Severe Injuries Could Result from Boating Mishaps
An injury received on a boat could be more severe than a similar injury suffered on land. The primary reason is that medical help is usually not available immediately and effective first aid might not be available, either. The delay in receiving appropriate medical care could render a minor injury more serious, and a severe injury significantly more damaging.
Every year people drown or almost drown on boats either while swimming or engaging in other water sports, accidentally falling overboard, or due to other injuries they suffered in an accident that prevented them from swimming to safety. Other injuries that might occur in a boat accident include:
- Severe abrasions
- Dislocations
- Neck and shoulder hyperextension (whiplash)
- Fractures
- Facial injuries
- Amputations
- Head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
If a party’s negligence contributed to the accident and caused someone an injury, the negligent party could be liable to pay the injured person’s damages, including all related medical costs. An experienced York attorney could help an injured person calculate and document their damages resulting from their accident on a watercraft.
Proving Negligence Led to a Watercraft Wreck in York
A party is legally negligent if they do not exercise the same degree of caution a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances, and someone gets hurt because of their failure. Negligence does not require an intent to thwart the law or do harm. Simple carelessness could be enough to establish negligence.
An untrained operator could have negligently caused the mishap, and evidence of operator error could establish negligence. A well-versed lawyer at McDonald At Law could investigate whether a manufacturing defect or shoddy maintenance contributed to a boat mishap. Failing to follow any law that applies to watercraft also could be evidence of negligence.
For example, 30 Pennsylvania Revised Statutes §5103 requires individuals to pass a boating safety course before operating watercraft. It is illegal for a boat to operate within 100 feet of a water skier, personal watercraft, or the rear of another boat. A failure to adhere to these laws could be evidence of negligence.
Working with a Lawyer Soon after a Boat Crash Could Make a Difference
Sometimes injured people delay seeking legal advice because they are reluctant to bring a lawsuit and fear that engaging a legal professional might escalate matters. In fact, working with a competent accident attorney with McDonald At Law could result in smoother negotiations and a quicker settlement following a boat collision.
A legal representative could immediately begin collecting evidence of negligence. Once they have enough proof that another party has responsibility for the accident that injured the client, negotiations toward a settlement could begin.
The presence of the professional indicates to the insurance company lawyers that the claimant intends to assert their rights to appropriate compensation. Accordingly, they might be quicker to begin negotiating in good faith and more inclined to offer a settlement that adequately compensates the injured person for their losses.
Trust Your Boat Accident Case to a York Attorney
When you have been injured in a boat accident, you might not know the next steps to take. You recognize that you should not be responsible for paying the medical bills and absorbing diminished income after the injury, but the process of holding the responsible parties accountable might seem intimidating.
A York boat accident lawyer has experience identifying the negligent parties who caused an accident and negotiating fair settlements on behalf of injured clients. Speak to McDonald At Law today
