Wakeboarding and water skiing causes thousands of accidents every year. Unfortunately, the injuries they sustain are often because the driver and the passenger who was in charge of monitoring the skiers’ safety failed to follow safety rules.
While water skiing or wakeboarding, the driver must adhere to several safety rules in order to minimize potential injury to the person in the water. This includes:
Designating a person to watch the skier at all times so the operator can look ahead for other hazards such as rocks, buoys or other boats
Discussing appropriate hand signals with the skier, including go, slow down, and stop
Making sure all tow lines and other equipment is in good shape
Holding a bright orange or red flag high in the air to alert other boats to keep clear of the area
Avoiding shallow water and objects the skier might collide with
Avoiding excessive speeds or sharp turns
Stopping immediately if the skier falls, becomes tangled in the rope, or experiences any other problems
Circling back to the skier immediately, flag raised, to protect him or her from other boats
Approach the fallen skier from the right side so the boat operator can see the skier at all times
Unfortunately, many injuries occur when the skier or wakeboarder becomes entangled in the rope, falls and is dragged, or collides with an object or another boat. These injuries can be prevented if the operator of the boat is paying attention and avoids hazards and stops immediately when problems arise.
If you or a loved one is injured in a water skiing or wakeboarding accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney immediately.
Sailboats cause many injuries and deaths per year, although not as many as motorboats and personal watercrafts do. Sailboats are more likely to get caught in bad weather, capsize, or cause injuries because of the ropes and rigging involved in operating the boat.
Interestingly, the majority of fatalities and injuries usually occur because of something that happens on board the sailboat, not because of drowning or collision with other boats. The most likely injuries are to the arms or legs, followed by the head and the lower back. Strains and sprains in the arms are most common, followed by fractures in the feet and lower legs. Skull fractures and brain injuries are also common.
Sailboat accidents usually involve an older age group than injuries that occur during motorboat and personal watercraft accidents. Sailboat occupants are typically men between 40 and 60 years of age, and they are the most likely to sustain injuries. The injuries usually involve the upper limbs (arms and shoulders), head, neck, and back.
To stay safe while operating or sailing on a sailboat, make sure to wear a flotation device as well as a locating beacon in case you fall overboard. Follow all the captain’s rules, and make sure you are aware of the hazards presented by the equipment on the boat. If you are a beginner sailor, make sure to stay in an area where you are in the least amount of danger. Also, make sure to sail only during times of fair and good weather conditions.
Personal watercrafts cause between 50 and 100 deaths per year, and thousands of injuries. Most of the fatalities and injuries occur because of crashes between personal watercrafts and between personal watercrafts and boats. Many of the drivers drown.
The best ways to stay safe while operating a personal watercraft is to wear a life vest, obey safety rules, drive within accepted speed limits, and avoid driving under the influence. Ninety percent of boaters and personal watercraft operators who drown were not wearing life vests.
Personal watercrafts also cause injuries when they malfunction because of defective parts. To find a complete list of recalled personal watercrafts, visit the U.S. Coast Guard’s site at www.uscgboating.org.
For most states, the minimum operator age is 16 years. Also, states require that operators and passengers wear Coast Guard approved life jackets, avoid driving at night, avoid reckless or aggressive driving, and wear a lanyard stop switch in case the operator is separated from the machine. Formal operator training is important too…more than 70 percent of the people killed last year were untrained operators or passengers of an untrained operator.
Unfortunately, accidents do happen…more than 5,000 per year that involve personal watercrafts.
In recent news, New England Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill drowned after he fell from a jet ski and hit his head. It took searchers several hours to find his body. Following his death, authorities recommended not only wearing approved life vests, but also wearing a signaling device so rescuers can find you.
Pleasure boat accidents cause more than 3,000 injuries and 700 deaths each year. Cruise ship accidents cause thousands of injuries and fatalities every year as well.
These injuries and deaths include:
Drowning
Slips and falls
Passenger overboard
Injuries from motor propellers
Water skiing and wakeboarding accidents
Boating accidents can also include running aground, catastrophic weather and getting lost at sea. To stay safe, make sure there are enough life vests for all passengers, and know your escape options if you need to get off the ship. Children should wear life vests at all times on pleasure boats.
Boat operators and ship captains should never consume alcohol while operating the boat, but unfortunately some do, and this results in unnecessary and unfortunate injuries. If you or a loved one are injured in a boat accident, contact a personal injury lawyer who specialized in maritime law and recreational accidents.
Injuries and fatalities from recreational vehicles happen all too often. Recreational vehicles include boats, ATVs, cruise ships, dirt bikes, jet skis, and more. Here are some statistics:
ATVs cause 130,000 injuries and several hundred deaths each year
Pleasure boats cause more than 3,000 injuries and 700 deaths each year
Personal watercrafts like jet skis cause almost 50 percent of water vessel injuries and deaths each year
Unfortunately, the majority of those who are injured or die from accidents are children. To stay safe when operating recreational vehicles, make sure:
You wear a helmet, life vest, and other safety apparel
You have a license or proper training
You don’t operate the vehicle after consuming alcohol
You follow all safety rules
You don’t drive aggressively or in excess of speed limits
If you or a loved one is injured by a recreational vehicle, it is important to understand your rights. Many states have different rules and regulations regarding recreational vehicles and legal claims, and a personal injury attorney can help answer your questions and get you compensation for your medical and other expenses.
Pleasure boat accidents occur while boating on navigable waters, including lakes, rivers, seas and oceans. Pleasure boat accidents happen while riding pleasure boats of varying sizes, including jet skis, row boats, ski boats, yachts, recreational fishing boats, cruise ships, or if your property is damaged by any of these vessels. Pleasure boat accidents fall under different laws that accidents that happen on land. Laws include the Jones Act, maritime and admiralty laws and other offshore laws, and contacting an injury attorney who specializes in these laws is important.
Pleasure boat accidents include collisions, which are actually called “allisions” if they are caused by vessels in the water, as well as property damage, theft, fires, cruise ship claims, and fishing accidents. Cases also include missing people and wrongful death cases, when vessels malfunction, run aground and/or capsize.
Some ways to keep yourself and your loved ones safe include:
Always have an adequate amount of life jackets, and wear them at all times
Do not drive while intoxicated or ride with a driver who is intoxicated
The driver must also have a license to operate the vessel
Avoid boating during inclement weather conditions
Maintain a safe distance from other boats at all times
Avoid excessive speeds and activities like “wake jumping”
Be aware of shallow water, jutting land, buoys and other hazards
It is mandatory that children under the age of 12 wear life vests at all times
Have a good understanding of maritime traffic rules
Have a way to contact emergency services at all times
Know your location at all times
If you or a loved one was killed or injured while pleasure boating, you should contact a personal injury attorney, especially one who specializes in maritime law, immediately. There are many factors that can determine whether you have a case, including negligence, property damage, faulty manufacturing, driver or passenger error, unsafe water conditions, and any other unsafe situations.
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