Leander Boat Accident Lawyer
Many local residents enjoy boating and watersports. Lake Travis and Lake Austin are great places to fish, waterski, or just relax. However, a boating accident could ruin a day out in a heartbeat. Boating accidents can be severe and cause permanent harm. In many cases, the accident victim might deal with the impact for the rest of their life.
Thankfully, a Leander boat accident lawyer can represent someone who suffered injuries on the water. A dedicated injury attorney can hold the negligent parties who contributed to the accident liable for the injured person’s medical costs, diminished income, and reduced quality of life.
How People Suffer Injuries While Boating
Many situations could cause a person to suffer an injury while on a boat. Falling overboard and drowning or drowning while swimming off a boat is common, especially if the person was consuming alcohol.
Meanwhile, unsecured gear could fall and strike someone or cause a tripping hazard. People sometimes get hit by a sailboat’s boom and suffer significant injuries. Fires and carbon monoxide poisoning are risks on any boat with an engine. Finally, collisions with other boats, underwater obstructions, piers, and docks can cause severe injuries.
A Leander attorney can review the circumstances that caused someone’s boat accident and help demonstrate that the resulting injuries deserve compensation.
Investigating a Boat Accident
In a car crash, determining what happened and who was at fault is relatively easy compared to an accident on the water. In a boating accident, the involved vessel(s) and their passengers must try to get to safety as quickly as possible. The marine unit of the Texas Park and Wildlife Department (TPWD) might come to the scene of a boating mishap, but more often it does not. Preserving evidence and obtaining witness statements is challenging.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Code §31-105 requires boat operators to report accidents if they result in:
- A fatality
- An injury that requires medical treatment beyond first aid
- Property damage exceeding $2000
Boaters must make the report to the TPWD within 30 days unless the accident caused a fatality. In that case, they must file a report within 48 hours.
All of this can complicate the process of filing a boat accident claim. However, a detail-oriented lawyer in Leander can review the operator’s accident report and any other available evidence. Medical records sometimes provide clues about what caused a particular injury. If the incident occurred at a marina or dock, surveillance footage is sometimes available. When accidents occur on the water, sometimes a witness records the incident on their phone.
Negligent Boaters are Liable for Damages
Obtaining damages in a boat wreck case requires a Leander attorney to prove someone negligent. A party can be negligent, for example, if they fail to use the same degree of caution or care a prudent person would use in similar circumstances, and someone else suffers harm.
Additionally, boaters born after September 1, 1993, must complete a Boater Safety course to operate a vessel legally. Even if the operator was born earlier, they might be liable for an injured person’s damages if they failed to take a boater safety course and their unsafe operation caused an injury. All boats must have appropriate floatation devices for all passengers. Failure to carry the proper safety equipment can be considered negligent operation.
Boaters who speed, operate too close to swimmers, ignore navigation rules, or fail to maintain a lookout could be negligent. Boaters who operate under the influence of alcohol or drugs commit a crime and are also negligent. If a local resident needs help proving fault after a boat injury or collision, reaching out to our skilled legal team should be a priority.
Contact a Leander Boat Accident Attorney for Guidance
Do not try to handle a boating injury claim without the help of an experienced attorney. A Leander boat accident lawyer is adept at collecting evidence of negligence. Our legal team could use compelling evidence as leverage to negotiate a reasonable settlement or, if the responsible party is unreasonable, pursue a case at trial. Evidence could disappear quickly in a boat accident case, so do not wait to get started with your claim. Contact a seasoned legal professional today.
