Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be an exciting and enjoyable recreational activity but it's also a risky one. If a negligent act causes to an accident, victims and their families could be entitled to monetary compensation for losses and injuries.

A NYC lawyer for boat accidents can help injured victims demand the maximum amount of compensation they are entitled to. A claim can be the demand for past medical expenses and other economic damages.

Damages

Although many people associate 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 may be a result of a number of federal and state laws which are considered when determining negligence. If a boater is drunk, they could be liable for negligence. There are also federal laws that address death and pollution at sea. There are also maritime regulations, such as the Jones Act, that provide injured workers and their families with a similar compensation to other industries.

If a loved one was killed in a boating accident, family members can bring a lawsuit on their behalf to recover damages such as lost companionship, funeral expenses, boat accident and pain and suffering. Families can get money to pay for medical expenses from the past as well as future treatment.

If a boating accident has caused injuries to you or your loved ones and loved ones, a New York City boat accident lawyer can assist you in determining what type of damages you could be entitled to claim. An attorney for personal injuries can examine your insurance coverage and the responsible party's policies on boat liability to determine the amount of compensation you are entitled to in a settlement or verdict. A lawyer with experience can also determine if there are any other parties that could be liable, like the manufacturer, or even a part of the boat that was faulty.

Liability

Generally, injured boaters pursue damages to cover medical expenses (past and expected), lost income due to absences from work or pain and suffering emotional trauma, and damage to their boats. Serious injuries commonly involve back and neck injury as well as brain trauma, broken bones, paralysis and internal organ damage.

Boating accidents usually involve multiple parties that could be liable for legal responsibility for the accident, including the vessel's operator, other passengers on board at the time of the incident as well as other watercraft and boats involved in the collision, as well as the manufacturers of the boats as well as their components or engines as well as government agencies responsible for placing buoys to warn people of danger conditions. A personal injury lawyer is aware of the ins and boat accident outs of both state law and federal maritime laws to determine who can be liable for a crash.

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

Gathering Evidence

The evidence gathered during the initial stages of the legal process could help you determine the strength of your case. For instance, taking photos of the scene of the accident could be useful in determining the degree of liability as well as establishing how the boating collision happened. Eyewitnesses can also give crucial information that can support your claim.

Medical records are critical for establishing the extent of your injuries and the damage they cause. They should contain detailed reports of hospital and doctor visits, surgeries, rehabilitative treatments, and the costs associated with these. It is also necessary to record any changes to your employment and income capacity along with other non-financial losses.

Boat accidents are often caused by brain and spinal cord injuries. These injuries can result from carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, or blunt force trauma if your head strikes the propeller of the boat. Often, these injuries are life-changing.

Other kinds of marine injuries involve mechanical issues, for example electrical or engine failure such as steering issues, engine failure, and problems with gear shifts. Our NYC lawyer for boating accidents will analyze these cases to determine whether the manufacturer should be held accountable for the injuries suffered by accident victims.

How to File a Claim

While it is vital to seek medical attention for injuries immediately following a boating accident, you should not offer an account to an insurance adjuster or any other party without consulting a lawyer. Your lawyer can help protect your rights, ensuring that you get the right amount of compensation for any damages.

In order to claim compensation for a boating incident it is necessary to file an insurance claim or an action against the party(ies) responsible. It is commonplace to present evidence to support an insurance claim for both economic and noneconomic damage. Economic damages can include medical expenses and other expenses caused by the accident, as well as lost income due to missed work. Noneconomic damages are those that result from pain and suffering as well as other intangible losses which are harder to quantify.

In some cases, the manufacturer of a vessel or one of its parts could be held accountable for an accident in the event that their product was defectively designed or manufactured. A knowledgeable New York boating injury lawyer can determine whether a product liability is involved and seek compensation from the responsible parties.

In some cases the boat owner may not be held responsible for the outcome of a collision. Boat owners can also be held accountable, particularly when they are responsible for the hiring and training of the person who operates their vessel or if a person unfit to operate a vessel is allowed on their property.