Compensation for Boat Accidents
Because summer is so short in Buffalo, all boat owners savor every second of the warm weather, cruising and jetting across the waters of Lake Erie. Summer weekends can be quite busy around Buffalo and the Southtowns. While lakeside activities can be fun for adults and children alike, when proper safety precautions are not taken by everyone on the water, accidents can result that can cause passengers and others to suffer serious injuries. Here is what you need to know about compensation for boat accidents if you are ever injured in one.
Compensation for Boat Accidents | Common Accidents
The most common types of boat accidents are collisions with other vessels, collisions with fixed objects such as a pier, and passengers falling overboard. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the most common causes of boat accidents include alcohol use, careless or reckless operation, excessive speed, hazardous waters, and operator inexperience. Frequent injuries resulting from watercraft accidents are contusions, bumps, bruises, broken bones, head injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Boats do not provide the same level of protection as land vehicles do, so whereas whipping and cervical deceleration are typical of car accidents because of the use of seat belts, watercraft accidents tend to result in impact injuries.
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Compensation for Boat Accidents | Making a Claim
If you are injured in a boating accident, you must seek medical treatment immediately for any injuries, take photos of all your bruises and wounds, compile a short journal entry of details about the incident, and write down the names of all witnesses. Your attorney will assess the information that you provide in order to determine the party at fault and identify the injuries that resulted from the accident. General negligence may be subject to a three-year statute of limitations, but the most important elements in personal injury cases are often established through early investigation—while the evidence is still fresh and accessible.
If you or a loved one is seeking compensation for boat accidents, contact our Buffalo boat accident lawyers today for a free consultation.