If you suffered a serious injury due to an accident on a boat, whether it is while visiting someone’s boat or perhaps when another watercraft hit yours, you may be owed compensation.
Our Las Vegas personal injury lawyer has successfully recovered millions of dollars in damages and may be able to help you obtain the financial support you need. Let a Las Vegas boat accident lawyer with H&P Law work closely with you to better understand your rights in these challenging cases.
Steps to Take After a Boating Accident in Las Vegas
Taking the right steps after a boating accident can protect your health, preserve evidence, and strengthen your claim. The moments after an accident can be chaotic, but acting quickly can make a significant difference in your case. If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, following these steps can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. What to do after a boat accident:
- Seek medical attention immediately – Even if your injuries seem minor, they may worsen over time.
- Report the accident to authorities – Nevada law requires boat accidents involving injuries, fatalities, or significant property damage to be reported to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
- Gather evidence at the scene – Take photos of the damage, hazardous conditions, and visible injuries, and if possible, collect contact information from witnesses who saw what happened.
- Avoid making statements to insurance companies – Anything you say to an insurance adjuster may be used to minimize your claim.
- Consult a Las Vegas boat accident attorney – H&P Law can help you determine who is responsible, gather evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident
Common Causes of Boat Accidents and How They Affect Liability
Boating accidents happen for many reasons, and identifying the cause is key if you hope to prove negligence. Some accidents result from operator error, while others stem from equipment failures or unsafe conditions.
The cause of the accident can determine who is found liable and how we approach the demand for compensation in your case. Some of the top causes of boat accidents include:
- Operator inattention
- Speeding
- Equipment failure
- Intoxicated boating
- Hazardous water conditions
- Lack of proper training
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Boat Accident in Las Vegas?
Determining liability in a boat accident depends on who acted negligently and how their actions contributed to the crash. Multiple parties may be responsible, including boat operators, rental companies, manufacturers, and even passengers.
Establishing fault is critical to holding the right parties accountable and maximizing compensation. Parties that may be liable in a boating accident include:
- Boat operators
- Boat owners
- Rental companies
- Manufacturers
- Passengers
Las Vegas waterways attract thousands of visitors each year. However, negligent boating practices can lead to devastating accidents. If you were injured in a boating accident or lost a loved one to drowning, a Las Vegas drowning death lawyer can guide you through the legal process and help you recover fair compensation for your damages.
Types of Compensation Common for Boat Accident Claims in Las Vegas
If you have suffered an injury due to a boating accident of any type, we encourage you to reach out to our legal team now to discuss your case. We provide you with a free consultation to discuss your specific needs and the impact this has had on your life.
We can then help you estimate the financial damages you may be owed after such an accident, which may include:
- Medical bills from the accident
- Ongoing medical care you need
- Medication costs
- Property damage
- Lost time at work
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
Your losses may involve economic and non-economic losses, like those described here, as well as punitive damages under NRS § 42.005. In some situations, a judge may award punitive damages if the case involved reckless or intentional behavior to dissuade the behavior from occurring again. In some cases, we can help prove that this is the case.
How a Boat Accident Attorney Can Help in Your Case
When you are in a boating accident, your losses may be numerous and may impact various areas of your life. You may find it nearly impossible to work due to your injuries, or you could have a pile of medical bills that continue to grow. It is our goal to help you maximize the compensation owed to you in these situations.
One of the ways we will guide you is in determining who is responsible for your losses, such as the boat operator, the boat owner, or the party that may have failed to complete repairs on the boat properly.
We can also help you to determine the circumstances of what occurred, such as if the behavior was negligent or intentional. We also want to consider factors like whether the operator was intoxicated or untrained.
Your boat accident attorney in Las Vegas can also help you understand your rights to take action even if you are not sure you can file a claim. For example, you may have an accident report that shows that you are partially to blame. Allow our team to help you determine if you can still take legal action to recover losses someone else caused to you.
When You Can File a Case After a Watercraft Accident
The same laws that apply to the operators of motor vehicles apply to the operators of watercraft, and often, there is insurance available to compensate you for your injuries and damages, whether they result from grounding a vessel, collisions between watercraft, propeller accidents, or any other boating-related accidents.
Determining whether you have the right to compensation is more complex, and our legal team can help you with that. Contact a boat accident lawyer in Las Vegas for a free consultation to discuss your specific situation.
We Handle the Entire Legal Process for You
Our goal here is to determine your losses and who is to blame. We then work with you to pursue compensation from the insurance company responsible. If that is not enough, our team will continue to negotiate on your behalf, working aggressively to prove what your claim is worth. In most situations, insurance companies are willing to settle your case, and we are happy to fight them if they will not.
That may mean that we will need to take your case to court by filing a lawsuit against the responsible party. We will not back down when we know you are owed compensation for your losses, and we will, without any doubt, fight to protect your rights to recovery. When necessary, we will go to court to force the responsible parties to pay for the losses you have endured after sending a demand letter.
Contact a Las Vegas Boat Accident Law Firm for Help Now
At H&P Law, our Las Vegas boat accident lawyer is readily available to help you navigate your legal options for compensation.
Set up a free consultation to discuss your specific needs with our team now and find out what we can do to help you move forward. Our team has the experience you need to demand the justice and compensation you deserve.
