What To Do If You Are Involved in A Boating Accident?

Many people are draw to boating because of the tranquility of being on the water. However, that serenity can quickly be divide by an unexpected boating accident that causes significant damage to your boat or injuries to you or your family.

One of the most important things to do if you are involve in a severe boating accident, regardless of whether it’s your fault or someone else’s, is to document what happen as soon as possible. You can do this by taking pictures of the scene and writing down the names and contact information of all the people involve. 

If you’re like most people, you like to go boating on the weekends and enjoy some time on the water. The fact that you’re reading this article may be an indication that things didn’t go as planned one day and now you’re involved in an accident and need to speak with a boating accident attorney about your situation. There are many steps you can take if you find yourself in this situation.

• Stay on Scene

If you are involved in a boating accident, remember that it is important not to abandon your boat. Even if someone requires medical attention or you are uninjured, it is imperative that everyone involved remains on scene until authorities arrive. 

This is particularly true in cases of personal injury when insurance companies will need photographs of both vessels and statements from all parties involved in order to process claims quickly. This also makes it much easier for law enforcement officials to file a comprehensive report.

• Call 911

If a boating accident happens and someone is injured, call 911 immediately. 

The first responder on scene may be a paramedic who has knowledge of first aid treatment for boaters. You can also expect that police will show up. 

If law enforcement shows up, let them take over immediately, as they have more experience investigating boating accidents than other first responders. They can help ensure important evidence is preserved before it’s lost or damaged, too.

• Don’t Tell Others About the Accident

According to attorneys, whether or not it’s intentional, talking about your accident with others may jeopardize your ability to file a successful claim. 

The information is easy enough for someone else in your area with an existing boating accident attorney, who may also be seeing other people involved in boating accidents at around that time. 

You might inadvertently provide them with information they can use against you in court. If you’ve never hired an attorney before and want legal advice from a boat accident attorney immediately after your accident, use a search engine on your computer and look for boater accident lawyer so that no one will overhear what type of help or service you are looking for. Then phone or email them directly from home so no one knows where you got their contact info from.

• Get Medical Help

If you’re injured and can’t safely make it to shore, head back as quickly as possible and contact emergency services. 

Let someone know what happened and where you are, and ask them to call for help. Don’t expect anyone else on board to take care of your injuries or otherwise take charge; anyone involve in an accident is likely overwhelm by emotion (fear, shock) and probably not thinking clearly. 

Protect yourself by taking charge—and getting help as soon as possible. If someone is seriously injured, call 911; those who aren’t but need medical assistance should be taken directly back to shore so they can get professional help right away.

• Get Legal Help

It’s always wise to seek legal help after an accident, but it’s especially important in cases involving serious injuries.

 An experienced boating accident attorney can evaluate your situation and make sure you receive adequate compensation for your damages. If you’re involve in a boating accident, call or visit an attorney as soon as possible. 

The sooner they’re involve, the more likely they are to be able to negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf before any delays cause problems with evidence or prevent you from receiving proper care for injuries.

• Preserve Evidence

It’s natural in an accident situation to want to admit fault. When we see someone in pain, we instinctively try to help—and that may mean admitting fault and taking blame for something we didn’t actually cause. 

This is a bad idea when it comes to boat accidents. By admitting fault, you may be accepting responsibility for damage or injuries when you shouldn’t be liable for anything at all. If another boat was clearly at fault, admit it politely but without much detail—you don’t want your admission of guilt used against you later in court proceedings or insurance negotiations.

• Don’t Admit Fault

It’s not uncommon for boaters to want to admit fault in an accident. Don’t! By doing so, you could be admitting liability and opening yourself up to a host of problems down the road. This includes bodily injury and property damage claims. As well as criminal charges should passengers or other boats on water face injury or damage by your actions.

8) Speak to Insurance Company and Lawyer

If a serious accident occurs while boating, speak with a boating accident attorney immediately. The insurance company for your employer will likely call, and it’s important that you don’t discuss details of the incident without first consulting an attorney. 

In some states, employees are require by law to receive workers’ compensation benefits for accidents occurring on-the-job. Contact your HR department or speak with an employment lawyer for more information about the requirement in your state. There are many factors that influence how much workers’ compensation benefits a victim receives. 

If a worker has a history of injuries or illnesses connect to their job duties, their benefits may be reduce because it could be presume they knew they were at risk of injury while working in that specific field or capacity.

Hope this article helps you to know what to do if you are involve in a boat accident.