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Boca Raton Boating Accident Lawyers
The Lake Boca sandbar on a Saturday. The Inlet's tight channel. The Intracoastal at full season. Boca's waters are glorious — and crowded with operators who speed through no-wake zones, drink at the helm, and hand powerful boats to guests. Injured out there? Shiner Law Group navigates the wreck's aftermath from our Boca headquarters, with no fee unless we win.
Injured on the Water Near Boca Raton?
Florida leads the nation in registered vessels — and in boating accidents. Boca's waters concentrate the risk: the Lake Boca sandbar packing hundreds of boats and swimmers into one anchorage, the narrow Boca Inlet mixing ocean swell with weekend traffic, and the Intracoastal running boats past docks, paddleboards, and kayaks all day. The recurring causes are painfully human: operator inattention and inexperience, excessive speed, alcohol at the helm, and no proper lookout.
Boating law has its own architecture. Florida statute makes reckless or careless operation a violation (§ 327.33), boating under the influence carries the same limits as driving, and serious accidents must be reported — generating FWC investigation reports that become key evidence. Liability can reach beyond the operator to the vessel's owner who entrusted it, rental and charter companies that put untrained customers on powerful boats, and other negligent parties on the water.
One more reality shapes these cases: Florida doesn't require boat liability insurance. Recovery means finding the coverage that does exist — vessel policies, homeowner's umbrella coverage, rental company policies — and pursuing owners directly where needed. Shiner Law Group charts that course. You pay nothing unless we win.
No upfront cost, ever. Every case is handled on a strict contingency fee. Call (561) 777-7700 for a free, confidential consultation, available 24/7 from offices across Florida.
Why Boaters Choose Shiner
Wrecked on the Water? The Investigation Should Already Be Underway.
Evidence disappears quickly — camera footage is overwritten, records are gathered by the defense, and witnesses move on. Call now for a free case review, available 24/7.
What to Do After a Boating Accident — Step by Step
The steps you take in the first hours and days can make or break your claim.
Ensure Safety and Report
Render aid, call for help, and report to FWC or the Coast Guard - serious accidents legally require it, and the report anchors the claim.
Identify Vessels and Operators
Registration numbers, operator and owner names, and rental or charter company details.
Photograph Everything
Both vessels, damage, the scene, water conditions, and any alcohol aboard.
Get Every Witness
Other boaters, sandbar crowds, and dockside observers scatter fast - names and numbers immediately.
Seek Medical Care Promptly
Impact, propeller, and ejection injuries need immediate documentation.
Call Shiner Law Group
(561) 777-7700. We obtain the FWC report, preserve vessel evidence, and find the coverage. Free consultation, 24/7.
Florida Boating Law: The Rules of These Waters
Liability on the water is built from statutes, reports, and ownership.
Reckless & Careless Operation (§ 327.33)
Speed in no-wake zones, failure to keep lookout, and operation endangering others violate Florida law — and BUI carries the same impairment limits as driving. Violations are negligence evidence.
Owner & Rental Accountability
Vessel owners who entrust boats to unfit operators, and rental and charter companies that skip training and screening, share liability for what follows — often with the deepest coverage.
The Insurance Reality
Florida doesn't mandate boat liability insurance. Recovery runs through vessel policies, umbrella coverage, commercial policies, and direct owner liability — finding every source is the case within the case.
Boating Accidents, By the Numbers
Florida recorded 694 reportable boating accidents in 2025 — killing 51 people and injuring 437 — and leads the nation with more than 1 million registered vessels, according to the FWC's 2025 Boating Accident Statistical Report. Palm Beach County ranked among the top counties with 41 reportable accidents.
694 Accidents, 51 Deaths
Florida's 694 reportable boating accidents in 2025 killed 51 people and injured 437 — with drowning causing just over half the deaths.
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), 2025 Boating Accident Statistical Report
Palm Beach: Top-5 County
Palm Beach County recorded 41 reportable boating accidents in 2025 — among the most of any Florida county.
Source: FWC 2025 Boating Accident Statistical Report
1,027,742 Registered Vessels
Florida leads the nation in registered vessels — with up to a million more unregistered craft sharing the same waters. Alcohol or drugs played a role in 14% of 2025 boating deaths.
Source: FWC vessel registration and accident data
Where Boca Boating Accidents Happen
We're on these waters too — we know exactly where the risk concentrates.
Wherever it happened, the FWC report and vessel evidence come first.
Lake Boca & the Sandbar
Hundreds of vessels, swimmers, and paddleboards in one crowded anchorage
The Boca Inlet
Narrow, surging, and unforgiving of inexperience
The Intracoastal Waterway
No-wake violations past docks, kayaks, and waterfront homes
Offshore Waters
Speed, seas, and collisions beyond the Inlet
Marinas & Boat Ramps
Docking strikes, fueling accidents, and launch injuries
Rental & Charter Operations
Untrained customers at the helm of powerful vessels
Boating Injuries We Represent
- Propeller strike injuries
- Ejection and impact trauma
- Drowning and near-drowning
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal injuries from wave impact and collisions
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Dock and marina injuries
- Wrongful death on the water
What Can You Recover?
Medical Expenses
Emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation, medication, and future medical needs
Lost Wages
Income lost during recovery plus reduced future earning capacity
Pain & Suffering
Physical pain and emotional distress — the human cost of the injury
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
The activities, hobbies, and independence your injuries take away
Wrongful Death Damages
Lost support, companionship, and mental pain and suffering for surviving families
Punitive Damages
Available for gross negligence — and easier to plead after Florida's 2026 Perlmutter decision
Insurance Companies You May Deal With — and What They Don't Want You to Know
Every major insurer operating in Florida uses the same playbook: delay, deny, and minimize. Understanding it is the first step to defeating it.
State Farm
Florida's largest auto insurer, known for aggressive comparative fault assignments and slow payment approvals
GEICO
High claim volume across Florida, with quick lowball offers designed to close claims early
Progressive
Sophisticated systems that use recorded statements to build comparative fault cases against claimants
Allstate
Known for claims software that systematically undervalues soft tissue and pain and suffering damages
USAA
Serves military families with a fair-dealing reputation but standard delay tactics on larger claims
Travelers
Common commercial-vehicle insurer with aggressive defense of truck and delivery claims
Liberty Mutual
Frequently disputes causation in soft-tissue claims, requiring thorough medical documentation
Nationwide
Uses early recorded-statement requests to lock in accounts before injuries are fully known
The most important thing to know: the defense starts building its case before you have spoken to an attorney. Shiner Law Group levels this from day one. Call (561) 777-7700 before giving anyone a statement.
Shiner Law Group — Millions Recovered for Injured Floridians
Results from our Florida practice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes — they reflect the caliber of representation we bring to every case.
Volusia County
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County
Across Florida
Why Injured Floridians Choose Shiner Law Group
Real Case Valuation
We calculate all damages — current and future, economic and non-economic — not just the obvious bills. No element of your claim is left on the table.
Leverage That Works
We counter delay tactics and lowball offers with evidence, expert analysis, and the credible threat of trial.
Statewide Presence
Offices across Florida — Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Orlando, Wellington, Lakeland & more — with home and hospital visits anywhere in the state.
No Win, No Fee
Zero upfront cost, no retainer, no consultation fee. Our fee comes from the recovery, so our incentive matches yours.
David Shiner has represented injury victims throughout Florida since 2002, and his firm has recovered more than $500 million for injured clients and their families. Every case is handled on a strict No Win, No Fee basis. Call (561) 777-7700 for a free, confidential consultation.
Headquartered in Boca Raton — Serving All of South Florida
Our headquarters is right here in Boca Raton — and home and hospital visits are available throughout South Florida. Call (561) 777-7700, available 24/7.
Boca Boating Accident Questions Answered
Another boat hit us and the operator was drinking. What are our claims?+
How common are boating accidents in Florida and Palm Beach County?+
I was hurt on a rental boat. Who's responsible?+
Is a boating accident report required?+
What if the boat owner has no insurance?+
How much does a Florida boating accident lawyer cost?+
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Injured in a Boating Accident?
Maximum Compensation. Zero Upfront Cost. 24/7 Availability.
Shiner Law Group has recovered more than $500 million for injured Floridians and their families. No Win, No Fee. Free consultation available right now, anywhere in Florida.