Boat Injury Lawyers in Round Rock
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 3,358 people were injured in 2009 along with 736 fatalities. Of those who died, 7 out of 10 died from drowning with 90% of drownings attributable to failure to wear a life jacket. Listed below are some of the more common causes of boating accidents and deaths.
- Operator error – 7 out of 10 boating accidents are the result of operator error, so boating education is crucial to reduce those numbers. Safety courses can teach rules for safe operation and navigation, and provide safety checklists.
- Drinking – consumption of alcohol can impair judgment, vision, balance and coordination, and is involved in nearly one third of all boating fatalities. Alcohol is the leading cause of boating accidents in the U.S. according to the CDC with 46% of alcohol related boating accidents occurring when the boat is docked, anchored or drifting.
- Drowning / failure to wear a life jacket – almost always due to the failure to wear a life jacket; 90% of those who drowned were not wearing one. Wearing a life jacket can save your life – they should be worn at all times, by everyone aboard.
- Propeller injuries –boats with motors have propellers that can cause severe injuries when driving over swimmers or fallen passengers; propeller injuries can cause deep lacerations, severe blood loss, loss of limbs, and even death.
- Defective equipment – failure to maintain equipment such as navigation lights, visual distress signal devices, fire extinguishers, and flotation devices often leads to injuries that could have been prevented.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning – carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas that can kill in a matter of minutes; always be sure to maintain motorized equipment, provide sufficient ventilation, and use CO detectors in living and sleeping areas.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
We have successfully represented clients in a wide variety of cases across the country.
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