Jet Ski & Personal Watercraft Accident Lawyer
South Florida is one of the most active personal watercraft (PWC) markets in the world. Warm weather, calm intracoastal waters, and an accessible coastline draw thousands of jet ski riders and renters to Broward County every year. That popularity has a dangerous side: PWC accidents produce some of the most severe water-related injuries seen in emergency rooms — propeller strikes, high-speed collisions, traumatic ejections, and drownings. When a negligent operator, reckless rental company, or impaired rider causes a crash, the injured victim deserves full accountability.
Eric A. Hernandez of HLM Injury Lawyers has more than 25 years of trial experience. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and a former law clerk to Chief Justice Charles T. Wells of the Florida Supreme Court, Eric fights through every layer of a PWC claim — from Florida tort law to rental company liability — to recover every dollar his clients are owed.
Call HLM Injury Lawyers for a free consultation: (305) 842-2100. No fee unless we win.
Why PWC Accidents Are So Common in South Florida
Most personal watercraft crashes trace back to identifiable, preventable causes — and that is where legal liability begins.
Inexperienced operators: Many PWC riders — particularly renters — have little to no experience on the water. Florida requires younger operators to complete a boating safety education course before operating a vessel, but rental counters do not always verify compliance.
Rental company failures: Rental companies must verify operator qualifications, provide safety instructions, and maintain their equipment. Skipping safety briefings, renting to impaired individuals, or ignoring mechanical defects creates foreseeable risks that lead to serious harm.
Alcohol use: Alcohol impairs balance, reaction time, and judgment — all critical on a personal watercraft. Boating under the influence (BUI) — operating a vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher — is illegal in Florida, and its role in PWC crashes is substantial.
No-wake zone violations: South Florida waterways have established no-wake zones near marinas, docks, beaches, and swim areas. Riders who ignore these zones at full speed endanger swimmers, kayakers, and other boaters.
Collisions with other vessels: Jet skis are small and low-profile, difficult for larger boat operators to see. Collisions with motorboats or other watercraft are a frequent source of catastrophic injury.
Mechanical failure: A defective throttle, malfunctioning kill switch, or neglected hull can cause a rider to lose control. When equipment failure contributes to a crash, the manufacturer or rental company may bear liability.
Serious Injuries from Personal Watercraft Accidents
Propeller and jet pump injuries: When a rider is thrown near an operating watercraft, exposure to the jet intake or propeller causes devastating lacerations, degloving injuries, and amputations.
Traumatic brain injuries: Ejection at speed, collision with another vessel, or impact with a dock piling or sea wall can cause severe head trauma with lasting cognitive and neurological effects.
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis: Violent impacts can fracture the spine. Some victims sustain complete or partial paralysis, requiring lifetime care.
Broken bones: High-speed ejections and collisions fracture arms, wrists, hips, legs, and collarbones as riders brace for impact or are thrown against hard surfaces.
Drowning and near-drowning: An injured or unconscious rider may lose the ability to stay afloat. Near-drowning survivors can sustain permanent brain damage from oxygen deprivation.
Soft tissue and internal injuries: Even crashes without direct collision can cause serious internal injuries when a rider is thrown against the handlebars or slams into the water at speed.
Rental Company Liability and Negligent Entrustment
Under Florida’s negligent entrustment doctrine, a company that provides a dangerous instrumentality to someone unqualified, impaired, or improperly trained can be held liable for the resulting harm. Rental companies face real legal exposure when they:
Fail to verify operator certification: If the operator’s age group requires a safety course and the company does not confirm completion before handing over the keys, it has created a foreseeable risk.
Provide inadequate safety instruction: A brief verbal explanation on a dock is not sufficient training for a machine that travels at highway speeds. When companies rush or skip safety briefings, they cut a corner that costs lives.
Rent to visibly impaired individuals: Handing a PWC to an intoxicated customer is a deliberate choice to create danger — and it carries legal consequences.
Ignore equipment maintenance: Failing to maintain kill switches, hull integrity, or braking mechanisms exposes riders and bystanders to preventable mechanical failures.
Our firm obtains maintenance logs, training records, and prior incident history. When systemic negligence drives the harm, we pursue it.
Florida Law — Deadlines, Comparative Negligence, and Maritime Considerations
Statute of limitations: Florida gives you two years from the date of a personal watercraft accident to file a negligence claim. Under HB 837, the 2023 tort reform law, this period was reduced from the prior four years — and the deadline is firm. Miss it and you lose your right to recovery.
Wrongful death: If a loved one died in a PWC accident, Florida’s wrongful death statute provides two years from the date of death to file a claim.
Modified comparative negligence: Your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, and a finding of 51% or more against you bars recovery — though a plaintiff exactly 50% at fault can still recover. Insurers will work to shift blame onto you, so an attorney building your case from the start is the best protection.
Maritime law considerations: Most South Florida PWC accidents occur on near-shore and intracoastal waters, where Florida state tort law governs. Federal admiralty law can become relevant in certain offshore circumstances, and our firm evaluates the applicable framework in every case.
Why Hire Eric Hernandez for Your Jet Ski Accident Case
A Prosecutor’s Perspective: Eric spent years as a federal prosecutor holding individuals and organizations accountable. That discipline — gathering evidence, anticipating defense strategies, building airtight cases — translates directly into PWC litigation, where rental companies and insurers try to minimize exposure.
Direct Attorney Access: Eric personally handles your case. You speak with the attorney when you call — there is no layer of paralegals between you and the person responsible for your outcome.
Trial-Ready Representation: With more than 25 years of trial experience and admission to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, Eric does not settle out of fear of the courtroom. When insurers and rental companies know they are dealing with a trial lawyer, negotiations reflect it.
Bilingual Service / No Fee Unless We Win: HLM Injury Lawyers handles cases in English and Spanish. Your consultation is free — no attorney fee of any kind unless we recover compensation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue a jet ski rental company even if I signed a waiver?
Liability waivers are not always enforceable in Florida, particularly when the company was grossly negligent, violated a safety statute, or failed to meet basic operational standards. Do not assume a waiver ends your rights — have an attorney review it.
What if the other PWC operator was a renter from a different company?
Both the operator and the rental company may be liable. Our firm investigates all potential defendants and all insurance policies to ensure nothing is left unclaimed.
What if I was injured as a swimmer or bystander — not a rider?
Swimmers, snorkelers, kayakers, and bystanders struck by a personal watercraft have full rights to pursue a claim. The operator — and potentially the rental company — owes a duty of care to everyone on or near the water.
What should I do immediately after a PWC accident?
Seek medical attention immediately. Report the accident to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Photograph all vessels, your injuries, and the scene. Get witness names. Do not give statements to the rental company or their insurer before speaking with an attorney.
Does it matter that I did not own the jet ski?
No. Your right to pursue a claim is based on the other party’s negligence — not on ownership of any particular vessel.
How is a PWC accident case valued?
Compensation depends on injury severity, medical expenses, lost income, future care needs, pain and suffering, and the strength of the liability evidence. Our firm builds each case to reflect the full scope of your losses — not just the immediate bills.
Contact HLM Injury Lawyers — Free Consultation
If you were hurt in a jet ski or personal watercraft accident, call HLM Injury Lawyers at (305) 842-2100 — your consultation is free and there is no attorney fee unless we win. Eric Hernandez represents injury victims in Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, Tamarac, Pompano Beach, Broward County, and throughout South Florida.