For most people, boating is a fun pastime or a way to spend an afternoon outdoors. You expect other boaters to do everything possible to ensure everyone stays safe on the water. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. While boat accidents are not common, the consequences can be severe.
When you sustain injuries in a boat crash, you deserve fair and prompt compensation from the person at fault. A dedicated injury attorney could help you pursue the payments you need. Get in touch with a Kingstree boat accident lawyer to get started on your case.
Types of Boat Accidents
Boat accidents come in different forms. While some accidents are more devastating than others, any injury on the water can have serious consequences. In addition to the risk of injury from the impact, there is also the possibility of drowning. Some of the types of boat accidents a Kingstree lawyer could help with include:
Collisions With Other Vessels
The impact of a boat collision is always dangerous, but these risks are even greater when both vessels drive at high speeds. These accidents can occur when one or both operators are negligent. Some factors that can lead to a collision between two boats include driver impairment or inexperience.
Collisions With Fixed Objects
Not all collisions occur between two moving vessels. Some boat accidents occur when a boat strikes a fixed object. Examples include collisions with rocks, stumps, docks, or dry land. When these collisions are a result of operator negligence, an injury claim could be an option.
Capsizing
Severe injuries or death are possible outcomes when boats capsize or sink. This situation leaves passengers at risk, especially if they do not have life vests and effective safety protocols to rely on. Capsizing can occur due to a variety of circumstances, including hazardous weather and mechanical failures. When capsizing occurs as a result of carelessness or recklessness, pursuing compensation in a negligence claim could be a viable option.
Falling Overboard
Some boating accidents do not involve damage to the boat itself. One of the most dangerous situations that could result in drowning occurs when a person falls overboard. This unfortunate event could happen due to reckless boat operation, impairment, or horseplay on a moving boat. A knowledgeable attorney could assist with taking legal action against a negligent boater or passenger who caused an accident.
Compensation for a Boat Accident Injury Case
The goal of a seasoned Kingstree boat wreck attorney is to secure fair compensation for an injury victim. The court bases the amount of compensation they award in each case on the facts of the accident. In general, two categories of compensation are available in boat accident injury cases: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages provide a plaintiff with compensation for their financial losses. These include out-of-pocket costs like medical expenses or boat repairs. It could be possible to make a claim for economic damages using documentary evidence like invoices or receipts. Economic damages are objective, as they cover specific and measurable monetary losses. As such, it is typically possible to pinpoint the exact number of economic losses stemming from a boat accident.
The value of non-economic damage claims can be more challenging to determine. Non-economic damages are compensation for the subjective harm a person suffers from a boat wreck. Loss of consortium and emotional suffering stemming from an accident could be grounds for financial compensation through non-economic damages. An experienced legal team could help build a case that considers all of an injured person’s losses.
Call an Experienced Kingstree Boat Accident Attorney Today
When another person’s actions cause you to suffer harm in a boat accident, you deserve legal counsel that will fight for you. A fair outcome to your case could provide you with critical financial resources to help you move forward after an accident on the water.
Let a Kingstree boat accident lawyer serve as your advocate. Call today to get started.
