Summer season is in full swing, and as you can probably guess in a state nicknamed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” boating is a popular activity when the weather warms up. Hitting the open water can be a fun way to beat the summer heat, but it can also be a recipe for injury if inexperience or negligence gets in the way. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at common boating injuries and your rights if you suffer an accident as a result of a boat driver.
Types Of Boating Injuries
There are countless ways to be injured in a boating accident in Minnesota, but some of the more common include:
- Being struck by another boat.
- Being thrown off the boat after hitting a rock or similar submerged object.
- Getting hit by the propeller or the boat itself.
- Hitting a dock, aqua float or similar object when being pulled behind the boat on skis or a tube.
- Falling off the boat while entering/exiting.
Boating injuries can oftentimes be severe as a direct result of the speed and power created by the engine in order to move across the lake or pull a rider who is skiing behind the boat. High speed collisions or crashes often involve head injuries, concussions, fractures and lacerations from hitting the propeller or other dangerous surfaces. Safety measures should be taken by all passengers and the boat’s captain when the boat is in motion.
Collecting Compensation After An Injury
If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s careless actions, you have a clear case to receive compensation. If another driver crashed into your boat or their reckless driving led to your injuries, it’s a pretty straightforward injury case. However, more often we see cases where the injury is caused by your own boat captain, and the accident may be more of a freak occurrence than intentional negligence.
In these cases, we often run into injured individuals who are hesitant to bring a case against their friend or family member. However, you need to realize that you’re not going after them directly, you are seeking fair injury compensation from their insurance company. Odds are they have boat insurance for just such cases as many states require it. For example, while Minnesota doesn’t expressly require boaters to carry insurance, in order to register your boat, you’ll need to provide proof of insurance, so the vast majority of boaters in Minnesota carry a policy that protects themselves and their passengers in the event of an accident. Don’t think of it as a personal case against your friend, realize that you are collecting compensation for medical bills and pain from the insurance policy that your friend smartly purchased.
If you’re uncomfortable moving forward with a personal injury suit against a friend or family member, reach out to an experienced injury law firm like Hey Workers. We can do the heavy lifting on your behalf and ensure you got the compensation you deserve. Don’t get stuck with thousands of dollars in medical bills because you’re uncomfortable filing a suit against someone you know, let us collect your rightful amount from the insurance policy they purchased that protects themselves and their passengers. The same can be said for lawsuits against another party you’ve never met. You have compensation options, and we can handle them while you focus on your health.
High speed boat accidents lead to thousands of injuries in Minnesota each year alone, and many people feel confused about their compensation options because it happened on a watercraft instead of a standard automobile. Know that this doesn’t change your rights and we’d love to go to work for you. For more information, reach out to the experienced lawyers at Hey Workers today for a quick case review session.
