Upper Marlboro Boat Accident Lawyer

Accidents on the water cause injuries just as severe as those stemming from accidents on land. Unfortunately, anyone involved in a collision between boats or personal watercrafts knows the danger a crash could lead to all too well. On top of the ever-present drowning risk that comes with incidents of this nature, boat accidents commonly leave those involved with bone fractures, severe soft tissue injuries, and sometimes catastrophic harm in the form of spine trauma, brain damage, or internal organ injuries.

If you sustained any injury because of another boater’s negligence, you may have a right to demand civil restitution with help from an Upper Marlboro boat accident lawyer. With a seasoned personal injury attorney’s assistance, you could have a better chance of proving someone else is to blame for your unique accident and effectively recovering for all past and future losses of your specific injuries.

Establishing Fault for a Boating Accident

In many respects, negligence while boating looks similar to carelessness while driving. If someone directly causes harm to another boater, a person in the water, or even one of their passengers by exceeding waterway speed limits, operating their vessel while intoxicated or otherwise distracted, or engaging in any other form of careless behavior, their irresponsible actions could constitute a breach of the duty they owed to everyone else around them.

Proving that negligent behavior occurred and was the direct cause of an incident on the water could be uniquely complicated, though, since certain types of evidence may be harder to come by than they would be on land. Witnesses may be few and far between, there will likely be no dashboard or surveillance camera footage, and the vessels involved in the incident may be inaccessible if they sink due to the damage.

Furthermore, the state’s pure contributory negligence approach to comparative fault in injury claims means a plaintiff who contributed to the cause of their injuries is barred from recovery, even if someone else is still mostly at fault. For these reasons and others, assistance from a skilled boat injury attorney could be crucial following any boat incident in Upper Marlboro.

What Damages Could Be Recoverable?

A comprehensive claim against someone whose negligence resulted in a boating injury could incorporate economic and non-economic losses into a lawsuit. Specific damages that often play into cases of this nature include:

  • Vessel repair and replacement costs
  • Medical expenses for incident-related injuries
  • Lost work income and working capability
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Lost enjoyment and quality of life
  • Lost consortium

Notably, Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings § 3-2A-09 sets maximum limits on recovery for non-economic damages in injury claims. A boat accident lawyer in Upper Marlboro could clarify how much compensation a particular plaintiff could pursue.

Contact an Upper Marlboro Boat Accident Attorney for Assistance

Boat accidents cause substantial harm to hundreds of state residents every year, many of whom could have avoided injury altogether were it not for one another’s careless conduct. Fortunately, accidents on the water could justify civil litigation like accidents on land, potentially allowing you to obtain the financial recovery you need for your losses.

A conversation with an Upper Marlboro boat accident lawyer could provide the guidance and direction you need to enforce your rights effectively. Call today to get started.