Florida Accident Attorney Blog

A day of kiteboarding off South Florida's Treasure Coast turned tragic as a 38-year-old man was reportedly killed in a shark attack, possibly involving multiple sharks.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office reported that a lifeguard saw a kite board surfer in trouble about 500 yards off shore near Stuart, Florida. The lifeguard, who paddled out to assist, found Stephen Howard Schafer on his board bleeding and surrounded by sharks. The victim was brought to an area hospital but died of his injuries.

Stuart, Florida is in Martin County south of Fort Pierce and north of West Palm Beach, in the Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Kiteboard surfers strap their feet to a board and are pulled along the water by a sail. Like traditional surfing, it's a form of water recreation enjoyed by adventurous people who appreciate Florida's sun, sand, and surf. A Palm Beach County, Florida accident lawyer is aware that any type of water sports recreation comes with some risk of injury or even death. This includes boat accidents, personal watercraft accidents, surfing accidents, and parasailing accidents.

A Miami, Florida newspaper reported that the beach in Stuart remained open after the fatal shark attack. The last fatal shark attack in the Sunshine State occurred off the Florida Panhandle in 2005. It is unknown at this time what type of sharks were involved in this fatal attack near Stuart, Florida.

Kiteboarder dies in rare fatal shark attack off Florida
Associated Press, Miami Herald Feb. 4, 2010

Lifeguard describes rescue of shark attack victim
Associated Press, Yahoo! News Feb. 4, 2010

Related Web Resources

Florida Museum of Natural History: How to Avoid a Shark Attack

International Shark Attack File

Wikipedia: Kitesurfing

Martin County Florida

A teenager from Cooper City was injured in Davie, Florida this past week while riding an inner tube being pulled by his friend's water scooter. According to news reports, the 17 year old was airlifted to Broward General Medical Center for treatment for injuries to his spine, after the inner tube he was riding struck an embankment.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating whether speed or alcohol were factors in this personal watercraft accident, which happened in a canal in the Westridge Community.

Florida Law and Watercraft Safety
A Florida boating accident lawyer with knowledge of federal boating laws as well as state laws regulating watercraft safety may assist families in cases where liability may be a factor in water sports accidents that result in personal injury or fatalities.

Watercraft may include vehicles such as Jet Skis, Sea Doo personal watercraft, and WaveRunners. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission...

• State law requires that persons aged 21 years or younger must complete a boating safety education course or course equivalent approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
• In Florida, one must be at least 14 years old to operate a watercraft and 18 years old to rent a watercraft.
• Watercraft may not be operated from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, even with navigational lights turned on.

Florida is known around the world as a premier destination for vacationers who come to enjoy our beaches and waterways. Boating and watercraft accidents can and do happen, particularly in peak vacation seasons when so many people are sharing space on the ocean and in waterways. Parasailing accidents also occur in Florida causing personal injury or death.

Florida watercraft accidents can be prevented when operators are properly trained to follow safety precautions and abide by state laws, and if they're aware of the risks of speed, water and weather conditions, and sharing Florida's waters with so many other pleasure boats and watercraft vehicles.

Teen recovering after Davie inner tube accident
SunSentinel.com Aug. 12, 2009

Related Web Resources

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Boating Safety

National Association of State Boating Law Administrators

Authorities are investigating the cause of death of a man whose body was found floating off the beach at Fort Myers, Florida, last Tuesday.

Fort Myers Beach Fire Rescue received a call for help late in the afternoon when the body of a man was spotted floating about 200 yards from shore along a sandbar, near the Estero Beach Club Condominiums. EMS workers swam out to the victim, who had already died by the time they arrived. A medical examiner was looking into the cause of death to see if this was actually a death by drowning.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will continue the investigation if the death was due to a boating accident. Otherwise, the investigation will move forward with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The victim's name had not been released.

Drowning Fatalities and Statistics
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)...

• An average of 10 people in the U.S. die each day due to drowning.
• For the year 2005, fatal unintentional drownings accounted for 3,582 deaths. This includes drownings in fatal swimming pool accidents.
• Boating accidents accounted for another 710 deaths due to drowning and other causes.
• For children aged 1 to 14, fatal drowning is the number-two cause of unintentional injury-related death.
• The chance of drowning while engaging in water recreation in a natural setting, such as in a lake, pond, or the ocean, increases with age. For people over age 15, most drownings occur in natural water settings.

A Florida accidental drowning lawyer may be contacted by families who have lost a loved one in a swimming pool, boating, or other water-recreation accident -- including parasailing accidents -- to help sort out the details of who might be held liable. On Memorial Day, the Red Cross released a report revealing that nearly 50 percent of people surveyed said they had experienced a drowning scare in their lifetime.

Investigation continues into possible drowning at Fort Myers Beach
News-Press.com July 22, 2009

CDC: Water-Related Injuries: Fact Sheet

Related Web Resources

American Red Cross Water Safety Poll

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Suite101.com: Ocean Swimming Safety Tips

A South Florida boating accident that cost a Naples grandmother her eye and caused other permanent injuries is heading to court.

According to news reports, Audrey Decker, 64, was taking a sunset cruise with her husband in their Boston Whaler when she fell overboard and was struck by the boat's propeller. Mrs. Decker was taken by medical helicopter to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida, for emergency treatment for serious damage to her face, arm, and breast.

A Naple news source reports that in the decade since the pleasure boat accident occurred on Lake Sapphire, Mrs. Decker's serious personal injury has required more than 40 surgeries. A civil lawsuit filed in 2002 alleges that the boat and motor manufacturers are liable, and that a propeller guard could have prevented her injuries. Mrs. Decker and her husband are scheduled to appear in Collier Circuit Court this week, for what is believed to be this court's oldest unresolved civil lawsuit.

Florida Boat Accident Fatality and Injury Statistics
A Florida boat accident attorney works with families when a loved one suffers injury or dies in a boating accident that could have been prevented. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, more than a million boats are registered in the state of Florida (commercial and recreational craft), with another estimated 350,000 unregistered craft using Florida's waterways. Fatality and injury statistics:

• Seventy-seven (77) people died in Florida boating accidents in 2007.
• Falling overboard was the main cause of fatal accidents (38%) and drowning was the main cause of death (55%).
• 90% of the fatalities were men.
• 56% of fatal accidents involved boats of less than 17 feet in length.
• 376 injuries were reported for 2007 involving 949 vessels and 14 swimmers.

Lost face: Scarred and scared, boating accident victim heads to court in Naples
NaplesNews.com June 6, 2009

Related Web Resources

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Boating Safety

Florida Boating License and Boat Safety Course: Boating Accidents

The Red Cross issued a press release for Memorial Day Weekend reminding families to take extra care when swimming at America's beaches, lakes, and in swimming pools.

A nationwide survey showed that one in four people knew someone who had died by drowning, and that 50 percent of Americans had personally experienced an incident where they feared they might drown. In addition, the survey showed that while 90 percent of families with young children plan to relax in the water over the summer months, nearly half stated that they will swim at locations that do not staff lifeguards on duty.

Florida Drowning Deaths
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)...

• Florida swimming pool accidents that lead to drowning are the number-one cause of accidental death of children under 5 years old.
• Nationally, every year about 300 children under five years old die by drowning, and an additional 2,000 require emergency room treatment for injuries suffered from submersion under water. Most of these accidents occur in family swimming pools.
• Medical costs for children requiring emergency room treatment can soar into hundreds of thousands of dollars when brain injury occurs.

An experienced Florida drowning accident attorney is familiar with state and federal safety regulations designed to protect consumers.

Premises liability laws are in place to protect people who may become injured on someone else's property. The CPSC states that many communities have safety regulations in place that instruct private swimming pool owners on measures to take to keep residents and visitors safe. In addition, the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act put safety requirements in place for public pools in Florida and every other state.

Florida boat accidents are another cause of death by drowning for both adults and children. Please be safe this Memorial Day weekend and take precautions for yourself and your children.

New Red Cross Survey Shows Nearly 50 Percent of People Have Had A Drowning Scare in Their Lifetime
American Red Cross May 20, 2009

Related Web Resources

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

Prevent Child Drownings

Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act

Lee County boating accidents are down -- thanks to improved boating equipment, industry safety initiatives, and public awareness campaigns. National Safe Boating Week got underway today at Centennial Park in Fort Myers, Florida, with a demonstration of safety gear, including life vests, and proper usage techniques.

Lee County is one of South Florida's most enthusiastic and active boating communities, with 50,464 registered boats. According to news reports, Lee County reduced its accidents-to-boats ratio by 30% in recent years, down to 1 accident for every 2,220 boats (compared to earlier data showing 1 accident for every 1,534 boats). Since 2007, boating fatalities, injuries, and reportable boating accidents were all down for the region.

The waters in and around Lee County are patrolled by a number of law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard; the Army Corps of Engineers; the Lee County Sheriff's Office; police departments in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Sanibel; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection. The agencies of the Lee County Marine Law Enforcement Task Force are credited with improving the boating safety of Lee County's waters.

Experienced Fort Myers boating accident lawyers have seen how a carefree time on South Florida's waters -- whether in a speed boat, fishing boat, or on a personal watercraft -- can abruptly turn tragic. The Lee County Marine Law Enforcement Task Force reports that...

• Most boating accidents are caused by collisions, and most people who die in boating accidents drown.
• All vessels must carry a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved life jacket for each person on board.
• Children under age 6 must wear a USCG-approved personal floatation device (PFD) at all times on vessels under 26 feet in length.
• Children under 13 must wear a USCG-approved PFD when on vessels venturing more than 9 miles offshore, unless they are in an enclosed cabin or below deck.

The U.S. Coast Guard reports that nationally, more than 2/3 of boating accident fatalities were drownings, and 90 percent of those drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. Promoting increased use of life jackets is a focus of this year's North American Safe Boating Campaign.

Fort Myers event promotes safe boating
News-Press.com May 14, 2009

Related Web Resources

2009 North American Safe Boating Campaign

Lee County Marine Law Enforcement Task Force

U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety