Austin Boating Accident Lawyers
Statistics show that Austin boating accidents are a serious problem in the local lakes. Many serious boating accident injuries and fatal drowning incidents occur annually in Central Texas. The most common types of boating accidents are collisions with other vessels, collisions with fixed objects such as a dock or pier, or passengers falling overboard. Reckless driving, carelessness, excessive speed, operator inexperience and inattentiveness are the most common factors contributing to boating accidents.
Lack of Instruction and Experience
Boating education and experience is a critical component to reducing boating accidents in Austin. Unfortunately, Texas laws do not require any boating instruction. This places many inexperienced people behind the wheel of a boat or personal watercraft without any specialized knowledge of that vessel’s operating characteristics or even what to do when another boat or personal watercraft is coming at them or behaving erratically.
What To Do After a Boating Accident
After a boating accident, it is important to determine who was to blame for the incident that led to your injuries. There are many different causes of boating accidents including:
- Hitting a big wave or wake at an unsafe speed or angle
- Ejections from the boat due to improper operation
- Deciding to navigate in adverse and heavy weather conditions
- Contact with propellers
- Operating at a high speed
- Failing to keep a lookout for individuals who are skiing, wake boarding or tubing
- Collisions with other watercraft
- Defective boat maintenance or repair
- Impacting a fixed object, such as a dock, pier or bridge
- Overcrowding & Overloading the boat
- Operating the boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol
The person who is at-fault in the accident needs to take responsibility for their negligent or reckless actions. Part of this procedure is the demand for compensation for the accident they caused. It is important for those who enjoy recreational boating to be protected from people who do not take the responsibility of operating a boat seriously. Your claim for compensation is one way of making that person take accountability and responsibility for their negligence in an accident.
Get Legal Help
An Austin boating accident lawyer will assist you in investigating the accident and determining how the injuries occurred. A skilled lawyer can help you to either pursue your claim in court or negotiate a settlement with the responsible party or their insurance company. After a boating accident, you have the burden of proving that the driver of the boat was negligent or failed to follow boating safety rules. You must prove that this negligence or breach of duty was the direct cause of the accident. Our boat injury attorneys can help you prove negligence and stand up for your rights.
Call 512-246-2224 to get a free attorney consultation today. Our firm also operates on a contingency fee basis. This means if we don't make a recovery for you, you won't owe us a dime. Call and get the help you deserve now.