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The Beaufort area has numerous places where people love to operate their recreational boats. Since there is a relatively low per capita rate of boating accidents, most can do it safely.
However, the boat accidents that do happen in our region are serious and can result in fatalities. Someone else has the legal obligation to pay you damages if they were responsible for your injuries. The requirement is that you prove that they are to blame.
The boat accident attorneys at Schiller & Hamilton in Beaufort will handle all the details of your boat accident claim, working to get you top dollar for your injuries in a settlement.
Beaufort Area Boating
South Carolina ranks seventh per capita in the nation in terms of boat ownership. There are over 500,000 registered boats in the state. There are numerous places around Beaufort where area residents like to enjoy a day on the water, including the:
- Broad River
- Beaufort River
- Port Royal Sound
- Lake Wylie
- Catawba River
Causes of Boating Accidents
Many things can go wrong that could cause a boating accident, including:
- An inexperienced boat operator
- An intoxicated boat operator
- The boat’s equipment or a part malfunctioning
- Speeding
- Boating in inclement weather
- Reckless behavior behind the wheel of the boat
- A collision between two boats
- Boating too close to a pier
- Inadequate signage in the water
The cause of your accident may not be immediately apparent. The authorities may investigate further before they issue a report. Your boating accident lawyer would also perform a full investigation that could gather evidence that could help you prove that someone else was responsible for the accident.
In many cases, another boater would be the one to blame for the accident. However, there are several potentially responsible defendants who you could sue.
Common Injuries to Boaters
Boating accident injuries can be different and debilitating than other vehicle collisions because water is involved in the crash. The boater, or their passengers, may be thrown overboard. Then, they could suffer injuries from drowning.
Boating accident injuries can include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (either from impact or a lack of oxygen)
- Loss of a limb
- Electrocution
- Fractures and broken bones
- Burns
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Head and neck injuries
Boating accident injuries can be severe. Every year, roughly 15 people lose their lives in these accidents in South Carolina. By the time that help arrives on the scene, it may be too late to save boating accident victims.
What to Do After a Boating Accident
The first thing to do after a boating accident is to contact law enforcement. You could report to South Carolina police or the Coast Guard, depending on where the accident occurs.
It is also vital to file a boating accident report. Under South Carolina law, you must report the accident to the Department of Natural Resources if any of the following apply:
- More than $2000 worth of property damage
- A totaled vessel
- A missing person
- A serious injury
- A death
In other words, you would need to file a report of practically every single boating accident. If not, you could face criminal consequences that could even include jail time.
Then, you should make sure to seek medical attention. You should follow up on all recommended medical care. You would need your medical records to file a boating accident claim. In addition, you must show the insurance company that you have been as diligent as you possibly can in taking care of your health. Otherwise, they may claim that your injuries became more severe because you did not do what you should.
Finally, you should hire a boating accident lawyer immediately after the accident. Your lawyer could perform an investigation before you begin to lose some of the helpful evidence that can prove your case.
Damages in a Boating Accident in South Carolina
Your boating accident damages can be considerable. How much you are paid depends on the extent of your damages and how much insurance coverage there is. South Carolina law does not require boating insurance, although operators would be smart to have it because they could be personally liable for what happened when they are to blame.
Your boating accident damages would include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages (or reduction in earnings capacity)
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Embarrassment and humiliation
- Emotional distress
Families may seek wrongful death damages to compensate them when their loved one passes away in an accident.
How Our Beaufort Accident Lawyers Can Help Your Case
After you have been hurt in a boating accident, you may not even know how and where to begin the legal process. You have a feeling that you may deserve financial compensation, but you do not know how to make it happen effectively on your own. That is exactly why the Beaufort personal injury attorneys at Schiller & Hamilton are here.
Once you hire us, we will do the following for your case:
- Investigate the cause of the boating accident
- Help you file the required report with the state
- Gather evidence that could be used to demonstrate who should be liable
- Review your situation to figure out how much you may be due in your case
- File an insurance claim or a lawsuit complaint for you
- Gather additional evidence through the discovery process if your case goes to court
- Negotiate a possible settlement with the insurance company
- Try your case in court if it reaches that point
Call a Beaufort Boat Accident Lawyer Today
If you have been injured in a boating accident in Beaufort, reach out to the experienced boating accident attorneys at Schiller & Hamilton today. We will begin by listening to you and learning the facts before we work with you on a comprehensive legal strategy. The first step towards securing an attorney is contacting us to schedule a free initial consultation.
You can send us a message online, or you can call us today at 803-902-4583. Not only is the consultation free, but you do not owe us anything unless you win your case.