The popularity of personal watercraft, including small fishing boats, jet skis and other pleasure boats, has significantly increased the number of individuals on American waterways, and our Michigan communities are no exception.
Dozens of smaller lakes ideal for recreational boating dot our state, including Lake St. Clair, Green Lake, Union Lake, Long Lake, Lower Straits Lake, Middle Straits Lake, Cass Lake, Orchard Lake, Pine Lake and Sylvan Lake. Michigan is also surrounded by massive waterways, including Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
A recreational boating accident can lead to serious injuries, including crushed hands or fingers, head injuries or back injuries, and serious lacerations. If the actions of a careless Michigan boater physically harmed you, you may be facing weeks or months of recovery. You deserve financial compensation for your medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.
An in-depth understanding of state law, federal law, personal injury law, and maritime law may be essential to obtaining the money you need for the injuries from your boating accident. The boat accident lawyers of Michigan Injury Lawyers can help.
Call Michigan Injury Lawyers at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online for a free evaluation of your claim. If there is no recovery in your case, there is no fee for our services.
Based in Bloomfield Hills, our boat accident attorneys represent clients across the state, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham Michigan, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills.
More About Boating Accidents
More than 12 million boats are registered in the U.S., according to the United States Coast Guard. In 2009, 736 fatalities occurred among 4,730 accidents. Property damage surpassed $35M and more than 3,300 were injured in recreational watercraft accidents that year. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (46%), personal watercraft (22%), and cabin motorboats (14%).
The U.S. Coast Guard also reported that in 2009:
- Only 14% of fatalities were connected to operators who had undergone instructional safety courses.
- Seventy percent of boaters who drowned were operating vessels of no more than 20 feet.
- Excessive speed, operator inexperience, alcohol, improper lookout, and operator inattention ranked as the top 5 factors contributing to accidents.
- Alcohol consumption was the top contributing factor in deadly boating accidents; it was the No. 1 factor in sixteen percent of fatalities.
Boating Accidents and Your Legal Rights
Recreational boating accidents typically fall under the legal category of "personal injury cases," which result from property owners' negligence, poor property maintenance and unsafe conditions. Most boating accidents occur as a result of the boat operator's negligence or recklessness.
If your boat injury stemmed from a boating accident caused by another boater's negligent conduct, including reckless or impaired operation of their vessel, you may be entitled to money damages.
As a Michigan personal injury firm, we have helped boat injury victims obtain financial compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, disability, and more.
The boating accident attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers are committed to each and every client. Our boat injury lawyers provide customized representation and personalized attention. Since our personal injury attorneys focus on litigation, we thoroughly prepare your case for expert representation at the settlement table or in the courtroom.
Call Michigan Injury Lawyers Today!
If you or someone you love has suffered a boating injury in Michigan, call the boating accident attorneys of Michigan Injury Lawyers today at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online for a free evaluation of your case. If there is no recovery in your case, there is no fee for our services.