Take Pictures
Photographs of the vessels involved, their damage, their identification numbers, their positions, any passengers’ injuries, and the scene of the accident are very helpful in the investigation of the crash to determine the liability of the at-fault boater and the damages resulting from the accident.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you don’t have visible symptoms of injury, you should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. Symptoms that might not appear right away can be detected by a doctor’s exam and diagnostic tests. Early diagnosis means a faster recovery, and a prompt examination provides strong documentation that you were injured in the boat accident, which is very important to your insurance claim or lawsuit for damages. Inform your insurer. Report your boat accident to your own insurance company, but do not admit any fault. If you’re contacted by adjusters from the at-fault boater’s insurer, give only the most basic information, do not give a recorded statement, do not grant access to your medical records, and do not accept a quick settlement offer for your damages, the full extent of which you probably don’t know yet. For any further communication, refer the insurance company’s representatives to your attorney.
Consult a Boat Accident Lawyer
In addition to having knowledge of maritime law that the average person does not have, an experienced boat accident attorney will know how to:
- Investigate your accident to prove any liability
- Interview passengers and other witnesses to the boat accident
- Obtain video footage of the boat accident if you happened to be near a security camera on the shoreline or mounted on a dock
- Consult with your doctors, organize your medical evidence, and present it convincingly to an insurer or the court if necessary
- Put a monetary value on your pain and suffering to evaluate your case
- Demand a fair settlement from the defendant’s insurer and negotiate compensation
- File a lawsuit and take your case to trial if necessary to obtain fair compensation
Have You Or A Loved One Been Injured In A Boat or Jet Ski Accident?
If you've been injured in a boating accident or a jet ski accident you should speak with an accident injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Charleston, South Carolina office directly at 843.488.2359 to schedule your consultation. We are also able to meet clients at our Conway, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Mt. Pleasant, North Myrtle Beach or North Charleston office locations.
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