Boating Accidents
According to the United States Coast Guard, a boating accident is any incident where a passenger is injured or killed, a passenger goes missing, or a boat causes or suffers damage. This means that boating accidents are not limited to incidents where two boats collide with each other. Each of these different types of boating accidents can lead to serious injuries, so it’s important to know what to do in the event that you are involved in a boating accident.
Steps to Take Immediately After a Boating Accident
Your first priority following any type of accident should be contacting the authorities and seeking medical attention for you and other victims. This is important even if you think that your injuries do not need to be treated right away. Minor injuries can become worse over time, and you will need to have documentation that shows you sustained the injuries during the boating accident. If you wait too long to receive medical attention, you may not be able to prove that the injuries you complained about days later were sustained in the accident.
Exchange information with anyone else who was involved in the accident, including witnesses, passengers, and the boat operator. If you can, document as much evidence at the scene of the accident as possible by taking pictures with your cell phone. Be sure to ask for a copy of the official accident report once a police officer or coast guard arrives to the scene.
Contact a boating accident lawyer as soon as possible. You may have heard that boating accident victims can recover compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company, but compensation is never guaranteed. Let one of our attorneys at Reisch Law Firm handle your case and help you achieve the best possible outcome.
Determining Liability in Boating Accidents
To recover compensation, you will need to be able to prove that the boating accident was a result of another person’s negligence. In order to prove negligence, you must show that the person acted in a way that a reasonable person would not have acted under similar circumstances. Was the operator of the boat intoxicated at the time of the accident? Was the operator aware that bad weather was approaching, but chose to ignore warning signs instead of turning around and heading home? Were there enough life jackets on the boat to account for every person on the boat? Reasonable boaters would follow all laws, pay close attention to weather forecasts, and provide safety gear to everyone on board, so these are all examples of negligence.
An attorney can investigate and get to the bottom of what caused the accident. Then, the attorneys at Reisch Law Firm can communicate directly with the at-fault party’s insurance company regarding your case. Proving liability can be challenging, so don’t attempt to handle this type of claim without the help of an experienced attorney.
Legal Help For Boating Accident Victims
If you have been injured in a boating accident, don’t wait any longer to get in touch with Reisch Law Firm. You can schedule a free consultation with one of our boating accident attorneys by calling 303-291-0555 today.
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If you or a dear one got injured in an accident, are having insurance disputes or are facing criminal charges in Denver or in the state of Colorado - contact our Denver personal injury attorneys NOW for a free case evaluation and initial consultation. Time is of the essence. Let our experienced lawyers fight for your justice.