Boat & Watercraft Accident Attorney for South Florida & the Keys

South Florida and the Keys are the busiest recreational waters in the country. That also makes them some of the most dangerous. When a day on the water ends with a serious injury, the case that follows is nothing like a car accident claim, and treating it like one is how good cases get lost.

Why Boating Cases Are Different

There is no PIP on the water. There is no crash report from a routine traffic stop. Instead, boating injury cases sit at the intersection of Florida statutes, federal maritime law, and insurance policies written for vessels rather than vehicles. Which body of law applies can change the deadlines, the damages available, and even which court hears the case. This is where our firm is different: a boating case often needs a maritime injury lawyer, not just a personal injury lawyer, and Scheer Legal also practices maritime law, so the injury case and the maritime analysis live under one roof.

Reporting Duties Most Boaters Don't Know

Under section 327.30, Florida Statutes, the operator of a vessel involved in an accident must give notice without delay to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the county sheriff, or local police when the accident involves an injury requiring treatment beyond immediate first aid, a death or disappearance, or apparent property damage of at least $2,000. Leaving the scene of a boating accident involving personal injury is a third-degree felony. These official reports and the FWC's investigation often become the backbone of the civil case, which is one more reason to involve an attorney early.

Cases We Handle

• Vessel collisions between boats, or with channel markers, sandbars, jetties, and docks.
• Jet ski and personal watercraft accidents, including rentals with inadequate instruction or maintenance.
• Charter and tour boat injuries, fishing charters, dive boats, sandbar party boats, and sightseeing operations.
• Dock, marina, and boarding injuries, where premises liability and maritime concepts overlap.
• Injuries from operator negligence, excessive speed, wake damage, intoxicated operation, and inexperienced rental operators.

Deadlines: Shorter Than You Think, and Not Always the Same

A negligence claim under Florida law generally must be filed within two years under section 95.11(5)(a), Florida Statutes. But when federal maritime law governs, different limitation periods and notice requirements can apply, and some charter tickets attempt to shorten deadlines contractually. The only safe move after a serious boating injury is to have the deadlines mapped out for your specific facts, in writing, early.

Who Can Be Responsible

Boating cases often involve more potentially responsible parties than people expect: the operator, the vessel owner (who may not be the operator), a rental or charter company, a maintenance yard, a marina, or a manufacturer. Florida's comparative fault rules under section 768.81 apply to negligence claims, so expect the defense to argue you assumed the risk or contributed to the accident. The record we build answers that.

How We Work These Cases

• Contingency fee for injury claims: the attorney's fee comes out of the recovery, only if there is one, with costs explained in writing up front.
• Maritime fluency. We speak the language of vessels, registries, charters, and marine insurance because we practice it.
• Local waters. Biscayne Bay, the Intracoastal, Haulover, the Keys backcountry. Knowing where these cases happen matters.
• Bilingual representation, English and Spanish, start to finish.

If you were hurt on the water, read our guide to boating injury claims in South Florida and the Keys, or start with our personal injury overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do boating accidents have to be reported in Florida?

Yes, in the situations defined by section 327.30, Florida Statutes: injuries requiring more than immediate first aid, a death or disappearance, or property damage of at least $2,000 require notice without delay to FWC, the sheriff, or local police. Leaving the scene of an injury accident is a felony.

How long do I have to bring a boating injury claim?

Florida negligence claims generally carry a two-year statute of limitations, but boating cases can be governed by federal maritime law with different deadlines, and some charter contracts try to shorten them. Have an attorney confirm your actual deadlines early.

I was hurt on a jet ski I rented. Do I have a case?

Possibly. Rental operations have duties around instruction, equipment condition, and who they put on the water. Waivers you signed are not always enforceable, especially where the operator was negligent. Bring the paperwork and we'll give you a straight answer.

The boat's owner is a friend. Do I have to sue them personally?

Usually the real conversation is with their insurance carrier, not their wallet. Most vessel policies exist precisely for this. We handle these situations with the care the relationship deserves, and we'll tell you honestly if a claim isn't worth straining it.

What does it cost to hire you?

Boating injury cases are contingency fee: no attorney's fee unless we recover. Costs and expenses are explained in writing before you sign.