Columbia, South Carolina, has one of the highest boat ownership rates in the country. While our beautiful waterways and proximity to the ocean make for great fishing, water skiing, and jet skiing, motorized boat use inevitably leads to injuries and fatalities that could have been avoided had the operator been paying more attention to what they were doing. If you were injured in a boating accident, attorney Marc Brown can help you procure compensation for your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages and earning ability, pain and suffering, and property damage.
Why Choose Marc Brown Law Firm as Your Columbia Boat Accident Lawyers?
The attorneys and legal staff at Marc Brown Law Firm are dedicated to compassionate legal advocacy and assertive representation for injured clients. With Marc Brown on your side, you can anticipate the following for your case:
- Tireless legal representation throughout every step of the process, with your financial recovery as your attorney’s top priority
- A compassionate lawyer who takes the time to get to know you and witness the impact of your injury in order to better convey the full extent of your damages
- Years of experience, knowledge, and resources on your side, with a lead attorney whose history of representing powerful companies and insurance providers brings valuable insight into a successful claim
- A policy of open communication and availability, which includes coming to you if your injury prevents you from visiting our office
You don’t have to pay anything up front for our representation. Instead, after a free consultation, we work at no cost to you until after we’ve recovered compensation for you in your Columbia boat accident case.
We Can Help No Matter the Type of Collision/Injury
As a boating accident victim, you must be able to establish liability, as well as the cause of your injury. As such, the injury or death of the victim could be anything from a defective life vest, in which case the life vest manufacturer would be held liable, to a drunk speedboat operator. We can help you whether you were an occupant of the boat that caused the crash, an occupant or driver of another water vessel that was struck by a careless or reckless operator of another vehicle, or a swimmer, stand-up paddle boarder, kayaker, or other small vessel user that was hit by a motorized vessel.
- Jet Ski Collisions
- Water Ski/Wakeboard Accidents
- Fishing Vessel Accidents
- Speed Boat Accidents
- DUI Accidents
- Kayaker/Stand-Up Paddle Boarder/Swimmer Victim
- Defective Water Craft of Life Vest Injuries or Deaths
- Yacht Accidents
- Injuries that Occur on Cruise Ships
- Negligent Maintenance or Upkeep of a Water Vessel
Typical Injuries From Boat Accidents In Columbia
Boat accidents result in injuries ranging from mild to severe or life-threatening due to catastrophes such as capsizes, collisions, propeller strikes, and fires. Common injuries in boating accidents include the following:
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
- Soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains, torn ligaments, strains, and tendon injuries
- Burns
- Catastrophic injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Electrocution injuries
- Hypothermia
- Heatstroke and dehydration
In the worst cases, a boat accident in Columbia, SC, sometimes results in fatal injuries, including drowning, deadly propeller accidents, and fire entrapment.
How Most Boating Accidents Occur
Motor boats, just like cars, are deadly vehicles and must be operated with care and regard for others. Boat operators have a duty to their passengers and other waterway users to follow safety rules and regulations, abide by speed laws, pay attention while operating their vehicles, and ensure the safety of their vessels. Failure to do so can lead to liability if their actions cause another party to become injured or killed. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the following are the top most likely causes of accidental boating deaths:
- Improper lookout
- Operator inattention
- Operator inexperience
- Excessive speed
- Machinery failure
- Navigation rules violation
- Alcohol use
- Weather
- Hazardous waters
- Wake size/wake force
Common boating accident injuries include concussion, whiplash, facial injuries, fractures, lacerations, hypothermia, electrocution, contusions, internal organ damage, and drowning. Any of these injuries is worthy of a personal injury or wrongful death claim, and our qualified injury attorneys are capable of handling your Columbia wrongful death lawsuit.
Steps to Take After a Boat Accident In Columbia
The aftermath of a serious boat accident is often chaotic and traumatic for injury victims, especially if the accident involved near-drowning, burns, or severe injuries. In some cases, an injury victim isn’t physically or cognitively able to take action, but a cell phone becomes a powerful tool for the injury victim or an uninjured companion to request help, document evidence, and report the accident.
After a boat accident in Colombia, do the following:
- First, get to a safe location and apply any reasonable first aid
- Then, call 911 to report the accident and request emergency services
- Also report the boating accident to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources SCDNR) through their accident reporting line
- Use the phone’s camera to take photographs of the accident scene, damage to the boat, and anything relevant to the cause of the accident
- Photograph any visible injuries
- Add the contact information of all involved
- Add the contact information of eyewitnesses
Always go directly to a hospital after a serious boating accident. This not only ensures that you receive critical care, but also documents that the injury happened in the boating accident, which is a critical aspect of a successful claim to recover your damages.
Ask for a detailed medical report, then follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations carefully, including attending every appointment. Save all medical bills and receipts for related expenses. The medical report and proof of your expenses are key evidence of your damages, while the other evidence helps prove the at-fault party’s liability.
Who Can Be Held Liable In a Boat Accident Claim?
All boat accidents are different, but common liable parties in boat accident claims include the following:
- The boat operator or the operator of another boat in a collision, if they were careless or reckless
- A boat owner, if they allowed an inexperienced operator to pilot the boat, or provided inadequate maintenance or safety equipment
- The manufacturer of a defective boat part or safety equipment
- A boat rental company, if the boat was in ill-repair or otherwise dangerous
- State or local government entities for improper maintenance of boat guidance aids or for failing to enforce laws
Proving liability in a boat accident claim requires evidence demonstrating that the at-fault party owed a duty of reasonable care to the injury victim, that they breached the duty of care, and the breach of duty caused injury. Finally, it’s necessary to show evidence of the injury victim’s economic and non-economic damages.
What Damages Are Available In a Boat Accident Claim?
Boat accident injuries are expensive, as well as painful and potentially debilitating. Injury damages add up quickly. While no two recoveries are the same, the following damages are commonly awarded to boat accident victims:
- Reimbursement of medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical expenses
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Lost income
- Future income loss or diminished earning capacity
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for catastrophic injury damages, such as loss of limb, permanent scarring, loss of vision or hearing, or loss of enjoyment of life/diminished quality of life
If a boat accident causes fatal injury to a loved one, a wrongful death lawyer can help the family recover compensation and a sense of justice for their loss.
How Can a Boat Accident Lawyer Help?
After a traumatic boat accident with injuries, it may take time for you to recover from the injury, the painful medical procedures, and emotional trauma. During this time, facing a challenging legal process may seem overwhelming. In addition, insurance companies are not on your side because their goal is to protect profits, and they do so at your expense. Hiring an experienced boat accident lawyer does the following in your case:
- Puts an experienced investigator on the case to interview eyewitnesses, examine photo and video evidence, and confer with accident reconstructionists and medical experts to support your case
- Documents compelling evidence of the at-fault party’s liability
- Carefully calculates economic and non-economic damages to maximize the amount available to you
- Sends their findings to the insurance company
- Assertively negotiates for the maximum compensation for you through a settlement
If the insurance company denies your valid claim, undervalues it, or delays progress, a trial-ready attorney will take the matter to court, seeking a jury award for your damages. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, only about 4% of personal injury claims require a court, including those caused by boat accidents.
Call a Columbia Boat Accident Lawyer Today
Boat operators who cause injury or death to others must be held financially accountable for the damages their negligent actions have caused. To ensure that you and your loved ones are not stuck with mounting medical bills and other injury-related costs, you have the ability to file a Columbia personal injury claim with the at-fault party. Columbia boat accident attorney Marc Brown is here to help in your time of need. We strongly encourage you to take action today by calling (803) 871-9775 to schedule a free consultation.