Boating Accident Causes Head Injuries to 10-Year-Old Girl
May 23, 2010. Mount Dora, Florida. A boating accident on Lake Ola, near Tangerine, Florida, resulted in injuries to two girls on Sunday. The two girls were being pulled by a 16 year old boat driver on a tube when the accident happened. The accident occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. when the 16 year old driver made a sharp turn to avoid colliding with another boat. This action resulted in the girls on the inner tube striking the other boat. The 10 year old girl on the tube suffered head injuries and was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. A 13 year old girl on the tube suffered a bruised arm. The boat driver had the proper boating credentials.
This accident was clearly the result of negligence of the 16 year old boat driver. Boats in the State of Florida are dangerous instrumentalities due to their propensity to cause injuries or death. As a result, both the driver and owner of the boat are responsible for negligence and must answer in a court of law. Notwithstanding the 16 year old's negligence, boating laws in Florida require that other boats remain at least 300 feet from any boat towing a skier. What was intended to be a day of fun turned into a day of horror for both the 16 year old driver and the driver/owner of the other boat. There may be some comparative fault on the driver/owner of the second boat for failure to observe proper distances from boats carrying skiers. If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, please contact a personal injury attorney with Moody Law to discuss your rights. We serve greater Central Florida, including Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Haines City, Davenport, and Polk County, Florida. We also handle select cases on a statewide basis. Please contact a personal injury attorney with Moody Law for a free consultation.