Two Injured When Boat Crashes into New Smyrna Beach Sandbar

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 12, 2017

On Tuesday, a couple who were boating close to New Smyrna Beach during the evening hours, hit a sandbar. The U.S. Coast Guard were alerted to the situation around 6:00 in the evening and immediately dispatched a 29-foot boat that is used exclusively for nautical rescues. According to the official report of the incident, the Coast Guard were assisted by a team from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation agency as well as the Edgewater Police Department.

The impact of the boat on the sandbar was understandably violent as well as unexpected. Boats move at comparable speeds to cars, sometimes going upwards of 50 or 60 mph. Unlike in cars, however, boats don’t come with seat belts, and very often aren’t sitting down while the boat is moving. This means that if a boat does collide with something, the people inside of the swiftly moving craft are flung unceremoniously around, with nothing to restrain the flailing trajectory of their bodies except the hard components of the boat itself.

The two individuals who were involved in Tuesday’s sandbar crash were transported from the scene of the incident to JB’s Fish Camp, a combination restaurant and rental facility for water equipment of all sorts. At JB’s, the couple received medical attention by members of various emergency medical teams. It is not known what the current condition of the couple’s boat is, however it is known that the boat was towed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation team to the home of the owners, suggesting that it is at least not completely totaled.

Currently, these are the details surrounding the case that have been released into the public sphere. It is not yet known how the couple involved in the incident is doing from a medical standpoint, and their condition was not a part of the initial incident report. Circumstances such as this can be incredibly damaging to the people involved for the above mentioned reasons. The medical complications, bills, and grievances that can result from a boat accident, even one that seems relatively benign, are similar to those that people often suffer from as a result of a car accident. Dealing with hospital bills, physical therapy, and property damage all become unprepared for expenses that can start to take a terrifying toll on a victim’s savings.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.