subject: Boating Accidents [print this page] Boating accidents are surprisingly common in Massachusetts and nationally. It is important to remember that a boat and other recreational vessels like Sea-Doos, motor boats, sail boats, rafts, kayaks, etc. pose many risks for personal injury and fatalities on the water. In 2011 alone, the Coast Guard counted 4588 boating accidents, including 758 deaths, 3081 injuries, and nearly $52 million in property damage as a result of recreational boating accidents.
If the negligence of another has resulted in a boating accident causing injuries or a wrongful death, a thorough investigation should commence immediately. Our experienced Boston personal injury attorneys and Boston wrongful death attorneys have decades of success obtaining full and fair compensation for our client's medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Contributing Factors :
There are many contributing factors to boating accidents. The Boston personal injury attorneys and Boston wrongful death attorneys at Bellotti Law Group see alcohol use is the leading cause of boating fatalities in particular, causing 16% of boating deaths. Additional major contributing factors include operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, and excessive speed top the list. Other negligent acts leading to boating injuries and fatalities include sharp turns, restricted vision, and improper loading.
Life Jackets & Proper Instruction Are Crucial :
According to information obtained by the Boston personal injury attorneys and Boston wrongful death attorneys at the Bellotti Law Group, in 70% of all deadly boating accidents, the victim drowned. Of these fatalities, 84% were not wearing a life jacket. Further, only 11% eleven percent of boating fatalities occurred on vessels where the operator received instruction and only 7% on vessels where the operator had received boating safety instruction from a NASBLA approved course.
Coast Guard Reportable Boating Accidents : A vessel is deemed to have been involved in a boating accident when a fatality, missing person, personal injury, and/or property damage occurs. Some common examples include:
- Grounding/Capsizing
- Falls overboard
- Fire/Explosion on-board
- Electrocution
- Striking a submerged object
- Colliding with another vessel or object
- Water skiing or other towable device mishaps
- Carbon monoxide exposure
If you or a loved one has been injured or wrongfully killed in a boating accident, contact the Boston personal injury attorneys and Boston wrongful death attorneys at Bellotti Law Group today at 617-225-2100 or toll-free 800-334-FIRM. We have offices in Boston, Cambridge, and Quincy and serve all of Massachusetts and Southern New England. Put our decades of experience and skill to work for you.
by: Peter Bellotti
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