It’s that time of year when people like to take their boats out on the water. Louisiana is known for its lakes and beautiful waterways. It’s also one of the hottest states in the U.S. One way to stay cool is to spend some time out on the water. A lot of people like to spend their weekends having a few drinks on their friend or family member’s boat. They may even go out on a commercial boat to do some fishing.
While boating trips can be a blast, they can also be dangerous. If the person operating the watercraft doesn’t know what they’re doing, people can get hurt. The same is true if the person driving the boat has been drinking alcohol or using any illegal drugs. One wrong move can result in a tragedy.
If you’ve been injured in any sort of boating accident, you really should call a personal injury lawyer in Lake Charles right away. You’re going to need to focus on recovering from your injuries. The last thing you need to do is fight with insurance companies. Hire a skilled injury lawyer in Louisiana to do that for you. If someone was negligent and caused a boating accident, they need to be held accountable.
You Are at the Mercy of the Person Operating the Boat
Just like passengers in a car, while in a boat, you’re at the mercy of the person operating the boat. If they make a mistake, you will suffer. For example, the boat driver may be drinking alcohol while out on the water. If they become intoxicated, they are putting the lives of their passengers in danger. The same thing is true if they ignore the boating laws.
Some of the things the person who owns or operates the boat may do that jeopardizes your safety include the following:
- They don’t have enough life vests onboard
- They did not get their craft inspected the way they should have
- They did not get their boat serviced in a timely fashion
- They have repairs that need to be made
- The owner of the boat fails to hire a trained and skillful driver
- Too many people are allowed on the boat
- The craft travels too close to other vessels, rocks or land
- If you’re injured because of any of this behavior, you may have a legal claim.
Your Lake Charles Injury Lawyer Knows Who to Pursue
When it comes to a boating accident, it may be hard to tell who to sue. Obviously, you’re going to want to pursue the person who caused the accident. The person operating the vessel is likely the person most directly responsible for your injuries. However, you may also need to pursue the owner of the boat. Even if they weren’t onboard at the time of the accident, they may still be liable.
There are also cases where a third party needs to be named in your personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana. For example, if another vessel crashes into your boat, they need to be named in your claim. Or, if a passenger on the boat does something to interfere with safe passage, you may have a potential legal claim against them. The good news is that your Lake Charles personal injury lawyer is going to make sure all possible defendants are named in your lawsuit.
Call a Skilled Lake Charles Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you or your loved one are hurt in a boating accident, you need to call our office right away. When you’re a passenger on a boat, you have absolutely no control over what happens. You’re at the mercy of the person operating the boat. If the boat crashes, the people on that boat are going to be injured. The question is – who do you need to pursue for these injuries?
An experienced personal injury lawyer in Lake Charles can help answer this question. They’re pursue any and all people who may be responsible for your injuries. What you need to do is call and talk to one of our attorneys right away. Schedule your free initial consultation today. This way, you can sit down with someone who’s handled cases like yours before. They can give you an idea of how strong your case is and what it may be worth. The initial consultation is free, and you won’t have to pay anything until your case is resolved. The defendant will have an attorney representing them and you should too.
