On any given day, in nearly all corners of the USA and with weather permitting, millions of Americans head to their local beaches, lakes, and pools searching for an exciting day engaging in all types of water sports.
Along with these aquatic activities comes an almost-certain rush of adrenaline as well as some inherent risks. In a majority of cases, if caution is exercised and proper equipment is worn, serious injury or death can be avoided. However, when individuals act negligently for one reason or another, it can cause serious personal injury to others.
When a fun day on the water ends in tragedy due to negligence, victims have the right to seek justice by taking legal action. If you're unsure whether you have a case, or if seeking damages after a water sports accident is right for you, contact us today for a free case review.
As the name implies, a water sports accident occurs whenever someone who is participating in some sort of aquatic sport suffers an injury. Water sports injuries can range from mild to potentially deadly depending on the type of sport.
In the modern-day, water activities are quite varied and can include:
While all of these activities can sound very exciting to participate in, they also bring significant risk due to the fact that they occur in the water.
When an individual suffers a personal injury, the incident is often quite unexpected. Victims can become shocked and have a hard time realizing what is going on. It can take a couple of minutes before they realize what has happened and which injuries they've suffered. Of course, this is only in instances where they remain conscious.
Consider that all of these aforementioned factors are still present in a water accident, but the victim is now in the water. If they are unable to stay above the surface, drowning becomes the biggest risk, even more so than that of the initial injury. It is these specific circumstances that make water sports accidents so dangerous.
The reasons for which an aquatic accident occurs are about as varied as the gamut of water sports themselves. However, here are some of the most common causes:
All water sports should be performed with some sort of life vest, at the minimum. Many others such as wakeboarding, should also be done with a helmet.
In many cases, individuals do not understand how vital it is to wear safety equipment. If the individual or private company carrying out the activity does not ensure that all participants are wearing safety equipment, they can be held liable as this could be considered negligent behavior.
A lack of experience in any context will cause mistakes to be made. When the context is a water sport, a mistake can lead to serious injury or death.
For instance, an inexperienced boater can easily collide with another watercraft or even 'drive' over someone who is in the water. For this reason, it is critical for individuals operating any kind of engine-powered vessel to be experienced and knowledgeable in doing so.
Most of us love the rush of excitement that comes over when we go fast.
When speeding in your car, there are numerous levels of safety that exist to prevent injury if something goes wrong. Seatbelts, airbags, and crumple zones in a vehicle are only the first ones that come to mind.
When dealing with a personal watercraft, these same safety measures are simply not present. As a result, speeding accidents on the water are significantly more dangerous and deadly than those that occur on land. Passengers on the boat are likely to go overboard in boating accidents and, if they're not wearing a life vest, they can easily drown.
Given the different types of watercraft, boards, aquatic settings, and even the number of simultaneous participants, the injuries resulting from water sport accidents can be quite diverse. Here are only some examples:
If you or a loved one suffered injuries of any degree in a water sports accident, you may be considering taking legal action. However, it is likely that you're unfamiliar with the options at your disposal.
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may be able to pursue damages and compensation from those who caused your injuries. Yet, proving that an individual's negligence or carelessness directly caused a victim's injuries can be a complex and drawn-out legal process.
For this reason, it's important to have a legal representative who knows these types of cases and can help you build a strong case.
When you hire a water sports accident attorney, you are selecting a law office with experience in your type of injury. There are specific laws that govern injuries in the water, and if you're to obtain the maximum compensation possible, you need a lawyer who knows these laws front-to-back.
Contact our team today for a free consultation with our water injury attorneys. You'll be under no obligation to retain our services after speaking with our lawyers, so you can get the answers you need completely free of cost.
