San Diego Personal Injury Attorney

Retain a San Diego injury attorney who will fight for your legal rights.

San Diego Boating Accident Attorney

Every year San Diego recreational boaters, tourists, longshoreman, commercial shipping workers and commercial fisherman suffer serious injuries in San Diego boating accidents. Proving who is at fault in a San Diego boating accident is not as easy or as obvious as a car accident. In order to prove a boating accident case, you will need boating experts familiar with boating rules and boating safety. In addition, depending on the specific circumstances of your boating accident, you may also require an attorney knowledgable of maritime law and the Jones Act.

Coast Guard statistics show that boating accidents most often involve inexperienced recreational boaters with little time on the water. Smaller boats, ocean bays and rivers are actually more dangerous in terms of accident injury and death statistics, than commercial ships working out at sea. Alcohol also plays a large role in the incidence of recreational boating accident injuries and fatalities. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, "The use of alcohol is involved in about a third of all recreational boating fatalities." (BUI - "boating under the influence").

Alcohol is a hugely significant factor in boating accidents, injuries and deaths. In fact according to the US Coast Guard, "a boat operator with a blood alcohol concentration above .10 percent is estimated to be more than 10 times as likely to die in a boating accident than an operator with zero blood alcohol concentration. "

Anyone trying to enjoy San Diego Bay is susceptible to injury because inexperienced or intoxicated boaters are common. The most common boating accident involve small boats, kayaks, and jet skis. Even swimmers often get hit by small boats. US Coast Guard data shows that, "collision with another vessel" is the number one type of recreational boating accident; "collision with a fixed object" is second."

Small boats actually present a bigger risk of serious injury and death to all on the water than large commercial ships. According to the Coast Guard's 2007 accident data, "more than 70 percent of all boating accidents and more than 80 percent of all fatalities involved boats less than 26 feet in length. Open motorboats account for the lion's share of those numbers, not only because of their speed but also because they typically have a low profile in the water. This makes them easier to capsize and harder for other boaters to see."

On The Job Injury - Maritime Law

If the injury or fatality occurred while working on a boat you will need a San Diego boating accident attorney who is familiar with maritime laws and the Jones Act which pertains to on the job injury specifically for the maritime industry. There are a number of safe boating rules that if not followed can result in boating accidents and injuries. Unfortunately, many San Diego boaters do not follow the rules or even know about the rules.

Cruise Ship Injury and Wrongful Death

Passengers on cruise ships or tourist ships are also protected under personal injury laws. The laws are more complex and many small details can be critical to the case. In order to protect and preserve your rights it is important to consult with a San Diego injury attorney familiar with boating accident law as soon as possible so that you can take the correct steps to preserve your rights. Additionally, there are further complications if the accident occurs more than three miles from the shore. California injury laws only apply when the boating accident happens within 3 miles from shore. Federal laws cover the water beyond three miles. In addition, depending on the type of cruise ship and where and how the injury occurred, there may be steps that you must take soon after your injury in order to preserve your rights, and these legal conditions may be spelled out in odd places such as a ticket or receipt from your tour.

San Diego Boating Accident Attorney

Contact the office of Dean A. Goetz, San Diego personal injury attorney and let Dean help you. Dean offers free initial no obligation consultations and if he takes your case it is on a contingency fee basis which means you will pay no attorney fees until you have won and recovered a monetary settlement for your claim. Maritime injury law is complicated, make sure you get the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney who will be on your side and fight for you.

Boating Accident Facts From The CDC

• In 2008, 3,330 people were injured, and more than 700 died, in boating incidents. Of those who drowned, 9 out of 10 were not wearing life jackets.
• More than 7out of every 10 (72%) of  fatal boating incident victims drowned in 2008.
• Alcohol use was the leading contributing factor in fatal boating incidents.

Resources

US Coast Guard Boating Safety Resource Center