I’ve Been Hit by a Reckless Boat Driver: What Should I Do?
If you’ve been hit by a reckless boat driver, you should try to get the operator’s details, along with the names and contact details of any witnesses. Then, report the accident to the police.
Reckless boat operators
Boat accidents can happen for any number of reasons, including a reckless boat operator. Someone might be considered reckless if they:
- Operate a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- Go too fast
- Fail to obey the ‘rules of the road’
- Operate a boat which they know to be in poor repair
- Fail to keep a look out for hazards
- Fail to take measures to prevent an accident, such as consult nautical charts
- Fail to adapt to the conditions, such as dense fog
- Fail to have the correct safety equipment on board
A reckless boat driver can cause injuries to a person/people:
- On board another vessel
- On board the vessel being operated by the reckless boat driver
- Using another form of Personal Motorized Watercraft (PWC), such as a jet ski or sea-doo
- In the water, be it swimmers, scuba-divers, stand-up paddleboarders, kayakers etc.
What to do after a boat accident
If you have been injured by a reckless boat driver, or your loved one has, there are a few things you should do immediately after the accident.
- Get medical attention
The first is, of course, to get medical attention. Boat accidents can cause a range of injuries. It is essential that your injuries are properly attended to.
- Get the details of the boat operator
If you can, get the details of the other party (or parties) involved. This includes their names, contact details and boat identification number.
- Report the accident
Next, you should report the accident to the police. If the boat operator was acting recklessly, there’s a chance that he/she broke the law.
- Keep a record of your injuries
Going forward, keep a record of your injuries and the way they are impacting your life. This could be useful if you make a claim.
- Keep a record of your financial losses
Similarly, it is useful to keep a record of any money you have spent or lost because of the accident. Keep the receipts for anything you have bought because of your injuries.
- Contact our Vancouver personal injury lawyers
Last but not least, contact our Vancouver personal injury lawyers to discuss your case. If you were injured because another boat operator acted negligently, there’s a strong chance that you have grounds to make a personal injury claim.
Claiming against a reckless boat operator
Like other types of injury claim, a boat accident claim is usually handled by the responsible person’s insurer. However, not all boat operators have marine and boat insurance. If not, a claim can be made against their homeowner’s insurance – although again, not everyone has homeowner’s insurance. This is something we can check on your behalf.
The other thing to note is that boat accident claims must be made within two years. In the legal world, this isn’t a huge amount of time. Because of this, we suggest speaking to a lawyer at the earliest available opportunity.
To get expert legal advice, either fill in the free online enquiry form or call us on 604 684 0040.
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