How can You Tell if You Need to Call a Boat Accident Lawyer?
A boat accident lawyer is a personal injury attorney that specializes in representing people injured in boating accidents, as well as other types of injuries. The best boat accident lawyer will be a personal injury lawyer with lots of experience in defending people who suffered from various types of injuries in boating accidents, and that has a masterful understanding of maritime law. There are a number of scenarios that can happen that can lead one to experience a boating accident, and there are a number of factors that play into boating accidents both minor and catastrophic. Knowing when to contact a boat accident lawyer in Los Angeles that can fight for the rights of anyone if the state of California is critical when it comes to your wellbeing, health, and your claim.
Wrongful Death Claim from a Boating Accident: If You Lost a Loved One, Call a Boat Accident Lawyer
Wrongful death cases are the most devastating cases handled by a boat accident lawyer. These cases can also involve multiple components that resulted in the death caused by negligence, and seeking justice from multiple parties at fault can be complex and require a highly experienced boat accident lawyer to ensure the defendant’s rights are honored and protected. For example, in 2020 the scuba diving charter boat ‘The Conception’ caught fire off the coast of California killing 34 people. After the NTSB performed an investigation, they found fault with a number of parties. First, the dive boat company itself was found negligent for not having a roving night watchman patrolling the vessel, which could have prevented the spread of the fire. They also faulted the Coast Guard for not enforcing the rule that a night watchman must be on duty and they were faulted for not performing inspections and enforcing this law. Wrongful death attorneys for the victim’s surviving family also argued negligence on the boating company for having faulty electrical wiring (a partial cause for the fire) and a lack of adequate escape routes in the event of an emergency. Some attorneys even sought product liability for the lithium ion batteries aboard the boat that overheated and contributed to the fire.
Hopefully, you will never need to call a boat accident lawyer over the death of a loved one, but if a boat accident does cause the death of a family member, call a boat accident lawyer without delay, and don’t sign any paperwork or talk to insurance companies until first speaking with your attorney.
Call a Boat Accident Lawyer Even if Your Symptoms Seem Minor
Some major injuries begin with slow-moving minor symptoms, and at first there doesn’t appear to be a need to call a boat accident lawyer or go to a doctor. However, a large number of severe neck and back injuries can start with little to no symptoms only for matters to get progressively worse weeks later. For example, there was an incident off Catalina Island where two sailboats collided due to the failure of one boater to give right of way. There was another accident on the Chesapeake Bay near Thomas Point when a fishing boat collided with a sailboat. Parties in both accounts reported no injuries to local police and the Coast Guard shortly after the accidents, but weeks later various individuals from both incidents developed neck stiffness and had limited mobility. Had they called a boat accident lawyer from the start they would have had medical treatment right away (something a good boat accident lawyer will always ensure is done) and be spared months of unnecessary pain and loss wages. In other cases, failure to seek medical treatment right away, with the aid of a boat accident lawyer, can lead to untreated injuries turning into more permanent debilitating conditions.
Finally, failure to call a boating accident lawyer immediately after an accident can impact the amount of money you can collect for compensation. That said, even if you have no symptoms at all, call a boat accident lawyer and let an expert make sure your rights are being protected, and if you don’t have a legal case, they will tell you right off the bat.
Call a Boat Accident Lawyer if the Captain or Crew Fails to Comply with Safety Regulations
Boats, regardless of their size and purpose, have to meet a series of safety regulations enforced by the Coast Guard. For example, many boats will be required to have a specific number of lifeboats, life jackets, medical kits, defibrillators, O2 provider kits, flares and signaling equipment, communication equipment like a radio or satellite phone, global positioning beacons, fire fighting equipment, a set number of crew, and permits to have various equipment on board. Failure for boats to comply with these regulations can lead to a passenger or crew member becoming injured. If you were involved in a boating accident, and the crew never briefed you what to do in the event of an emergency, or there was a lack in safety equipment, and you survived with an injury, you should call a boat accident lawyer, as their liability is apparent.
A Boat Accident Lawyer can Help You Get Compensation for Emotional Suffering
Sometimes people can develop PTSD or other emotional and psychological illnesses from witnessing another person suffer from a severe injury or death. For example, if someone is out scuba diving from a charter that left Los Angeles, California, and a scuba diver on your charter never surfaces and the boat leaves while failing to do a proper head-count, this can cause a witness to have severe anxiety. In another example, the dive charter boat might circle around looking for the diver only to strike and kill him due to the captain’s failure to do bubble-spotting to identify the diver’s location. PTSD can impact one’s ability to work, communicate with loved ones, and perform routine daily tasks thus having a severe impact on one’s quality of life. If you were in a boating accident in which you witnessed the death or injury of another person, call a boat accident lawyer just to protect your own peace of mind, if anything else. You never know if you will have a case until you get that consultation.
The Ryan Law Group has the best Boat Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles
Attorney Andrew Ryan has been protecting the legal rights of those involved in boat accidents for more than a decade. Clients praise and refer him to friends and family for his ability to get the highest possible compensation, for looking after the medical and mental health of his clients, and for using a very caring and sympathetic approach at times that are very challenging to face. If you were injured in a boat accident call The Ryan Law Group today, and find out how much your case is worth.