EN
Free Consultation — Talk to a Florida Lawyer TodayNo fee unless we recoverHablamos españolAvailable 24/7
5.0Google Reviews
CALL 24/7(305) 600-0529WhatsApp UsText us now, tap to chat
EN
EN
Miami Beach · Boat accidents
The water around Miami Beach is busy with ships, charters, jet skis and private boats, and injuries there can fall under different rules than a car crash.
Miami Beach sits on barrier islands between the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay, so a lot of local life happens on the water. People get hurt as passengers on a friend's boat, on a charter, on a rented jet ski, or while swimming near boats. Tomas Robirosa is a Miami Beach boat accident lawyer who helps injured people and families in Miami Beach sort out who was responsible and which law applies.
Government Cut, the man-made channel between South Beach and Fisher Island, links the ocean to the port on Biscayne Bay, so smaller boats there share water with very large ships. To the north, Baker's Haulover Inlet connects the upper bay with the Atlantic between Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles. Wind and strong tides there can build waves large enough to swamp a boat that isn't ready for them.
Inside the bay, boats run the Intracoastal past the city's docks and marinas. The city's Barry Kutun Boat Ramp at Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, at 18th Street and Purdy Avenue, launches motorized boats next to a kayak and paddleboard dock. Wakes, speed, poor lookout and alcohol cause many of the injuries we hear about: falls on deck, people thrown overboard, propeller injuries and collisions.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sets many of the rules that matter after a crash. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 generally needs a boating safety education ID card to run a boat of 10 horsepower or more. An operator is presumed impaired at a .08 alcohol level. A person must be at least 14 to operate a personal watercraft and 18 to rent one.
Rental businesses must give renters safety instruction before they leave the dock and must carry insurance of at least $500,000 per person and $1 million per event. Operators must report accidents involving injury beyond first aid, a death, or $2,000 or more in damage. Federal maritime law can also apply on navigable water, and it can change the deadline and the notice rules.
Several parties may be involved after a Miami Beach boat accident:
Florida's comparative negligence rule generally bars recovery if you are more than 50% at fault. Get medical care, save photos, the rental contract or ticket, and the names of everyone aboard. Learn more on our boat accidents page or call (305) 600-0529.
Prefer to talk to a lawyer now?
Call (305) 600-0529Se habla español · Available 24/7
Your Attorney
Tomas Robirosa is the founding attorney of Robirosa Accident & Injury Law. He built his practice around careful preparation and personal attention: when you hire the firm, you talk to your lawyer, in English or Spanish, and you always know where your case stands.
He graduated cum laude from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator, and is admitted to practice in Florida state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Recognition & memberships
Real reviews from real clients on Google.
Tell us what happened. We’ll explain your options in English or Spanish, with no obligation.
