California Boat Accident Lawyer
Boating Injuries: Los Angeles & Nationwide
California is known for its beautiful weather and scenic bodies of water. Whether you are visiting one of California’s iconic islands, beaches, lakes, or ocean fronts, you might be inclined to engage in some water sports. Boating, however, like driving, is prone to negligent behavior, accidents, and injuries. Hundreds are injured and dozens die each year as a result of boat accidents. Many boating accidents involve personal watercraft like speed boats or sailing boats, although accidents and injuries also occur on cruise ships or ferry boats.
Whatever the nature of your injury, if you were hurt as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to compensation. Boating accident lawsuits can be more complex than the typical traffic accident or personal injury claim because they can involve the application of maritime law, the law of the sea. If you were hurt in a boat accident, you need a seasoned boat accident lawyer on your side, someone who understands both personal injury law and maritime law. The seasoned and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at the Morris Law Firm is ready and able to help.
How Do Boat Accidents Happen?
Boating accidents, like traffic accidents, can happen for any number of reasons. Most often, however, someone involved was negligent at some point along the way. At the Morris Law Firm, our boat accident legal team will investigate the circumstances of your boat accident to root out what happened and who was responsible. Boating accidents in California can commonly be traced back to:
- Alcohol or drug use. Recreational boats are a fun diversion, but that does not mean you can operate one recklessly. Driving a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is extremely dangerous, just like drunk driving a car. Drunk driving is a leading cause of boat wrecks across the country. Drunk boat operators may face punitive damages on top of other compensatory damages owed to accident victims.
- Speeding and other reckless driving. Boats are subject to speed limits that vary depending upon the nature of the body of water and the location of the boat. Boat operators who speed, especially near the port, are likely to cause serious injury. Boat drivers, jet ski operators, and others who flout safety rules and act recklessly increase the risk to everyone on the water.
- Defective or poorly-maintained equipment. Boating safely requires well-working equipment. If a boat owner lets their equipment rust or fall to pieces, an accident and serious injury are more likely to occur. Moreover, if a boat was designed or built defectively, the boat manufacturer could be held liable for any injuries that result.
- Being thrown from a boat at high speeds can easily lead to broken bones, pulled muscles, skull fracture, or drowning.
- Violating boat regulations. Boat safety regulations are in place for a reason. Violating regulations concerning the proper operation of the vessel, possession and maintenance of safety equipment, or who may operate the vessel is a surefire way to generate liability for a boating accident.
Recovering Compensation After a Boating Accident
If you or someone you care about was injured in a boat accident in California or off the coast, you have the right to recover compensation. You can collect damages from the responsible parties, including compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You may need to contend with special maritime laws and negotiate with maritime insurance companies to get the compensation you are owed. An experienced maritime injury lawyer can help you get the recovery you are due.
If you’ve been injured in a boating accident, or if you’ve lost a loved one in an accident involving a recreational boat, a cruise ship, a jet ski, or a commercial watercraft in Los Angeles or Southern California, call the Morris Law Firm at 747-283-1144 for a free consultation. There’s never any fee until after we recover compensation for you.
