How Can a Boating Accident Lawyer Help Me?

A boating accident lawyer helps you by evaluating your claim, gathering evidence, conducting an investigation, and negotiating with insurance agents on your behalf.

In addition, your attorney represents you in court and provides legal guidance and support. They also give you the peace of mind that your boat accident injury claim is handled properly while you treat your injuries. 

Following a boat collision, partner with a Fort Myers boating accident lawyer who treats every case with care. Your attorney will learn about your boat accident injuries and how they happened. They will encourage you to treat your injuries as they build an argument that helps you get fair compensation for your accident losses. 

A Boating Accident Lawyer Knows How to Tackle Legal Challenges

Every year, thousands of boat accidents and injuries are reported in the United States. If you are involved in a boat accident and suffer injuries, seek legal help right away. Ultimately, a boating accident lawyer considers the facts and legal complexities of your case and determines the strength of your injury claim.

Along with these things, a boating accident attorney will:

• Get insights into the broken bones and other injuries you suffered during your vessel accident
• Find out if vessel operator inattention, vessel operator inexperience, excessive speed, an improper lookout, water conditions, or other factors contributed to your accident
• See if a violation of a federal law or other rules or regulations played a role in your accident
• Look for accident scene photos, an accident report, vessel operator records, boat maintenance records, witness statements, and other evidence to support your claim
• Listen to what witnesses have to say about how your boat accident and injuries occurred and who is responsible for them 
• Craft an argument designed to prove that a party acted carelessly or recklessly, caused your watercraft accident and injuries, and should pay you for your losses
• Empathize with the surviving family members of people who died due to drowning, electrocution, or other reasons in vessel accidents, and let them know if a wrongful death claim is a viable option for them

Your boating accident lawyer understands the types of damages you may be entitled to and calculates your losses accordingly. They want you to receive economic and non-economic damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. That way, you can recover financially from the harm you have suffered during your boat accident.

A Boating Accident Lawyer Helps You Prove Negligence

Just because you say someone is liable for your boating accident doesn’t mean you’ll get money for your losses. Your watercraft accident lawyer develops an argument centered around negligence.

They want their argument to prove that the following elements of negligence were present when your boating accident occurred:

• Duty of Care: This is a legal obligation to comply with maritime law and other rules and regulations and to act with reasonable care toward others. 
• Breach of Duty of Care: Someone violates their duty of care when they commit an act that can harm others. 
• Causation: In their argument, your attorney can describe how someone breached their duty of care and, as a result, you were involved in a boating accident and are now dealing with the ramifications of this incident. 
• Damages: Due to someone’s decision to breach their duty of care and cause your accident, you got hurt and have incurred quantifiable or subjective losses. 

Per Florida Statutes § 95.11, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years. This gives you two years from the date of a boating collision to ask for compensation from any liable parties.

Your boating collision lawyer will submit your injury claim following Florida law. Next, they can open insurance company settlement negotiations.

A Boating Accident Attorney Protects Your Legal Rights and Best Interests During Settlement Negotiations

In your boat accident case, your attorney provides insights into what is included in a personal injury settlement. They know the tactics that insurers use to avoid paying injury claims to boat accident victims and their families. Your lawyer takes care of your settlement negotiations and keeps you updated about them. Meanwhile, you can focus on your accident recovery. 

Your lawyer can teach you about the common causes of boating accidents and the costs of these incidents. During boat accident settlement negotiations, your attorney makes sure you don’t feel pressure to accept a lowball settlement. They will help you make an informed decision on any settlement proposal you get. 

Unfortunately, watercraft accident settlement negotiations sometimes go nowhere. If your lawyer doesn’t get a settlement offer that provides enough compensation for your losses, you still have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit and going to trial. For those who proceed with this option, your attorney will ensure that you feel confident about your case when your trial begins. 

Boating Accident Lawyers Give You a Good Idea About What Can Happen if Your Case Requires a Trial

Boat accident victims often face property damage, medical bills, and other losses. With a boat accident lawyer on your side, you can rest assured that you have a dedicated advocate fighting for you and pursuing the compensation you deserve. 

A lawyer with relevant boat accident case experience uses what they know about maritime law to help you get your desired case results. Before your trial, they will put together a legal strategy for your case. During your trial, your lawyer will cross-examine witnesses, challenge the opposing party’s argument and evidence, and highlight the negligence of any liable parties. 

It can be emotionally taxing to prepare for a boat accident trial. Thankfully, your personal injury lawyer guides you through the legal process. No matter what happens during your case proceedings, your attorney remains accessible to address your legal concerns and questions.

The Bottom Line on How a Boating Accident Lawyer Can Help You

A boating accident lawyer wants you to prioritize care for your injuries in the aftermath of your boat collision. As you do, your attorney can argue why a vessel owner, operator, manufacturer, or other liable parties should be held accountable for actions that led to your boat accident. If your lawyer succeeds, you will get money for the costs of treating your injuries and other losses. 

Viles & Beckman is a Florida personal injury law firm with more than 40 years of combined experience. Our team has recovered over $100 million in compensation for boat accident victims and others.

Let us show you how a boating accident attorney can help you with your boat collision case. Discuss your boat collision case with our law firm’s personal injury attorneys.