Despite the COVID-19 pandemic generally causing a major downturn in travel and recreational activities, new boat sales reached a 13-year high in 2020. Sadly, in the midst of the pandemic that same year, there was a 25 percent in boat accident fatalities from 2019. Being in the midst of the year and at the height of boating season in much of the United States, data regarding boat accidents, injuries, and deaths is not yet available. With that said, the boat accident, injury, fatality rate is on track to be even higher than what occurred in 2020.
Facts About Boat Accidents, Boating Injuries, and Boating Deaths
Many of the statistics associated with boat accidents are startling. During the year of pandemic isolation, there were 767 boating fatalities in the United States, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. By the time 2021 comes to an end, there are expected to be more than 767 boating accident deaths.
During the 2020 pandemic year, boating was said to be a relatively safe recreational activity. In theory, a typically smaller number of people are recreating together on the open water in a boat.
Thousands of other people suffer nonfatal boating accident injuries each year in the United States. Some of these nonfatal boat accidents result in serious and even debilitation injuries.
Rookies on the Water Account for a Significant Percentage of Boat Accidents
The Coast Guard has also made note that a considerable number of boat accidents occur because of rookies on the water. These include those driving boats but also individuals designated to serve as “lookouts” for hazards ahead as well as uneducated passengers on watercraft that do not conform to basic rules of safety. While rookies certainly engage in conduct that result in injuries to themselves, innocent third parties oftentimes also end up harmed as well.
Children and Boat Accidents
The Coast Guard further noted that children account for a notable number people seriously injured in boat accidents across the United States. This occurs for a variety of reasons, including parents not exercising appropriate safety protocols when it comes to youngsters on watercraft. For example, an alarming number of adults turn a blind eye to children not wearing lifejackets when on the water.
Commonplace Boat Accident Injuries
There is an array of different boat accident injuries that do more frequently happen. These include the obvious: drowning and near drowning. Other more frequent boat accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Cuts and lacerations
- Soft tissue damage
Boat Accident Wrongful Deaths
As discussed a moment ago, a growing number of men, women, and children are killed in boat accidents annually in the United States. An alarming percentage of these deaths are the result of the negligence of someone else. From a legal standpoint, these are known as wrongful deaths.
Certain surviving family members are vested with the legal ability to pursue legal action as the result of the wrongful death of another family member. Via a wrongful death claim, a surviving family member may be able to obtain compensation for losses that include;
- Final medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Lost wages, salary, or income
- Lost companionship
Your Legal Rights After a Serious or Fatal Boat Accident
If you’ve sustained injuries in a boat accident caused by someone else, or if you’ve lost a family member in that type of incident, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you. You can connect with The Doan Law Firm any time of the day or night by calling our boat accident lawyer hotline at (800) 349-0000.
A nationwide law practice, we can schedule an initial consultation at any one of our 40 offices located from coast to coast across the country. We can also arrange for a preliminary appointment at your home, the hospital, or any other location that works for you. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm boat accident lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you. We will never charge a fee in your case unless we win for you.
