If you or someone you love is involved in a boating accident, it’s important to understand that the laws and insurance compensation may not work the same way as they do for car accidents. On the road, insurance companies can pay for injuries and property damage for one or both parties involved in the accident, but this may vary depending on the state. For accidents involving boats on a lake or ocean, the process is different and depends on who was responsible for the accident.
Many Americans need boat insurance to own and operate any type of watercraft, from a 50-foot yacht to a six-foot dinghy with an outboard motor. However, the liability coverage varies from boat operator to operator, with minimums as low as $100,000 and a national average of only $300,000, according to the National Boat Operators Association. Something like $1M in liability coverage that’s available for car insurance is rare. What do you do next if the damages or personal injuries are more than the liability coverage? Find a law firm from your state, like of Avrek Law in California, with jurisdictional experience in boating injuries like Avrek’s expert San Diego boat accident lawyers team.
How Often Do Boating Accidents Happen?
Although boating accidents aren’t as common as car accidents, thousands of Americans are injured every year. According to the U.S. Coast Guard on boating accident statistics for 2021, there were 4,439 accidents resulting in more than 600 deaths and 2,641 injuries. The top five main causes of these accidents were:
- Operator inattention
- Inexperience
- Not having a lookout
- Machine failure
- Excessive speeding
To stay safe out on the water, it’s important to know the boating rules and regulations at the federal, state, and municipal levels. Boating regulations in San Diego, for example, when out on the ocean boats must limit their speed to five miles an hour within 1,000 feet from the coastline and when within 100 feet of swimmers and surfers.
Certain equipment requirements are also essential for all pleasure crafts, such as one life jacket for everyone on board, visual distress signals, and a throwable floatation device. According to boating statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard, 81% of all fatalities were caused by drowning, and 85% of those people were not wearing life jackets. In the unfortunate event of a boating injury, it’s important to seek legal guidance from a boat injury attorney.
What Types of Injuries are Common for Boat Accidents?
Due to the combination of high speeds and high impacts on the open water, there are several types of boating injuries that could have long-term and permanent effects on your health. The U.S. Coast Guard found that of all the injuries in 2021, the most common were:
- Lacerations (606)
- Broken bones (555)
- Scrapes and bruises (316)
- Concussions (258)
- Hypothermia (154)
It’s also common to experience whiplash during a boat accident due to the sudden and unexpected nature of a crash. These types of injuries mean your chances of winning a personal injury lawsuit might be possible, depending on the circumstances of the boat accident and where it took place. Avrek Law can help you navigate the settlement of a boat accident lawsuit, like their San Diego personal injury attorney.
Avrek Law’s Expert Boat Accident Attorney
With more than 50 years of combined experience representing cases in several states, Avrek’s expert boat accident law firm understands the legal differences between an accident that happens on water or land. If you need a boat injury lawyer in San Diego, otherwise known as a San Diego boat accident attorney, Avrek Law is here to help you. The consultation is free, and you’ll get advice from a law firm with more than $1 billion recovered in more than 45,000 cases. View one of our locations or contact us for a free consultation.
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