Boat Accident Litigation

Boating is a fun and exciting recreational activity that can be dangerous. If a negligent act causes to an accident, the victim and their families may be entitled to compensation for losses and injuries.

A NYC lawyer for boat accidents (muabanthuenha.com) will assist victims of injuries to claim the full amount of damages they deserve. A claim can include past medical expenses and other economic damages.

Damages

While many people associate bodies of water with the Wild West in the United States, there are laws that govern boats on rivers and lakes as well as oceans. Boat accidents can trigger multiple federal and state laws which are weighed in determining if negligence took place. If a boat driver is drunk, they may be sued for negligence. Federal laws also address pollution and deaths on the sea. There are maritime regulations, like the Jones Act, that provide injured workers and their families with a similar compensation pathways to other industries.

If a loved one was killed in a boat accident, the family members may sue them on behalf of damages including lost companionship, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. Families can also seek reimbursement to pay medical bills in the past and future medical expenses.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can assist you to determine whether you or your loved one was injured during an accident on the water. An attorney for personal injuries can look over your insurance policy and the responsible party's boat liability policies to determine what damages you could be entitled to in a settlement or verdict. An experienced lawyer can also determine if there are any other parties that could be liable, like the manufacturer or a component of the boat that was defective.

Liability

Generally, injured boaters pursue damages to cover medical expenses (past and anticipated), lost income due to time missed from work in pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and damage to their boats. Serious injuries include back and neck injuries brain traumas, broken bones, and internal organ damage.

Boating accidents may involve many parties who could be held accountable for the accident. These include the boat operator, passengers who were aboard at the time of the accident as well as other watercraft or boats involved, manufacturers of boats and their components, engines, and government agencies that set up buoys to warn the public of dangers. A personal injury lawyer will be aware of the details of state law as well as federal maritime laws to determine who might be liable for a crash.

Under the Jones Act a worker on an vessel that is injured at sea has the same rights to those of workers compensation beneficiaries. Similar to this, sailors who are injured in international waters, or outer continental shelf water can make claims under the Jones Act as well as other federal maritime regulations. The state workers' compensation laws also apply to maritime workers who are injured and families of deceased sailors.

Gathering Evidence

The evidence collected during the initial stages of the legal process can aid in determining the strength of your case. Photographing the accident scene can help determine liability and establish how the boating incident occurred. Eyewitnesses also can provide important information to aid in proving your claim.

Medical records are essential for establishing the extent of your injuries as well as the injuries that result from them. They should contain detailed reports of hospital and doctor visitations as well as rehabilitation procedures, surgeries and the costs associated with them. You should also record any changes to your employment and income capacity as well as other losses that are not financial in nature.

Brain and spinal cord injuries are common in boat accidents. These injuries may be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation or blunt force trauma when the head is struck by the propeller of the boat accident lawsuit. In most cases, these injuries can be life-changing.

Other forms of marine injuries are caused by mechanical issues, such as engine or electrical failure, steering system malfunction and gear shift problems. In these instances our NYC lawyer for boating accidents will investigate to determine if a manufacturer can be held accountable for injuries sustained by accident victims.

The process of filing a claim

While it is essential to seek medical attention immediately following a boating accident but you should not provide an account to an insurance adjuster, or another party without consulting a lawyer. Your lawyer can protect your rights and ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve for boat accidents damages.

The legal process to seek compensation after a boat accident involves filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the person or parties who are responsible. This typically includes the presentation of evidence to support a claim for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses and other expenses caused by the accident, such as the loss of income resulting from missing work. Noneconomic damages include pain, suffering, and other forms of loss that may be difficult to quantify.

In some cases the maker of a vessel or one of its parts can be held liable for an accident if their product was defectively designed or manufactured. A New York boating accident lawyer can investigate the possibility of product liability and seek compensation from the parties responsible.

In certain instances it's not only the boat's operator who could be held responsible for the event of a crash. Boat owners can also be held accountable, in particular if the owner is responsible for hiring and training the person who operates their vessel, or when a person not qualified to operate a craft is allowed to use their property.