Surprisingly, a large percent of recreational and commercial boating accidents occur on or near land or on a dock. There are literally hundreds of different boating related mishaps that could occur on land. These range from motor boats becoming unhinged and crashing into cars on the highway to a slip and fall in the living quarters of the sailboat. Boating tort claim can include workers compensation claims for commercial fishermen injured while unloading lobsters or other fish from their vessel.
Rhode Island boat accident lawyer
If you are involved in a sailboat, motorboat or personal watercraft accident in Rhode Island it is imperative that you contact a Rhode Island Boat Accident attorney. Accidents on or near boats can happen anywhere from a harbor, river, lake, pond, ocean or the open sea. A boating related accident on land includes a slip and fall on a dock or a fall on a slippery boat ramp. Even an improperly secured docked dinghy could crash into a motorboat or houseboat as a result of a storm or blustery wind. An East Providence Personal Injury Attorney or RI Slip and fall lawyer can help you navigate through a boat related premises liability claim.
Fatal Boating Accident
Sadly many personal water craft, jets ski and motorboat accidents result from careless and negligent operation. Some of these boating mishaps are fatal leading to wrongful death litigation in Providence or Newport Superior Court. “In 2011, the Coast Guard counted 4588 accidents that involved 758 deaths, 3081 injuries and approximately $52 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.” Safe boating
Interestingly, there is a major correlation between operator safety preparedness and instruction and deadly boating collisions. “Only eleven percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction. Only seven percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received boating safety instruction from a NASBLA-approved course provider.” Safe Boating In Rhode Island, a Barrington RI teenager was operating a motorboat recklessly and he killed his friend who was knee boarding.
Drunk Driving and Drugged Driving Boating Crash
Ominously, another notable deadly boat crash in RI happened at ‘Despair Island’. In that crash, five friends went on a joyride after a night of drinking alcohol and partying. The boaters borrowed a boat. They later crashed into a bunch of rocks that is commonly known as despair island in the community. The operator was accused of drinking and reckless boating. Examiner
Throttle stuck open
The Providence Journal reported “”Just before 2 a.m., they were back in the boat with no spotlight, no GPS, no radar and no charts, and no way to see what they were heading for, environmental police officer Jennifer Ogren told a District Court judge on Wednesday. When the boat hit the rocks of small Despair Island, Ogren said, the impact punched it 106 feet across the island and landed upside down. Investigators, according to a DEM affidavit, later found the throttle stuck open and the speedometer needle frozen at 39 mph. The speed limit for nighttime boating, Ogren said, is 25.”
RI boat accident attorney
The boating accident operator was charged with operating a watercraft under the influence, death resulting as well as other charges. Boating accident claims are usually associated with sailboats and motorboats but run the whole gamut from Catamaran accidents to canoe accidents. Also included are barge, Dinghy, Row Boat, Kayak, Fishing boat, catamaran, ferry and raft collisions. Distracted boat accidents: Distracted driving is not just limited to car accidents. There are also many reported incidents of texting and power boat operation as well as distraction from horseplay.
These inexperienced boaters often have no idea what to do when other watercraft is approaching. This can lead to a very serious and deadly boat accident in Newport, Bristol, Tiverton or East Greenwich
Boating accidents on rivers, at sea, in lakes and on any open water in Rhode Island occur mainly because boaters underestimate the hazards of operating their watercraft or not following nautical safety laws. Many individuals piloting yachts, boats or personal watercraft operate the vessel without any comprehension of its operating characteristics
Boat accident stats
Statistics maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard indicates that there were more than 4000 boating accidents in 2011 nationwide, which resulted in more than 3100 injuries and almost 700 deaths. Three out of four deaths associated with these accidents were the result of drowning, where 80 percent of the drowning victims were found without life jackets. The extensive boat accident-related property damage totaled more than $35 million.
If involved and injured in a boat wreck or boating related accident in RI then contact boat accident attorneys in Rhode Island or a Providence Personal injury Lawyer / RI Personal Injury attorney.
Common Accident Causes In Newport, Bristol, East Greenwich and Narragansett RI
The high rate of boating accidents in RI often involves one or more of the three most common causes that include:
• Inexperience – Many boat operators lack adequate training or the much-needed experience to operate their water vessel or motor boat safely.
• Excessive Speed – While it is fun to enjoy the open water and freedom from speed limits, traveling too fast can cause the vessel to overturn or crash into other objects or watercraft.
• Reckless Boating – Reckless driving or “showboating” is a serious problem when the boater chooses to demonstrate their abilities of piloting the vessel. At any point, reckless boating in Rhode Island can cause the vessel to overturn, take on water and sink.
• Inattention – Rhode Island Boaters enjoy the open water as a way to relieve stress, relax and spend time with family and friends. However, vessel operators face limitless distractions causing inattention. Many RI, Newport, Barrington and Bristol boat accidents occur because of a lack of safety concerns or not focusing on channel markers or other vessels on the water.
• Intoxication – Operating a water vessel in Rhode Iland while intoxicated is just as dangerous as drunk driving on the nation’s highways and streets. Alcohol, drugs and other recreational substances can easily impair the boater’s focus, judgment, abilities and reaction time. Piloting the watercraft , sail boat or motor boat while impaired can create dangerous circumstances on the open water and increase the risk for an accident to occur.
• Maintenance Issues – Leaky boats, malfunctioning engines and defective parts can create life-threatening problems while on the water. Many boat maintenance issues can place the lives of boaters and passengers at great risk.
• Adverse Weather – Choppy waters, lightning, high winds and numerous water conditions can place the lives of boaters and passengers in great peril. If the boater is inexperienced or intoxicated, the boat can easily be lost even in shallow waters.
Avoiding a Boat Accident in Rhode Island
There are many effective tips for reducing the potential risk of being involved in a boating accident in RI. This includes staying sober, checking the weather forecast, not overloading the vessel, maintaining flotation devices for every passenger on board and completing a boating safety course.
In addition, the vessel should be inspected from stem to stern each time it heads out on open waters. A functioning fire extinguisher must be easily accessible on deck. Safety precautions concerning the propeller should be taken, especially when young children are in the water or on board.
Hiring a RI Boat accident Attorney
Rhode Island Boat operators are required to exercise the highest level of care to ensure all passengers and others on the waterway remain safe. Any individual injured from the reckless or negligent actions of boat operators might be entitled to receive financial compensation. This is because the negligent party responsible for the accident can be held legally liable for all monetary damages including medical expenses, lost wages, property damage along with non-economic losses including emotional trauma, pain and suffering. However, these types of cases are complex and often require the skills of an experienced Rhode Island personal injury attorney who specializes in boating accidents.
A Rhode Island boat accident lawyer or a RI boating accident attorney can help you get the most compensation for your RI boat mishap or Rhode Island boating collision. USCG
