Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be an exciting and fun recreational activity, but it is also dangerous. If negligence causes an accident the victims and their families could be entitled to compensation for losses and injuries.

A NYC lawyer for boat accidents can help injured victims get the amount they deserved. A claim can be the demand for past medical expenses as well as other economic damages.

Damages

While many people imagine waters like the Wild West, there are laws that govern the boats that are moored on lakes, rivers, and oceans in the United States. Boat accidents can be governed by multiple federal and state laws that are weighed in determining if negligence took place. If a boater is drunk, they may be liable for negligence. Federal laws also address pollution and deaths at the sea. Furthermore, there are specific maritime regulations like the Jones Act that give injured workers or their families a pathway to compensation similar to workers' compensation in other industries.

If a loved-one was killed in a boating accident that killed them, the family may sue for damages, including loss of companionship and funeral costs. They may also sue for pain and suffering. Families can get money to pay for medical expenses from the past and future treatment.

If a boat accident has caused injuries to you or your loved ones and loved ones, a New York City boat accident attorney can help you determine what damages you could be entitled to claim. A personal injury lawyer can examine your insurance coverage and the responsible party's boat liability policy to determine the type of damages you could be entitled to in a settlement or verdict. A lawyer with experience can also assess if there are any other parties that could be liable, like the manufacturer or a component of the boat that was faulty.

Liability

Typically, injured boaters seek damages to recover medical expenses (past and expected) and lost income due to absences from work or pain and suffering emotional trauma, and damages to their boats. Injuries that are serious include neck and back injuries brain traumas, broken bones, and internal organ damage.

In boating accidents, there are a variety of parties that could be liable for legal responsibility for the accident, including the vessel's operator, any other passengers on board at the time of the crash along with other watercraft and vessels involved in the collision, manufacturers of the boats as well as their engines or parts as well as government agencies responsible for putting buoys that warn of the dangers of conditions. A personal injury attorney is familiar with both state and federal maritime laws in order to determine who is at fault for an accident.

Under the Jones Act, a worker on a vessel who is injured at sea has rights to a compensation equal to that of workers' compensation beneficiaries. Similarly, sailors who are injured in international waters or Boat accidents in the outer continental shelf waters are entitled to make a claim under the Jones Act and other federal maritime regulations. Workers' compensation laws also apply to maritime workers who have been injured and families of sailors who have passed away.

Gathering Evidence

Evidence collected during the early stages of the legal process can help determine the strength and viability of your case. For instance, taking pictures of the scene of the accident could be useful in determining the extent of the extent of liability and how the boating collision happened. It is also important to obtain information from eyewitnesses since they can provide evidence that can support your claims.

Medical records are essential for determining the extent of your injuries, as well as the damages that resulted. The records should include thorough reports of hospital and doctor visitations, surgeries, rehabilitation treatments as well as the expenses associated with them. You'll need to document the changes in your income and job capacity, as well in any other losses that are not financial.

Boat accidents are often associated with brain and spinal cord injuries. Injuries in this category may be caused by oxygen deficiency, carbon monoxide poisoning or blunt force trauma from hitting the head on places like the propeller or sides of the boat accident attorneys. These injuries could have a life-altering effect.

Other types of marine injuries involve mechanical failure that can result from engine or electrical failure in the steering system, as well as gear shift issues. In these cases, our NYC boating accident lawyers will investigate to determine if a manufacturer can be held accountable for injuries suffered by victims of accidents.

The process of filing a claim

While it is vital to seek medical attention immediately for injuries following a boat accident however, you shouldn't make a statement to an insurance adjuster, or another party without consulting a lawyer. Your lawyer can help protect your rights, and ensure that you receive adequate compensation for the damage.

In order to seek compensation for a boating incident and you need to make an insurance claim or an action against the party(ies) responsible. It is standard to provide evidence to support claims for both non-economic and economic damages. Economic damages are the cost of medical treatment as well as other expenses associated with the accident, including lost income from missed work. Non-economic damages include pain, suffering, and other types of intangible losses that are difficult to quantify.

In some instances, boat accidents the manufacturer of a boat or one of its parts could be held accountable for an accident when their product was not properly designed or manufactured. A New York boating accident lawyer may investigate the possibility of product liability and seek compensation from the parties responsible.

In some instances it's not just the operator of a boat who may be held liable for an accident. The owner of a vessel could be held accountable too, particularly if they are responsible for hiring or training the person who operates their vessel, or allow a person who isn't fit to operate a boat on their property.