Boat Accident Litigation

Boating can be a thrilling and enjoyable activity for the whole family, but it's also a risky one. If negligence leads to an accident the victim and their families may be entitled to compensation for the loss and injuries.

A NYC boat accident lawyer can help injured victims claim the full amount of damages they are entitled to. A claim may include past medical expenses and other economic damages.

Damages

While many people think of bodies of water like the Wild West, there are laws that govern the boats on rivers, lakes and oceans in the United States. Boat accidents may be governed by a variety of federal and state laws that are taken into consideration in determining if negligence took place. For instance, if a Farmington Boat Accident Lawsuit operator was drunk, it could lead to civil litigation for negligence. There are also federal laws that deal with pollution and deaths at sea. Furthermore, there are specific maritime regulations, such as the Jones Act that give injured workers or their families access for compensation similar to workers compensated in other industries.

If a loved one was killed in a boating accident, family members can bring a lawsuit on their behalf to recover damages, including funeral expenses, lost companionship, and pain and suffering. Families can collect money to cover medical bills from the past as well as future treatment.

A New York City du quoin boat accident law firm accident lawyer can assist you to determine if you or your loved one was injured during a boating accident. A personal injury lawyer will review your insurance policy and the policies regarding liability for boats of the responsible party to determine the compensation you may be eligible to receive as part of settlement or a jury verdict. An experienced lawyer can also determine if there other parties that could be liable, such as the manufacturer or a component of the boat that was defective.

Liability

In general, boaters who are injured seek compensation to cover medical costs (past and future) and lost income due to time away from work emotional trauma, as well as suffering and pain. Most serious injuries involve back and neck injury as well as brain trauma, broken bones, paralysis and organ damage.

Boating accidents may involve many parties that could be held liable for the crash. This includes the boat's operator, passengers on board at the time of the accident, other boats or watercraft involved, boat manufacturers, their parts, engines, and government agencies that place buoys to warn people about dangerous conditions. A personal injury attorney will be familiar with both state and federal maritime laws in order to determine who is at fault in an accident.

Under the Jones Act a worker on a vessel injured on the sea has similar rights as workers compensation beneficiaries. Similar to that, sailors injured in international waters or the outer continental shelf waters are able to submit claims under the Jones Act as well as other federal maritime regulations. The state workers' compensation laws also apply to maritime workers who are injured as well as the families of sailors who have paincurred as a result of medical treatment as well as other expenses arising from the accident, for example lost income from missed work. Noneconomic damages include pain, suffering and other intangible damages that are difficult to quantify.

In certain instances, a boat manufacturer, or a component of the boat could be held liable for an accident if their product was constructed or designed in a manner that was not safe. A New York boating accident lawyer could investigate the possibility product liability and seek compensation from the responsible parties.

In some instances there are instances where it is not only the person who operates a salem boat accident law firm that could be held accountable for an accident. The owner of a vessel could be held accountable also, particularly if they are responsible for hiring or training the person who operates their vessel, or allow someone who isn't fit to operate the boat on their property.