Most boating accidents happen during the summer months when the weather is warm and the sun is shining. Local boating accidents and the resulting injuries can occur for a variety of reasons, from poor weather conditions to inattentive or intoxicated operators.
Boating accidents might not be as common as car accidents, but they still occur causing thousands of injuries and millions in property damage. If you are suffering from a boating accident injury, working with an attorney who understands the associated laws can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Navigating Boating Insurance (Or a Lack Thereof)
Working with boat accident injury cases can be a little trickier than car accident injury cases. For example, every driver on the road is required to carry car insurance, but the laws about boat insurance differ from state to state — and Kansas boaters are not required to have insurance.
However, many boaters do opt for insurance. Unfortunately, there are many different types of insurance and these policies are not always as clear as car insurance. Regardless, you should report an accident involving your boat to your insurance company (if you carry insurance) in order to claim damages.
Having an attorney to navigate insurance companies can be an enormous benefit. A lawyer helps you work with your own insurance company to make sure you are receiving what you should expect to receive from your policy. Your lawyer can also work with any other involved parties to find out exactly what you can expect from their insurance policies. If the owner/operator proves to have no insurance, there are still options moving forward to collect damages. Working with an attorney gives you the opportunity to understand those options, as well as if it will be worth your time and effort to seek remuneration from an individual versus an insurance company.
Proving Negligence and Liability
In a boating accident injury case, you will most likely have to prove the other boat owner/operator made some sort of negligent mistake or broke the local or federal rules to be compensated for a boat accident or injury. Car insurance companies may provide some sort of financial relief (depending on the policies of the drivers involved) for medical bills or property damage, even if no one is considered at fault.
To receive compensation for medical bills, wrongful death, property damage, pain and suffering, lost wages, or any other associated costs (financial, physical, or emotional), proof of negligence in a boating accident is key. The other party must be determined to be at fault for reasons of negligence in order for a suit to be brought. For example, if another boater collided with your boat, the other boater was intoxicated, and you suffered injuries and property damage, the other boater could be held financially responsible.
As you begin going through the steps in the days after your boating accident, make sure to keep all documentation, from medical records to a copy of the report you made to the appropriate authorities (which is the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism for a local boating accident in Kansas). All of this information can be useful to your attorney and help prove your case.
A boating accident injury attorney can help you determine if you can get compensation, as well as assisting with the detective work to prove negligence and liability.
Understanding the Types of Boat Accidents & Boating Accident Injuries
Working with an injury attorney also means you have a better idea of what your injury is worth. A variety of different issues can occur as a result of a boating accident. Injury Claim Coach labels several types of accidents that can occur on a boat or when two watercrafts collide, such as:
- propeller injuries;
- having a boat run you over;
- slip-and-fall accidents on a hazardous deck;
- and even carbon monoxide poisoning.
Some of these accidents may be uncomfortable but heal quickly without leaving lasting damage. For example, slipping and falling might cause an uncomplicated shin bruise. Others, such as being driven over by the boat, can lead to spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injuries (TBI). The back injuries boating accidents may cause can be extremely serious and take months to heal.
Understanding these different types of accidents and injuries is important because different boating accident injuries may mean you are entitled to larger amounts of money.
Working with a boating accident injury lawyer helps ensure the amount of monetary compensation you receive is the amount you deserve for your pain and suffering.
Our Kansas Attorneys Deliver Dollars for Injured Clients
If you have been injured in a local boating accident, Kansas Injury Recovery Institute knows boating accident injury law, and we are passionate about helping injured individuals get the compensation they deserve. Get a free consultation to see how we can work for you. Visit our Kansas Injury Recovery website at or call us at (866) 684-9043 today! While you work on recovery, we will work on recovering your money.
