Boating Injuries

Unfortunately, boating exposes everyone involved to a significant risk of injury. The United States Coast Guard indicates that 2,629 people were injured in recreational boating accidents in 2017 alone.

Boating injuries usually occur in three ways: a person on the boat falls overboard, the ship collides with another object or the boat capsizes. These types of accidents can cause severe injuries, including the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Burns
• Accidental amputations
• Serious soft tissue injuries

In addition, when people become trapped underwater during a boating accident, they risk sustaining an anoxic brain injury due to a lack of oxygen. These injuries can result in irreversible brain damage that can affect victims for the rest of their lives.

Some of the most common causes of boating accidents that typically entitle injured victims to financial recovery include the following:

• Inexperienced boat operators
• Boat operators that are impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Negligent boat maintenance

While it is impossible to make boating a zero-risk activity, there are specific steps that you can take to make your day on the water as safe as possible for you and your loved ones. Some of the most important include the following:

• Do not drink and boat. Not only is it against the law to operate a boat while drunk, but it also puts everyone on your boat at risk.
• Always wear a life jacket, and make sure your passengers do too.
• Take a boating safety course and review the materials at least once each season.
• Make sure you are aware of the boating laws in your state – and follow them; also, make sure everyone on board knows these laws and that they follow them too.
• Be aware of the weather forecast before you go out for the day.
• Always ensure the boat contains boat safety equipment on board, including a fire extinguisher, flares, life jacket and boat lights.
• Never let anyone enter or exit the boat while the engine is on.
• Knowing what to do in the event of an emergency is crucial in the prevention of
  further injury.

If you have sustained an injury due to a boating accident in the Boston area, you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. The lawyers of Castel & Hall, LLP., will review the facts of your case at no cost to you and only collect legal fees if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf. Call us today at 617-716-6464 to schedule your consultation.