If you were hurt in a boating accident, a Mobile personal injury attorney from Morris Bart can help you seek compensation for your losses.
We can assist you with an insurance claim or lawsuit against the negligent party who caused your injuries and damages.
We Want to Help You Get the Money You Need to Pay for Your Accident-Related Expenses
Boating accidents can have a huge financial impact, especially if you suffer severe injuries. Our lawyers can help you seek compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages Compensate You for Your Out-of-Pocket Costs
Economic damages include the cost of your past and future medical treatment, the value of your lost wages, and your personal property damages. We can help you fight for:
- Your previously lost wages
- Your lost future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from returning to work
- The cost of repairing or replacing your vessel or other property, such as cell phones, jewelry, or electronics
- Expenses related to your medical care, including the cost of medical devices, cognitive and physical rehabilitation, long-term nursing services, and medical procedures
Non-Economic Damages Compensate You for Your Pain and Suffering
You may suffer from chronic pain, depression, insomnia, or anxiety because of your ailments. Paralysis, loss of mobility, scarring, and/or loss of a limb or body part can prevent you from working, interacting with loved ones, or enjoying activities in the same way you did before your accident.
Pain and suffering damages offer compensation for how your accident and injuries negatively impact your quality of life.
For a free legal consultation with a Boating Accident lawyer serving Mobile, call (251) 298-8380
We Will Help You Seek Compensation from the Party Liable for Your Accident
We can help you pursue awards from the negligent party who caused your injuries. This could be the driver of the boat on which you were a passenger, the driver of another vessel involved in your accident, or the manufacturer of a vessel and/or its parts.
According to the United States Coast Guard (USCG), in 2018, the top five causes of boating accidents were operator inexperience, operator inattention, improper lookout, machinery failure, and excessive speed. Alcohol consumption was the most commonly known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents.
Negligent boating can lead to a collision, but it can also create dangerous wakes that could cause another vessel to crash, capsize, or throw a passenger overboard.
Other factors that may contribute to a boating accident include:
- Violation of federal navigation laws
- Lack of safety equipment, such as life jackets and fire extinguishers
- Lack of proper navigation lights when operating a vessel at night
- The removal of signs, markers, or navigation aids
- Failure to obey water traffic “rules of the road,” such as yielding the right of way
Alabama Requires that Boaters Obtain a License
According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), anyone aged 12 or older must obtain a Boating Education and Operator Certification/License. To do so, boaters must register with their local Department of Public Safety Driver’s License Examining Office and complete a written/oral exam or show proof of completing a boating course.
Those under the age of 12 may not operate a vessel. Boat operators aged 12 and 13 may drive a vessel only when someone aged 21 or older, who has a valid license, is onboard. Boat operators over age 14 may drive a boat unsupervised if licensed. Operating a boat without a license or while underaged is grounds for negligence.
Our Mobile Attorneys Can Help You Pursue an Insurance Settlement
Alabama does not require that boaters carry liability insurance. However, if the party responsible for your accident has an optional policy, we can help you seek compensation through their provider. Our team will:
- File your claim
- Investigate your accident and obtain evidence, such as photos, videos, eyewitness statements, and expert opinions
- Make a case for negligence
- Track and adhere to case deadlines
- Field all communications with insurers on your behalf
- Review your offers
- Negotiate for the most advantageous settlement possible
What Can You Do?
There are several steps you can take to help with your case. The first is reporting your accident to the proper authorities. According to the ALEA, you must notify the Alabama Marine Patrol within 10 days of your accident. This is important because it establishes an official record of your incident.
Maintain records of your medical care and accident-related costs. This includes health care bills, vessel repair receipts, and wage records. Our lawyers can use this information to calculate and prove your losses.
Finally, if an insurance agent contacts you, direct them to speak with your attorney. Be calm and polite, but do not detail your injuries, speculate on the cause of your accident, or accept any settlement offers.
Click to contact our Mobile Personal Injury Attorneys today
We Will Not Back Down from Taking Legal Action, If Necessary
If the liable party is not insured, insurance denies your claim, or we cannot achieve a fair settlement, we can take your case to trial. Under Ala. Code 6-2-38, you have two years to file a personal injury case. Code § 6-2-38. There may be exceptions to the statute that could reduce your time window. Our accident attorneys can tell you more.
According to Ala. Code § 6-5-410, you have two years to commence a wrongful death lawsuit. Unlike in many states, Alabama does not allow family members to sue for wrongful death. Instead, the representative of the deceased’s estate (the “executor”) may take action.
In Alabama, family members cannot receive compensation for their loved one’s economic or non-economic damages. However, survivors may sue for punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to award family members for their loss while also punishing those responsible.
Contact Morris Bart to Get Started on Your Case
Our team has more than 40 years of legal experience that we can put to work for you. With 16 locations, we have helped clients in four states win more than 6,500 cases.
Call (251) 298-8380 for a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you.
Questions?Call (251) 298-8380
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
