Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be an exciting and enjoyable leisure activity, but it's also a risky one. If negligence causes an accident the victim and their families could be entitled to compensation for injuries and loss.

A NYC boat accident lawyer can help injured victims claim the full amount of damages they are entitled to. A claim includes the demand for past medical expenses as well as other financial damages.

Damages

While many people think of bodies of water with the Wild West in the United States, there are laws governing the boats on rivers and lakes as well as oceans. Boat accidents can trigger many federal and state laws that are considered when determining negligence. For example, if a boat operator was drunk, this could make them vulnerable to civil litigation for negligence. There are federal laws that deal with pollution and deaths on the sea. There are also maritime regulations, like the Jones Act, that provide injured workers and their families with similar compensation pathways to other industries.

If a loved one has been killed in a fatal boat accident, the family can sue to recover damages, including lost companionship and funeral expenses. They may also sue for suffering and pain. Families can seek compensation to cover medical bills from the past and any future treatment.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can help you determine whether you or a loved ones were injured in an accident on the boat. A personal injury attorney can examine your insurance policy and the policies regarding liability for boats of the responsible party to determine what compensation you might be able to receive as part of the settlement or verdict of a jury. Additionally, a skilled lawyer can determine if there are any additional parties who could be responsible for the accident, including the manufacturer of the boat or part.

Liability

Generally, injured boaters seek damages to recover medical expenses (past and anticipated), lost income due to the time they miss from work in pain and suffering, boat accident emotional trauma, and damages to their boats. The most serious injuries are back and neck injuries and brain traumas, as well as broken bones, and internal organ damage.

Boating accidents can involve many parties who could be held liable for the crash. These include the boat's operator, passengers aboard at the time of the collision as well as the other watercraft or boats involved, boat manufacturers as well as their parts, engines and government agencies who place buoys to alert people of dangerous conditions. A personal injury lawyer will be aware of the rules and regulations of both state law and federal maritime laws to determine who might be responsible in a collision.

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

Gathering Evidence

The evidence you gather in the beginning stages of the legal process can help determine the strength of your case. Photographing the scene of the accident can help determine the extent of liability and establish the circumstances of the boating accident. Eyewitnesses also can provide valuable evidence to aid in proving your claim.

Medical records are crucial for determining the extent of your injuries as well as the damages that resulted. These records should include detailed reports of hospital and boat accident doctor visitations surgery, rehabilitation as well as the expenses associated with them. You'll need to document the changes in your income and employment capacity, as as any other non-financial loss.

Injuries to the spinal cord and brain are common in pittsburgh boat accident attorney accidents. These injuries can result from carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, or blunt force trauma that occurs when your head strikes the propeller of the boat. These injuries can cause life-changing effect.

Other types of marine injuries involve mechanical failures, such as engine failure or electrical failure such as steering issues, engine failure, and gear shift issues. Our NYC boating accident lawyers will examine these cases to determine whether the manufacturer is held accountable for the injuries sustained by accident victims.

How to File a Claim

It is important to seek medical attention as soon as you notice an incident on the boat. However, it is recommended to consult a lawyer before giving an admission to the insurance adjuster or to any other party. A lawyer can help protect your rights and ensure you get the money you deserve for any damages.

The legal procedure for seeking compensation following a boat accident is to file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the party or parties that are accountable. This usually includes providing evidence to back a claim for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to the cost of medical treatment and other expenses related to the accident, like lost earnings due to missed work. Non-economic damages can include pain, suffering, and other intangible loss that is difficult to quantify.

In some cases, a boat manufacturer or parts of the boat may be held accountable for an accident when their product was constructed or designed in a manner that was not safe. A New York boating accident lawyer can investigate the possibility of product liability and seek compensation from the parties responsible.

In some instances it's not just the operator of a vessel who could be held responsible for an accident. Boat owners can also be held accountable, in particular if the owner is responsible for the hiring and training of the person operating their vessel, or when a person who is not fit to operate a boat is allowed on their property.