Boat Accident Litigation

Boating is a fun and exciting recreational activity that can be risky. If a negligent action leads to an accident, the victims and their families could be entitled to monetary compensation for losses and injuries.

A NYC boat accident lawyer can help injured victims demand the full amount of damages they are entitled to. The claim may cover past medical expenses, as well as other economic damages.

Damages

Although 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 involve multiple federal and state laws that are considered in determining whether negligence occurred. For instance, if a boat operator was drunk, this could open them up to civil lawsuits for negligence. Federal laws also deal with pollution and deaths at sea. Additionally, there are special maritime laws, like the Jones Act that give injured workers or their families a pathway to compensation similar to workers' compensation in other industries.

If a loved one was killed in a fatal boat accident, the family may sue for damages, including loss of companionship and funeral costs. They may also sue for pain and suffering. Families can also recover money to pay medical bills in the past and future medical expenses.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can help you determine whether you or your loved one was injured in a boating accident. A personal injury lawyer can examine your insurance coverage and the responsible party's policies on boat liability to determine what compensation you are entitled to receive in a settlement or a verdict. Additionally, a skilled lawyer can determine if there are any other parties that may be liable for the accident, including the manufacturer of a defective boat or conroe boat accident attorney component.

Liability

In general, injured boaters seek damages to recover medical costs (past and future) and lost income due to absence from work, emotional trauma and suffering and pain. The most serious injuries are neck and back injuries, brain traumas, broken bones, and internal organ damage.

Accidents involving boats can involve many people who could be held liable for the crash. These include the boat operator, passengers on board at the time of the incident and other watercrafts or boats involved, boat manufacturers and their components, engines, and government agencies who place buoys to warn people about dangers. A personal injury lawyer can be familiar with the details of both state law and federal maritime laws to determine who might be responsible in a collision.

Under the Jones Act a worker on an vessel that is injured at sea has similar rights to those of workers compensation beneficiaries. Also, sailors who are injured in international waters or in outer continental shelf waters have the right to submit a claim under Jones Act and other federal maritime regulations. Families and maritime workers who have been injured as well as the relatives of sailors who died have claims under state worker compensation laws.

Gathering Evidence

Evidence gathered during the early stages of the legal process will help determine the strength and effectiveness of your case. For example, taking photographs of the scene of the accident can help determine the who is responsible and the circumstances of the boating accident. It's also important to obtain information from eyewitnesses, as they can provide valuable testimony which can back up your assertions.

Medical records are critical for understanding the severity 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 document the changes in your income and employment capacity, as in any other losses that are not financial.

Boat accidents are usually associated with brain and spinal cord injuries. These injuries may be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation or blunt force trauma that occurs when your head strikes the propeller of the temecula boat accident lawsuit. These injuries can cause life-altering impact.

Other kinds of marine accidents involve mechanical issues, like electrical or engine problems in steering, abrasions, and gear shift issues. In these instances our NYC lawyer for boating accidents will investigate to determine if the manufacturer should be held accountable for injuries sustained by accident victims.

How to File a Claim

You should seek medical attention immediately following an incident on the boat. However, you should consult with a lawyer prior to giving a statement to the insurance adjuster or another party. A lawyer can safeguard your rights, including ensuring that you receive the proper compensation for any damages.

In order to claim compensation for a boating incident it is necessary to make an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the party(ies) responsible. This usually includes the presentation of evidence to support a claim for economic as well as non-economic damages. Economic damages may include medical costs and other expenses caused by the accident, including lost income due to missed work. Noneconomic damages are those that result from pain and suffering and other intangible losses that may be harder to quantify.

In some instances the manufacturer of a boat or one of its parts can be held liable for an accident when their product was not properly constructed or designed. A skilled New York boating injury lawyer will determine if product liability is involved and seek compensation from the responsible parties.

In some instances it's not only the person who operates a glendora boat accident lawsuit who may be held liable for the event of a crash. The owner of the vessel may be held responsible too, particularly when they are accountable for hiring or training the person operating their boat or allow someone who is not fit to operate a boat on their property.