Category : Boating Accidents
Just as with driving an automobile on land, boat operators have a responsibility to follow certain protocol in the event of a boating accident, particularly if the accident results in injury, death or serious property damage.
As the operator of a boat, if you are involved in a boating accident, alert authorities and be prepared to submit a written report in the event of:
- A fatal accident
- A medical injury that requires attention
- Property damage of $500 or greater
- The disappearance of someone aboard the vessel
If you are involved in a boating accident these are the basic rules to keep in mind:
- Do not leave the scene of the accident
- Cut the power to the engine, or otherwise halt the vessel
- Assess the scene of the accident for injuries and assist anyone that is in danger
- Do not do anything that would further endanger your passengers or craft, i.e., overloading your craft with people or cargo from a wrecked vessel
- Provide written information with your name, address and vessel ID to any injured party, or owner of damaged property
- Do not admit fault, and report the incident to the proper authorities and your insurance company in a timely manner
Boating accident injuries can be minimized or even avoided by the use of properly fitting personal flotation devices (PFDs), or life jackets. Their use is required by maritime law on some types of recreational vessels of a certain size, but it is highly recommended by boat safety groups all the time while on the water.
This includes while the boat is docked or while fishing, when up to 30% of boaters claim to not wear PFDs. If you were injured in a boating accident in which there weren’t enough PFDs for passengers, or if defective equipment put you in danger, you can file a personal injury lawsuit.
Visit our library to learn more about boating accidents.
Ryan Greenberg, who was charged with second-degree murder in a July 2007 fatal boating accident in Rhode Island, recently accepted responsibility for the accident victim’s death.
According to a story in the Associated Press, Ryan Greenberg was operating a boat that collided with Patrick Murphy who was knee-boarding at the time. Murphy was killed in the collision. After the boat accident that killed Murphy, Greenberg, 17 years old at the time, was immediately charged with possession of alcohol and refusing to take a chemical sobriety test.
Greenberg was later charged with second-degree murder in Murphy’s death, but not until the case had played out for nearly two years. After initially denying responsibility, Greenberg eventually “pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless boating resulting in a death” and prosecutors dropped the murder charge.
Greenberg will be sentenced in July of 2009 and could face up to five years in prison.
Among potential cruise ship accidents, passengers may not consider food poisoning a threat. Cruise lines entice travelers with promises of unmatched gourmet delights, which they usually fulfill. However, safe food handling practices on cruise ships are not always followed.
Whether cold foods were left unprotected between the supplier and ship’s galleys, or a staff member transmitted bacteria that spread, food poisoning occurs on cruises of all kinds. Passengers who are very young, very old, or have compromised immune systems are most susceptible to injury from tainted food.
If you become ill and know that others who ate the same food were sick, contact a maritime attorney as your cruise line may be liable for personal injury due to food poisoning.
Browse our library and learn more about cruise ship accidents.
If you’ve been injured in a cruise ship accident, you may feel that negligence by the cruise line was the cause. Proven negligent behavior violates the cruise ship operator’s duty of care to its passengers, who entrust their safety to a carrier when they embark.
Maritime lawyers evaluate cases of personal injury to determine whether negligence was the cause and what the chances are for recovering damages in a lawsuit.
Consult an attorney if your cruise ship accident was a result of:
- Blocked exits or walkways
- Poor lighting
- Standing water
- Loose guardrails or handrails
- Faulty emergency equipment, including life rafts
Browse our library and learn more about cruise ship accidents.
When selecting a personal injury attorney you’ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with cruise ship accident cases; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?
Whocanisue.com has the largest directory of trained personal injury attorneys on the Web! Find an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area now!
As cruise vacations become more popular and populated, the chances for physical assault or injury on cruise ships rise. The problem has become so pressing that federal legislation that will tighten cruise ship security and aid victims of sexual assault is pending.
The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009 would extend protections of the U.S. Shipping Act of 1984, providing practical security measures such as locks and peepholes for staterooms. Meanwhile, passengers should be alert to the high incidence of rape on cruise ships and report any violations.
Cruise ship accidents can take many forms, including slip and fall injuries, food poisoning, and even assault. If you have been injured in a cruise ship accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the cruise line.
Browse our library and learn more about cruise ship accidents.
Personal injury attorneys who specialize in maritime law defend passengers who are the victim of cruise ship accidents and crimes. When selecting a personal injury attorney you’ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with cruise ship accident cases; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?
Whocanisue.com has the largest directory of trained maritime attorneys on the Web! Find an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area now!
Maritime attorneys help passengers who have been hurt in cruise ship accidents, and a large number of these are water-related. Many travelers treat cruises like hotel stays, assuming that their safety will be guaranteed by the cruise line.
Operators inform guests about the possibility of rough weather and high waves, but cannot control all of the ways in which moisture affects safe mobility onboard the cruise ship.
Avoid personal injury or death by remembering the following cruise ship safety tips:
- Overboard falls are very serious, so steer clear of guardrails and the bow area in choppy seas.
- Morning dew makes decks and furniture slick; use handrails when necessary.
- Alcohol consumption and swimming don’t mix.
Browse our library and learn more about cruise ship accidents.
If you’re planning a vacation at sea, you should be aware of recent cruise ship accidents. While many passengers are able to recover damages by bringing lawsuits with the help of maritime lawyers, others are stymied by legal battles with the cruise lines.
Sensational accidents that caused passenger injuries or death in recent years include unsolved overboard disappearances from a Royal Caribbean ship and a Carnival cruise liner. While foul play is suspected in one instance, the cruise line may be held liable in the second.
If you have already been harmed in a cruise incident, contact a cruise ship injury lawyer as soon as you get on dry land. When selecting a cruise ship injury attorney you’ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with cruise ship accident cases; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?
Browse our library and learn more about cruise ship accidents.
Drunk boating, often called Boating Under the Influence, or BUI, is a crime in every state. Ignorance of the law is no excuse from severe criminal and civil penalties.
If you are hurt in a collision with another boat and suspect the operator of drunk boating, mention it in the incident report, even if you aren’t sure. A personal injury attorney can use legal and medical experts to re-create a boating accident in an attempt to prove negligence due to intoxication.
You may notice reckless driving among obstacles, swimmers and other boats (including yours) or last-minute attempts to swerve. Share this information with your personal injury lawyer, who may be able to secure witness testimony that supports your claim.
Browse our library to learn more about reckless boating accidents.
Boater education can ward off water skiing accidents caused by defective equipment or emissions such as carbon monoxide.
Boat operators carry a legal duty of reasonable care for their passengers, swimmers, and water skiers in the vicinity of their vessels. If they knowingly put others in danger through poor equipment maintenance or safety practices, they can be held liable for personal injury.
Swimmers and water skiers on motorized boats are susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning from engine emissions. A boat operator who lets them remain onboard or in the water near a faulty engine may be found negligent in court if they are injured or killed.
Browse our library to learn more about boating accidents.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury as a result of a boating accident, consult a personal injury attorney right away! You”ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with maritime cases; how many accident cases have you won?
