Boat Accident Litigation

Boating is an enjoyable and exciting activity to enjoy, but it can be risky. If a negligent decision leads to an accident, the victim and their families may be entitled to monetary compensation for the injuries and losses.

A NYC boat accident lawyer can help injured victims claim the maximum amount of compensation they are entitled to. The claim may cover past medical expenses, along with other economic damages.

Damages

Although many people imagine bodies of water like the Wild West, there are laws that govern boats on rivers, lakes and oceans in the United States. Boat accidents can trigger many federal and state laws that are considered when determining negligence. For example, if a Decorah Boat Accident Lawyer operator was drunk, this could open them up to civil lawsuits for negligence. There are 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 a similar compensation to other industries.

If a loved one was killed in a boating accident, family members can sue them on behalf of damages that include the loss of companionship, funeral costs as well as pain and suffering. Families can recover money to cover past medical costs and any future treatment.

A New York City boat accident lawyer can help you determine whether you or your loved ones were injured in an accident on the water. A personal injury lawyer can look over your insurance policy and the responsible party's policies on boat liability to determine the amount of compensation you are entitled to in a settlement or a verdict. In addition, an experienced lawyer can assess whether there are any additional parties who may be accountable for the accident such as the manufacturer of the boat or part.

Liability

In general, boaters who are injured seek compensation to cover medical expenses (past and future) and lost income due to time away from work emotional trauma, Jerome Boat Accident Lawsuit and pain and suffering. Injuries that are serious typically involve neck and back injuries or brain trauma, broken bones, paralysis and internal organ damage.

Boating accidents often involve multiple parties that could be liable for legal responsibility for the collision, such as the boat's operator, any other passengers who were onboard at the time of the crash as well as other watercraft and boats involved in the collision, manufacturers of the boats as well as their components or engines and even government agencies responsible for placing buoys to warn of dangerous conditions. A personal injury lawyer is aware of the specifics of state law as well as federal maritime laws to determine who may be held accountable in the event of a collision.

Under the Jones Act, a worker on a vessel who is injured at sea has rights to a compensation equal to that of workers' compensation beneficiaries. Also, sailors who are injured on international waters or in the outer continental shelf waters have the right to make a claim under the Jones Act and other federal maritime regulations. The state workers' compensation laws also apply to maritime workers injured and families of sailors who died.

Gathering Evidence

The evidence collected during the initial stages of the legal process can help determine the strength of your case. For instance, taking photos of the scene of the accident could be helpful for determining responsibility as well as establishing the circumstances of the boating accident. It's also important to obtain information from eyewitnesses, as they can offer valuable evidence which can back up your claims.

Medical records are essential for in determining the severity of your injuries, and the damages that resulted. These records should include precise account of hospital and doctor visitations surgery, rehabilitation as well as the expenses associated with them. Additionally, you should record any changes to your income and employment along with other non-financial losses.

fitzgerald boat accident law firm accidents are typically linked to spinal cord injuries. These injuries can be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, oxygen deprivation, or blunt force trauma when the head hits the propeller of the boat. Most often, these injuries are life-changing.

Other forms of marine injuries are caused by mechanical issues for Vimeo example, electrical or engine problems as well as steering system malfunctions and gear shift problems. In these cases our NYC boating accident lawyers will investigate to determine if a manufacturer should be held liable for the injuries sustained by accident victims.

How to File a Claim

It is crucial to seek medical attention immediately following a boat accident and you should not make an account to an insurance adjuster, or another party without first consulting a lawyer. Your lawyer will protect your rights and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for damages.

In order to obtain compensation following a boating collision, you will need to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit against the party(ies) responsible. It is commonplace to present evidence to support an insurance claim for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those incurred as a result of medical treatment as well as other costs associated with the accident, like the loss of income resulting from missing work. Noneconomic damages are those that result from pain and suffering and other intangible losses which are harder to quantify.

In certain cases the maker of a boat or one of its components could be held accountable 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 the boat's operator might not be held accountable for the outcome of a collision. The owner of a vessel could be held accountable too, particularly if they are responsible for hiring or training the person who is operating their boat or permit someone who isn't qualified to operate a boat on their property.