Lack of Safety Standards: The standard requirements for those that wish to operate a boat are far less strict than those needed to drive a car. Operator inattention. Boating accidents occur when people are negligent while operating a motor vehicle on open waters. If an immediate family member died from boating accident injuries in Orleans Parish or another nearby area, La. Medical needs in the future as a result of your injuries. In comparison to some of the more prevalent motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents are about 20% as common. Defective Boat Equipment Claims Can Also Be Handled by a New Orleans Boat Accident Attorney. In addition, our attorneys have legal training and knowledge of boat accident laws. They are compassionate and very professional with great attention to detail. " Similarly, motorboats must maintain a direct course while passing sailboats. Louisiana accounted for 87 of the total boating accidents, 39 of the injuries, and 20 of the fatalities. The boat operator lacks experience.
Learn about boating accidents and why you may need an experienced boating accident lawyer if you were injured. Insurance companies do not have your best interests in mind when you have an accident. We have the results and client testimonials that injured victims of boat accidents would want from their lawyers. Causes of Seaman Injuries Include: Compensation under the Jones Act may include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, and other applicable damages. Improper lookout; - Operator inexperience; - Speeding; and. Means that our attorneys only receive their fee if they get a settlement or judgment for you. This is why the first thing you should do after a boat accident is to discuss your potential case with a boat accident attorney. Our New Orleans boating accident lawyers have decades of combined experience handling boating and watercraft accidents of all kinds off the shores of Louisiana. Still, the recreational activity does have the potential to host catastrophic injuries or deaths, especially in boaters who fail to appreciate its dangers and jeopardize others. What Causes a Boat Accident?
This is not only limited to the expenses that have been incurred in the past but also in the future. Vessel owners owe duties to both crew members and passengers on their vessels. Call the New Orleans, LA boat accident hotline 24/7 at (888) 577-5988 for a free, no obligation consultation. While boat accidents involving commercial vessels typically fall under federal maritime law, such as the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, and the Death on the High Seas Act, accidents involving recreational boats typically fall under negligence law. It is the responsibility of the seaman's employer to ensure that working conditions are safe and that the adequate safety, training, and security measures have been put in place. This will greatly impact your boat's safety if your headroom is little to none. Here are a few common examples: Boat Owners.
To minimize lean, the greatest thing you can do is adjust your boat to the fluctuations and changing circumstances. After a boating accident, receiving medical attention should be your priority. Especially if you were injured in a boat accident where you believe the fault to be alcohol or negligence, you should contact our Louisiana vessel crash lawyers. Wages, benefits, and other sources of income that have been lost. We want you to be as comfortable as possible with our representation. If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a boating accident, you might have the basis of a personal injury claim or lawsuit. People could break bones and ligaments by colliding with walls or rails while falling or as a consequence of the force of an impact with another vessel or the water. The US Coast Guard recently reported 4, 291 accidents that caused 2, 620 injuries and 658 deaths in just one year. Boating accidents can happen with: - Commercial vessels. Our boating accident attorneys in New Orleans will identify the liable party or parties in your case and offer advice and guidance based on that information. While being out on the water can be fun, it can also be a potentially dangerous undertaking. This is because they're the ones controlling the boats.
The statute of limitations for filing a claim under the Jones Act is one year from the date of the injury. According to the U. S. Coast Guard (USCG), the leading types of boat accidents include collisions with other vessels, collisions with fixed objects (allisions), flooding and swamping, grounding, and falling overboard. At Tony Clayton & Associates, we take a client-first approach to our personal injury cases. The experienced team at the Law Office of John W. Redmann, L. L. C. has the tools to investigate a boating accident, collect any available evidence, and assign fault to one or more parties. We are proud of our results in settlement negotiations and court. Hence, the reason why it is critical to consider the weather while making plans. Clients often face a mountain of difficulty including pain, the loss of wages, a lengthy recovery, and a lifetime of doctor's appointments.
This local presence is extremely important in injury cases. Additionally, boats cannot as easily swerve obstacles. Our commitment to winning every case we handle: We aim to win your case. When they breach these duties, they may be held responsible. Driving the boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Boaters must exercise due care in operating their vessels in order to prevent injuries to passengers, swimmers, and those nearby. Injuries to the Spinal Cord. We will be able to respond quickly and thoroughly to all your needs. Add in underage drinking and you have a recipe for potential disaster. Dealing with insurance negotiations on your behalf. Underage boating can and does lead to preventable injuries and deaths. If two boats crash, spinal compressions (stress on the spinal cord) can occur, resulting in spinal cord injury. There are exceptions to this deadline, so it is worthwhile to speak with our team about your case—regardless of how long it has been since your boating accident. Some common injuries resulting from boating accidents include: - Head injuries. One of the most frustrating parts of capsizing accidents in Louisiana is that they're completely preventable. In addition to a boating accident report, we can collect evidence of the responsible party's liability, such as: - Photos or videos from the accident scene.
Additional related expenses. Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause was known, it was listed as the leading factor in 15% of deaths. A large boat is harder to control and handle when the swells are strong, and hefty equipment shifting about can produce dramatic shifts in weight distribution. The boating accident fatality rate in 2016 was 5. The sooner we can conduct your free case evaluation, the sooner we can begin our investigation into who or what entity may be liable for damages.
We do so through a contingency fee structure. If you were involved in a boating accident due to the negligence of another person, you may be entitled to damages to cover the costs of medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering. Our attorneys and staff: We are very particular about who we hire. Many sailors enjoy sailing around Lake Pontchartrain and in the Gulf of Mexico.
The USCG notes that about 85 percent of fatalities occur because the victim was not wearing a life jacket, and over 70 percent of boating fatalities occurred on boats operated by someone who did not receive boating safety instruction. Note that this formula assumes that the average weight of passengers is approximately 150 pounds. Boats don't have brakes, and it can be difficult to stop suddenly when moving at excessive speed. Some of the highlights of the report are detailed below. When these situations occur, the issue of the wrongdoer's negligence will often be considered and may subject that person to state tort law claims. Common causes in these boating accidents include: Learning what caused your accident and who is responsible can be simple with help from a New Orleans boating accident lawyer. Instead, you must be 16 and above to operate a personal watercraft. What Are the Causes of Boating Accidents? What Is Classified as a Boating Accident? If the collision, crash, or other casualty involves a recreational vehicle and results in death or serious personal injury in excess of $500, the operator of the vessels involved must provide immediate notice to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Law Enforcement Division (ìLDWF/LEDî), nearest law enforcement agency, or state police.
Don't delay after a recreational boat or industrial maritime accident. Another 92 people were injured in Louisiana boating incidents in 2016, and boating accidents that year caused $1. When a boat owner or other negligent party collides with another watercraft or injures a swimmer or water skier as a result of their carelessness or reckless behavior, they become the liable party.