Boston Boating Accident Lawyer
The Massachusetts coast provides ample opportunities for people to enjoy the water with friends and family. Our state’s fishing industry also ensures that commercial vessels are a regular sight heading out to sea or returning ashore. Unfortunately, boating can be a dangerous activity that can leave people with serious and sometimes fatal injuries.
At Turco Legal, we represent accident victims as they seek compensation for their injuries. Schedule a free consultation to review your case, discuss possible compensation, and answer any questions you have.
Turco Legal Can Help After a Boating Accident
Our firm has dedicated years to helping accident victims. We can assist with a variety of watercraft and boating accidents involving:
- Sailboats;
- Motorboats;
- Commercial vessels;
- Charter boats;
- Fishing vessels;
- Sailboats; and,
- Jet skis.
We Will Seek Compensation for Your Boating Injuries
Boating accidents are frightening experiences. Not only can they result in serious injuries, but victims are often far from shore when the accident happens and may wonder if they will be rescued. It isn’t unusual for boating accidents to leave victims in considerable pain and require them to spend time in the hospital.
- Our firm can seek compensation from the person or entity responsible for your accident. In many cases, this will be the person operating the vessel. In other situations, it might be the boat manufacturer or the rental company that owns the boat. Turco Legal can assist in the following scenarios, among others. Overboard accident. Passengers can be tossed overboard if their boat hits a wake wave at high speeds or collides with another boat. Injuries can include sprains, strains, and contusions, as well as drowning injuries.
- Runover. Another boat can run over a swimmer or someone on a water ski if the boat operator fails to pay sufficient attention. These accidents can lead to head injuries, fractures, and neck injuries.
- Slip and fall. A passenger can fall on a boat and suffer a serious neck or back injury, as well as a concussion.
- Collision. A boat can collide with another vessel or a stationary object, like a dock. Passengers can suffer traumatic injuries from the collision or even drown if thrown overboard.
- Capsize. A boat can sink due to a defect or when encountering severe weather.
- Fire. Occupants can suffer burns, smoke inhalation, and possible drowning.
We Can Establish Negligence for a Boat Accident
A day out on the water should be enjoyable. But when tragedy strikes, we need to find out why. Establishing negligence is important in a personal injury claim. Many boating accidents are caused by:
- Operator errors, such as speeding, failing to maintain a proper lookout, or following too closely to other boats and docks.
- Operator distraction, including partying and using a cell phone.
- Intoxication or drug use, which can impair the operator’s judgment and ability to pilot the boat safely.
- Electrical or mechanical defects, which can lead to fires or render the boat uncontrollable.
- Poor maintenance makes the boat dangerous to use.
Contact Turco Legal as soon as possible after a boating accident. The more time we have to investigate what happened, the more likely it’ll be that we’ll find evidence to support your claim.
Our Boston Boat Accident Lawyer Fights for Fair Compensation
Whoever is responsible for the boating accident should pay fair compensation to cover your injury-related costs and other losses. In some cases, however, negotiating the appropriate amount of compensation is more complex. For example, a boat operator or other defendant in a boating accident case may assert that the injured party contributed in some way to the accident. Perhaps the injured party was also negligently operating their boat when the accident occurred.
The above example highlights the issue of comparative negligence. Under Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 231, § 85), an injured party whose negligence contributed to an accident can generally recover damages as long as the defendant (i.e., the other party) was equally or more negligent than them. Essentially, the injured party seeking compensation cannot be more than 50 percent at-fault for the accident to recover. Notably, the injured party’s compensation will decrease in proportion to the amount of their negligence.
Our firm is dedicated to helping victims receive justifiable compensation following an accident. We have considerable experience negotiating with large insurance companies and will fight for compensation for:
- Emergency room care;
- Doctor visits;
- Prescription drugs and other medical care;
- Rehabilitation;
- Property damage;
- Lost income;
- Loss of earning capacity;
- Physical pain; and,
- Mental and emotional distress.
What to Do After a Boat Accident
The immediate goal after a boat accident should be to best ensure the health and safety of anyone involved—by, for example, rescuing passengers from the water or tending to wounds, when possible. You should call emergency services, if necessary, for help. Once ashore, anyone injured in a boating accident should seek medical care.
In Massachusetts, the vessel operator must report a boating accident to the state’s Environmental Police Boat and Recreational Vehicle Safety Bureau whenever any of the following results from the accident:
- An injury that requires medical attention;
- Death;
- The disappearance of a person (if any possibility of injury or death exists); or,
- More than $500 in property damage.
The operator must make this report within five days of the accident, or within 48 hours if someone was seriously injured or killed.
Call Our Boston Boat Accident Lawyer
At Turco Legal, we pride ourselves on assisting people like you with the personal injury claims process. If you’ve been injured in a boating accident and would like to better understand your rights and options, call us at (617) 657-4878 or contact us online.