A Fort Myers boat accident attorney at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. says COVID-19 has many people seeking alternative outlets to staying at home. One of these outlets includes getting out on Southwest Florida’s beautiful waterways for sport and/or leisure.

The Southwest Florida region is considered a “hot spot” for fishing and extends from Charlotte Harbor to the Ten Thousand Islands in the south.  According to fishing-florida.com, our region has some of the best backwater fishing in the state of Florida. Four of the state’s most sought-after game fish are snook, redfish, spotted sea trout, and tarpon.

When enjoying the water, whether fishing or sightseeing, some boaters may, unfortunately, include alcoholic beverages. On June 10, 2020, the U.S. Coast Guard issued its 2019 Recreational Boating Statistics Report which said that “Alcohol continued to be the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents in 2019, accounting for over 100 deaths, or 23 percent of total fatalities.”

Florida had 40 alcohol-related boating accidents in 2019 which involved 18 deaths and 26 injuries, according to the U.S. Coast Guard report.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) warned citizens on October 20, 2020, that there is an increase in boat traffic and an increase in boating accidents involving drugs and drinking. To raise awareness about the impact of impaired boating, MADD held a socially-distanced fishing tournament in October, the “Fish Like MADD” tournament, to honor a 23-year-old man who tragically died in 2016 when his boat was struck by an underage drunk boater.

“If you or a loved one is injured in a boating accident because of the negligence of another, please contact our experienced Fort Myers boat accident attorneys after seeking medical attention. We represent people involved in numerous types of personal injury and wrongful death accidents throughout the state of Florida. All of our clients have unique personal injury cases. Our firm provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation. There are no costs or attorney fees until we receive a monetary recovery for you, and we are available to assist you 24/7,” said Fort Myers Boat Accident Attorney Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Fort Myers Boat Accident Attorney Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one percent (1%) of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County at 239.793.7748.