Two women sustained injuries as a result of a personal watercraft accident, Monday, July 11, 2016 about a mile and half south of Bill Baggs State Park, near Key Biscayne. WSVN reports that both women were on the same Jet Ski when it ran aground, throwing them into the water.

One of the women sustained neck and head injuries and was airlifted to Ryder Trauma at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The second woman was taken to Mercy Hospital with facial injuries.

Perez of a party boat nearby found the two women and rendered assistance to them. According to Capt. Perez the more seriously hurt woman “couldn’t move and was floating in the water.”

The names of the two women and their condition have not been released. The cause of the accident is under investigation by Florida Fish and Wildlife officials.

Our firm has seen an increase in personal watercraft accidents in large part due to the failure of liveries to provide adequate pre-rental instruction to their customers. Pursuant to Fla. Stat. §327.54(1) the pre-rental instructions should include and need not be limited to instructions regarding 1) the operational characteristics of the vessel to be rented, 2) safe vessel operation and vessel right-of-way, 3) the responsibility of the vessel operator for the safe and proper operation of the vessel, and 4) local characteristics of the waterway where the vessel will be operated.

Our lawyers have handled multiple personal watercraft injury cases and have been successful in establishing the negligence of liveries involving the failure to provide adequate instructions before the renting of a personal watercraft. If you were injured during a personal watercraft rental and would like to know more about your legal rights, feel free to contact our offices.

Sources:

2 injured in personal watercraft accident near Key Biscayne, WSVN, July 11, 2016.
2 injured in personal watercraft accident near Key Biscayne, Sun Sentinel, July 11, 2016
Photo Credit:

WSVN, 2016 Sunbeam Television Corp.