Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Can I Seek Compensation After a Boating Accident Injury?
Boating is an enjoyable pastime but one that can be dangerous. Boating accidents can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Piloting a boat requires the same type of awareness as driving a car. When one boat collides with another vessel or with an object, the injuries can be severe. A victim of a boat accident may seek compensation from the negligent party. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney will assist you through the legal process.
In this video, Managing Member Matt Arnold of Arnold & Smith PLLC explains how you can seek compensation after a boating accident injury.
How Do Boating Accidents Happen?
Boating accidents may occur for a number of reasons. While mechanical failure can be a factor, many times, these crashes happen due to carelessness or negligence. Operating a boat while impaired, distracted boating, speeding, and inexperience can all cause accidents on the water. These crashes can be more common when there are a lot of boats in the water, such as on weekends or holidays. Sometimes, boaters use their vessels to party, and impairment due to drug or alcohol use can happen. Recklessness while boating can create a dangerous condition.
Negligence in Boating Accidents
Negligence is “the failure to behave with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances.” A person must use reasonable care while boating, just as they would while driving a car. Boating while intoxicated is a negligent act. Other things that might be considered negligent include speeding, reckless boating, operating a boat without having experience, and operating a boat while distracted, among others. If you were hurt in a boating accident that was caused by someone’s negligence, you may be owed compensation for your injuries.
How to Report a Boating Accident
When a boating accident happens, the first thing to do is call 911 for medical help. Boat accidents can be more complex than other types of crashes because one or more of the victims could require water rescue. Immediate emergency action is needed. If a boating accident results in injuries, loss of life, a missing person, or damages in excess of $2,000, the accident must be reported to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. If you were hurt, seek medical treatment immediately and keep all your medical bills and records. Follow the advice of your doctor.
What Compensation May I Recover After a Boating Accident?
If you were seriously injured in a boating accident due to someone else’s negligence, that person may be responsible for any and all damages they caused. Damages may include medical bills, rehabilitation costs, money for pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. You may be able to take legal action to get the money you deserve. It is important to note that you may only seek compensation as long as you were not at all negligent in the accident. An experienced personal injury lawyer will review the details of the case and assist you in getting compensation for your injuries.
If you or a loved one was injured in a boating accident, do not delay. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC at (704) 370-2828 for a free initial consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
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