A 25-year-old Florida man was killed in a boating accident near the Florida Keys on July 17, 2020. According to an incident report filed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the man and four others were aboard a 35-foot open fishing boat going from Naples to Islamorada. The driver took a sharp turn around five miles from Long Key and the 25-year-old man was ejected from the boat. Two other passengers were also ejected but were not harmed. The 25-year-old man was killed by the boat’s propeller. Alcohol was not thought to be a factor.
In a separate incident on the same day, a 36-year-old man from Costa Rica died following a parasailing accident. Another person, a 28-year-old Texas woman, was seriously injured in the same accident. An investigator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that severe weather likely played a role in the accident.
The rough seas had rescue workers and other busy during the July weekend. Another boating accident saw five people stranded in the water when their boat overturned. Three of them were rescued by a commercial salvage boat. The other two were clinging to their boat when a Coast Guard crew from the Islamorada station picked them up.
In cases like these, where a person is injured or killed in a boating accident, an attorney might be able to help secure recovery for damages. In injury cases, the injured person might be entitled to recover for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills or other damages. In wrongful death cases, the family or estate of the deceased may have claims for potential earnings and loss of companionship, guidance and instruction. An attorney who practices personal injury law might be able to help by examining the facts and identifying sources of recovery or negotiating an out-of-court settlement.