Boating accidents
Although boating accident fatalities are rare compared to automobile accidents, serious and permanent injuries are all too common. Much like auto accidents, negligence is often to blame. According to a 2007 study by the U.S. Coast Guard:
- Over two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket.
- Only 14 percent of deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had received boating safety instruction.
- Three out of every four boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length.
- Operator inattention, careless/reckless operation, passenger/skier behavior, excessive speed, and alcohol use rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
- Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents.
- The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (44%), personal watercraft (24%), and cabin motorboats (15%).
Boating accidents can range from a simple slip-and-fall on the boat deck to head injuries and brain trauma from being ejected from a speeding watercraft. Regardless of the scope of injury, Pullano & Karnezis is ready to help you seek the justice you deserve. Our attorneys are highly skilled in complex litigation strategies. Our record of results in the courtroom is unmatched. If you have been wrongly injured in a boating incident, contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys.
To learn more about best practices in boating safety, visit the websites of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.