidents and caused 17 injuries. Personal watercraft vehicles, such as jet skis, were used in three of those 16 accidents. The most common causes of personal watercraft accidents include collisions with vessels, collisions with a fixed object, falling off, being struck by a boat, capsizing, and towing issues.
Personal watercraft accounted for 12 percent of all registered watercraft vessels in Florida last year and were responsible for 16 percent, or 104, boating accidents. Five deaths were reported because of jet skis in 2014. Rented jet skis and other personal watercraft were involved in half of all accidents, and 54 percent of personal watercraft accidents involved collisions with another vessel. The most common counties for jet ski and other personal watercraft accidents were Pinellas, Monroe, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade.
Compensation for Personal Watercraft Accidents
Boating and jet ski accidents can often result in serious, oftentimes permanent injuries because you are dealing with the force of the accident and secondary injuries in the water. For victims injured in these types of accidents, compensation can be collected from those responsible. Compensation for these injuries includes medical bills, lost wages, disability, rehabilitation, lifestyle changes, long-term care, pain and suffering, wrongful death, funeral costs, and more.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
The experienced personal injury lawyers at The Pendas Law Firm have a history of successfully representing clients in Orlando, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Fort Myers, and Jacksonville that have been injured in a boating or jet-ski accident. Call the office or contact us today for a free and confidential review of your case.
