If you’ve been injured in a boating accident, you’ll need help from a personal injury lawyer to get the compensation you deserve.
What happened? Most boating accidents involve a collision with another boat, and both boat operators will typically be held — at least partly — at fault. This means that passengers on both boats could have a legal negligence case against the operators of both boats.
Negligence may depend on the type of watercraft. If the collision is between a kayak and motorboat, for example, the motorboat operator is more likely to be held at fault than the kayaker. There are basic maritime regulations that dictate the operation of motorboats when they are in the vicinity of smaller and slower craft. It is the responsibility of the operator to know these rules and follow them.
Sometimes a boat can hit a big wake or wave, and the jot can knock the passengers down — or even propel them overboard. If you have been injured in an accident involving a large wake or wave, proving liability is tricky. The operator’s liability will depend on circumstances, like the boat’s speed, the size of the wake, the boat traffic in the area at the time of the accident, and whether or not the operator warned passengers.
A personal injury attorney from Cochran, Kroll & Associates P.C. is ready to meet with you, at your convenience, to evaluate your case. If you have already been approached by an insurance company, we strongly recommend that you not sign anything until you’ve gotten some legal advice.
A collision with a submerged object, rock, or land happens sometimes, even in the best weather, but it is more common in poor weather when visibility is diminished. As with a wave or wake accident, the driver’s liability will depend on circumstances. Did the operator have nautical charts for the area and was traveling slowly and cautiously when the accident happened? That is not negligence.
But if the operator was going fast, was boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in dense fog, without charts or GPS, and runs into a pier? That is negligence.
Cochran, Kroll & Associates P.C. is a law firm that is committed to personal injury claims, helping individuals and families understand their options and providing legal advice every step of the way until we achieve a successful settlement. Don’t worry about the cost. After a free consultation to review your case, if we decide to work together, it will be a contingency fee agreement. This means that we don’t get paid until you get your settlement.
Contact us toll-free today (24 hours) at 866-466-9912 or use our convenient online contact form.
