Mount Pleasant Boat Accident Lawyer
The undeniable natural beauty and easy accessibility of South Carolina’s waters makes the entire region a hub of commercial as well as recreational boating that draws enthusiasts and vacationers from across the nation.
However, this indisputably enjoyable pastime is not without its hazards, and negligence on the waterways can result in serious injury and death. Under such circumstances, a Mount Pleasant boat accident lawyer can be a victim’s ally. Consult with an injury lawyer in Mount Pleasant to begin crafting a claim to help recover just compensation.
Useful Facts About Boating
As reported by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Palmetto State’s 460,000 acres of lakes, 8,000 miles of rivers, and 3,000 additional miles of coastline make this prime territory for boating aficionados of all stripes.
The joy so many experience in taking to the water must be tempered by a realization that accidents can and do occur with notable regularity.
In 2015 alone, DNR statistics indicate that 131 recreational boating accidents occurred within the state’s borders, with 19 lives lost and many more injuries sustained, representing an increase from the prior year.
Underlying Factors
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that far too many individuals embarking on boat travel simply fail to do so with the same degree of care that they would exercise while behind the wheel of an automobile.
Lack of awareness or sheer neglect of water safety rules and boating regulations including those related to life jackets, engine kill switches, and the like, lead to an alarming number of tragic events each and every year. No matter the incident, an individual should contact a Mount Pleasant boat accident attorney to begin building an effective claim.
Typical Accident Scenarios
Just because an individual agrees to go boating, that does not necessarily mean that they have assumed any and all risk factors which may emerge during the course of the journey. Many of the injuries sustained on the water are directly caused by the actionable negligence of third-parties, boat operators and others who may:
- Operate vessels at unsafe speeds
- Enter wake areas or attempt to navigate large waves at unsound speeds and angles
- Fail to take precautions with regard to moving propellers
- Fail to heed navigational rules
- Fail to be on the lookout for tubers and water skiers
- Neglect boat maintenance duties
- Set sail under questionable weather conditions
- Overload the watercraft
- Operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Operate a defectively designed or manufactured boat
Types of Boat Accident Injuries
Not everyone appreciates the true scope of the dangers faced by boaters, the magnitude of which is evidenced by data compiled by the U.S. Coast Guard, revealing that in 2014, 4,064 accidents occurred, killing a total of 610 and injuring 2,678 individuals. The types of harm regularly sustained in boating-related incidents include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury and lasting cognitive impairment
- Spinal cord injuries and potential paralysis
- Lacerations, burns, and disfigurement
- Limb amputations
- Death
No matter the injury, an individual can pursue compensation using a Mt Pleasant boat accident lawyer
Benefit of Legal Representation
Injury accidents involving boats raise a series of issues with which not every legal practitioner is likely to be familiar, and that is why experience matters in cases of this type.
Upon commencement of representation, a seasoned boat accident lawyer in Mt Pleasant will set about examining the condition and history of the vessel at issue, reviewing records of prior incidents in the same geographic region, and examining the operator’s record, experience, and training history.
Eyewitnesses will be interviewed, law enforcement records analyzed, and medical records examined so that an effective case for compensation can be made.
Contacting a Mount Pleasant Boat Accident Lawyer
When an exhilarating day on the open water turns to tragedy, lives can be transformed in an instant. From medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, and other losses, the impact of such events can be truly catastrophic.
If you have experienced harm of this sort, a Mt Pleasant boat accident lawyer stands prepared to seek the compensation you and your family deserve.