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Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be an exciting and enjoyable activity for the whole family, but it’s also a risky one. If a negligent decision leads to an accident, victims and their families may be entitled to financial compensation for the injuries and losses.

A NYC lawyer who handles boat accidents can help injured victims get the amount they are due. A claim can be the need for past medical expenses as well as other financial damages.

Damages

While many people associate bodies of water with the Wild West in the United States, there are laws that govern the boats on lakes and rivers as well as oceans. Boat accidents can involve various federal and state laws which are considered when determining the degree of negligence. For example, if a boat operator was drunk, this could open them up to civil lawsuits based on negligence. There are also federal laws that address 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 to other industries.

If a loved one died in a fatal boat accident, the family may sue for damages, including loss of companionship and funeral expenses. They can also sue for suffering and pain. Families can collect money to cover medical bills from the past and future medical treatment.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can assist you in determining if you or your loved ones were injured in a boating accident. An attorney for personal injuries can look over your insurance policy and the responsible party’s boat liability policy to determine the amount of compensation you are entitled to receive in a settlement or verdict. A lawyer with experience can also determine if there are other parties that could be accountable, such as the manufacturer or a component of the boat that was defective.

Liability

In general, boaters who are injured seek damages to recover medical costs (past and future) as well as lost earnings due to absence from work emotional trauma, and suffering and pain. Serious injuries include neck and back injuries and brain traumas, as well as broken bones and internal organ damage.

Boating accidents may involve many parties who could be held responsible for the crash. These include the operator of the boat, passengers on board at the time of the accident and other watercrafts or boats involved, the manufacturers of boats as well as their parts, engines and government agencies that put up buoys to warn the public of dangerous conditions. An attorney who handles personal injury cases is well-versed in federal and state maritime laws in order to determine who is liable in an accident.

Under the Jones Act a worker on a vessel who is injured on the sea has similar rights as workers compensation beneficiaries. Similar, sailors injured in international waters, or the outer continental shelf waters are able to make claims under the Jones Act as well as other maritime regulations of the federal government. Injured maritime workers and families of sailors who have died have claims under state worker law on compensation.

Gathering Evidence

The evidence you gather during the initial stages of the legal process could aid in determining the strength of your case. Photographing the scene of the accident can help determine liability and help determine the circumstances of the boating accident. Eyewitnesses may also provide crucial information that can support your claim.

Medical records are essential to finding out the extent of your injuries, as well as the damage that resulted from it. These records should include precise account of hospital and doctor visitations, surgeries, rehabilitation treatments as well as the expenses associated with them. Additionally, you should keep track of any changes in your income or employment as well as other non-financial losses.

Boat accidents are usually linked to spinal cord injuries. These injuries may be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation or blunt force trauma when the head is struck by 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 gear shift issues. In these instances, our NYC lawyer for boating accidents will investigate to determine if a manufacturer can be held responsible for injuries suffered by victims of accidents.

How to File greenville boat accident attorneys

While it is vital to seek medical attention immediately for injuries following a boating incident and you should not make a statement to an insurance adjuster or another party without consulting a lawyer. A lawyer can safeguard your rights, ensuring that you receive adequate compensation for damages.

In order to claim compensation after a boating accident you must file an insurance claim, or an action against the party(ies) responsible. This usually includes the presentation of evidence to justify a claim of economic as well as non-economic damages. Economic damages are medical expenses and other expenses caused by the accident, including lost earnings due to missed work. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering and other intangible damages that may be harder to quantify.

In some cases, the manufacturer of a vessel or one of its parts could be held responsible for an accident if their product was defectively designed or manufactured. A New York boating accident lawyer will investigate the possibility of product liability and seek compensation from the parties responsible.

In some cases it’s not just the person who operates a boat who may be held liable for a crash. The owner of a vessel may be held responsible as well, especially in the event that they are responsible for hiring or training the person who is operating their vessel, or allow a person who isn’t fit to operate the vessel on their premises.