Los Angles Boat Injury Attorney
Southern California is known for its beauty. Los Angeles has a myriad of beautiful harbors and locations from Catalina Island to Marina Del Ray, Los Angeles has been a boating wonderland since the ’60s with thousands of slips throughout southern California. California is a popular tourist destination for locals and foreigners. The weather and atmosphere make it an ideal spot with its lush landscape and vibrancy. It is a true-to-form paradise for boaters with its quaint shops and towns, not to mention a plethora of sandy beaches to choose from. While boating is one of our prized pastimes, it can also lead to dangerous circumstances and accidents.
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Boating Accidents In California
What you may not know about boating accidents is that they are quite common. The Division of Boating and Waterways reported 508 accidents at last check. 266 of those accidents resulted in an injury and 50 resulted in death with $3,911,886 reported in property damage. The month of July had the largest number of incidents reported with Sunday being the highest day with reported accidents.
Regardless of the type of accident, if you or a loved one have suffered an injury as a result of the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to compensation. It is vital that you speak to a qualified Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer at your earliest convenience.
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Collision With Another Vessel
The most common accident was reported as vessels colliding with other vessels. This may seem like a given, you’re out on the water, you can see the distance between yourself and another vessel however, just as in any traffic accident, mistakes happen. You may have been 100% prepared for your boat activity, following all of the safety guidelines and unfortunately, another vessel can still collide with yours causing injury, disfigurement, or even death to a family member or friend who is onboard. Nothing that you did differently could have prevented such a tragic accident.
Operator Inattention
The most common reason for an accident was reported as Operator Inattention. This can mean any variety of circumstances from boating under the influence to texting while boating. Operator inattention for even a few seconds can mean that your life and that of your loved ones was forever changed by a few moments of inattention.
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Operation At Time Of Accident
It was also reported that most accidents occurred while the vessel was cruising, the second most common accident occurred while docked. One can imply that the vessels cruising may have collided with docked vessels but the main takeaway is that regardless of whether you are cruising or docked, accidents happen. You need to be prepared to protect and defend yourself if you or a loved one has been injured.
Often the owner is the operator at the time of the accident and even more often, the person operating also happens to be inexperienced. An inexperienced operator was the second most common reason after operator inattention. An experienced Boat Injury attorney will investigate the facts of your case to determine who is responsible for your injury, what parties are involved, and how to move forward. Chad Lewin offers compassionate care and guidance for you and your family.
What To Do If You Have Been Involved In A Boating Accident
If you have been involved in a boating accident in Los Angeles, the last thing you are thinking about is who to call besides 911. You have just experienced a frightening scenario that many people have not recovered from, however, there are a few basic things that you will need to do once you have collected yourself and gathered a deep breath.
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Reporting The Accident
The first thing you must do after dialing 911 is to report the accident to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (aka DBW). You have a deadline under which you must initiate a report especially if anyone was injured, fatally injured or there has been damage over $500 to the vessel. You will have just 48 hours to initiate your report for the following:
- There was a fatality within 24 hours of the incident
- There has been a disappearance and inability to locate a passenger
- An injury required medical care to any passenger
For other elements of the accident, you have a longer period of a 10-day window with which to report the incident that includes:
- The death of any passenger in the immediate 24 hours after the accident
- A vessel has damages in excess of $500 or a vessel is declared a complete loss
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Facing Criminal Charges For Failure To Report
If you fail to submit a report to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways, you could be facing misdemeanor charges, fees fines, and penalties. This includes a possible prison sentence.
How To Report Your Accident
- You will need to complete a boating accident report
- You will need to sign your report and mail it or fax it to 916-327-1772 | Mailing address below.
- Make a copy of your report for your records and obtain a fax confirmation if you choose to fax it.
Mailing address: California Division of Boating and Waterways | Attn: Boating Accident Unit | POBox 942896, Sacramento, CA 94296-0001