Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be a thrilling and enjoyable activity for the whole family, but it's also a risky one. If a negligent decision leads to an accident and their families may be entitled to monetary compensation for losses and injuries.

A NYC lawyer for boat accidents can assist injured victims to receive the amount they are due. A claim can be a demand for past medical expenses and other economic damages.

Damages

Although many people imagine bodies of water as if they were the Wild West, there are laws that govern 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 to determine if negligence was the cause. For example, if a Boca Raton Boat Accident Lawsuit operator was drunk, it could be a cause for civil lawsuits for negligence. Federal laws also deal with pollution and deaths at sea. Additionally, there are specific maritime laws, like the Jones Act that give injured workers or their families access to compensation that is comparable to workers compensated in other industries.

If a loved one has been killed in a fatal boat crash, the family can sue to recover damages, including lost companionship and funeral costs. They can also sue for suffering and pain. Families can also seek reimbursement for past medical bills and future treatment costs.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can assist you to determine if you or your loved one was injured during a boating accident. A personal injury attorney can examine your insurance policy and the policies governing boat liability of the responsible party to determine what compensation you might be able to receive as part of an agreement or jury verdict. A knowledgeable lawyer can assess whether there are any additional individuals who are liable for the incident, such as the manufacturer of a defective boat or boat part.

Liability

Typically, injured boaters seek damages to cover medical expenses (past and expected) and lost income due to the time they miss from work, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and damages to their boats. Injuries that are serious typically involve back and neck injury, brain trauma, broken bones, paralysis and organ damage.

Boating accidents can involve many parties that could be held accountable for the accident. These include the boat operator, passengers on board at the time of accident as well as the other watercraft or boats involved, the makers of boats and their parts, motors and government agencies that set up buoys to warn people of dangerous conditions. A personal injury attorney will be familiar with federal and state maritime laws in order to determine who is accountable for an accident.

Under the Jones Act a worker on a vessel who is injured at sea enjoys the same rights as workers compensation beneficiaries. Similarly, sailors who are injured on international waters or in the outer continental shelf waters have the right to claim compensation under the Jones Act and other federal maritime regulations. Families and maritime workers who have been injured as well as the families of deceased sailors also have rights under state workers insurance laws.

Gathering Evidence

The evidence gathered during the initial stages of the legal process could help you determine the strength of your case. Photographing the scene of the accident will help determine the liability and determine how the boating collision happened. Eyewitnesses also can provide valuable evidence to help you prove your claim.

Medical records are essential to in determining the severity of your injuries and the damage that resulted from it. They should contain detailed reports of hospital and doctor visitations, surgeries, rehabilitation treatments and the associated costs them. Additionally, you should keep track of any changes in your income and employment as well as other losses that are not financial in nature.

Spinal cord and brain injuries are common in boating accidents. These injuries can result from carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, or blunt force trauma when your head strikes the propeller of the boat. Often, these injuries are life-changing.

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

Making a Claim

It is crucial to seek medical attention for injuries immediately following a boating incident, you should not offer a statement to an insurance adjuster or another party without consulting with a lawyer. A lawyer can defend your rights and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for damages.

In order to seek compensation after a boating accident and you need to make an insurance claim or an action against the party(ies) responsible. This typically includes providing evidence to justify a claim of economic as well as non-economic damages. Economic damages can include medical expenses and other expenses caused by the accident, including the loss of income resulting from missing work. Non-economic damages can include pain, suffering, and any other intangible loss that may be difficult to quantify.

In certain cases the maker of a agoura hills boat accident law firm or one of its components could be held accountable for an accident in the event of a product that was defectively made or designed. A skilled New York boating injury lawyer can investigate whether product liability is involved and seek compensation from the responsible parties.

In some instances it's not just the operator of a vessel that could be held accountable for the event of a crash. The owners of boats can also be held accountable, particularly if the owner is responsible for hiring and training the person who operates their vessel or when a person not qualified to operate a vessel is allowed to use their property.