Charleston Boat Accident Lawyer
Recreational boating is one of South Carolina’s most popular activities. With over 2,800 miles of tidal coastline, it is common to see thousands of boats out on the water on a clear day. As with any vehicle, however, negligent or unsafe operation of a watercraft can lead to a serious accident that can injure or kill a victim.
Indeed, there are roughly 150 recreational boating accidents reported to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources each year. If you, or someone that you care about, has been injured in one of those accidents, you need to seek out qualified legal advice. The Charleston boat accident lawyer at the Stanley Law Group can review your case and advise you of your legal options for seeking compensation from the responsible parties.
How Boat Accidents Occur in South Carolina
There is often a mistaken belief that a boat is easier or less risky to handle because it operates on the water as opposed to congested streets. In reality, this leads to a lot of unskilled and untrained boat operators on the water, particularly during busy summer months. Some of the more common examples of operator inexperience or incompetence leading to a boat accident include:
- operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
- operator distraction and inattention;
- excessive speeding;
- failure to keep a proper lookout for other boats and people on the water;
- operator makes a dangerous or unsafe turn;
- failure to properly anchor the boat;
- overloading or improperly distributing the weight on a boat;
- operating a boat in hazardous waters or during bad weather; and
- failure to properly inspect and maintain the boat and its safety equipment.
In many cases, a victim of an accident can prove a boat owner or operator’s liability simply by showing they violated accepted boating safety rules. Anyone who operates a boat is legally required to do so in a safe and responsible manner. The operator cannot plead ignorance of the law to avoid civil liability.
A person injured in a boat accident can seek compensation from the negligent operator or other liable third party under South Carolina personal injury law. Through such claims, the victims can seek compensation for their economic losses, including their medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, and lost income. They may also seek non-economic damages as compensation for their pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other difficult to quantify losses arising from the accident. And in cases where someone dies as a result of a boat accident, their estate may seek compensation for the victim’s next of kin by filing a wrongful death claim.
Reach Out to Our Charleston Boat Accident Lawyer
Boat accidents often involve more complex questions of fact and law than something like a car accident. It is therefore advisable to seek out a qualified Charleston boat accident lawyer as soon as possible following an event where someone has been seriously injured or even killed. Call the Stanley Law Group at 803-799-4700 or contact us online today to request a free consultation.
