Philadelphia Boat Accident Attorney
From whitewater kayaking on Lake Nockamixon to sailing down Tohickon Creek, Philadelphia and its environs offer abundant opportunities for recreational boating. Unfortunately, sometimes people put fun ahead of safety and engage in dangerous behaviors on the water, including speeding, drinking, reckless driving, not wearing a life jacket, and operating a vessel when untrained or inexperienced. This negligent and reckless behavior causes scores of Pennsylvania boating accidents every year, resulting in dozens of injuries and tragic deaths. The experience of a Philadelphia boat accident attorney can assist you if you find yourself in the aftermath of a boat accident.
Philadelphia boat accident attorney, Christine Benedum comes to the aid of injured boating victims, helping them recover the costs of their medical care and obtain compensation to deal with the pain and disruption a serious boating accident has impinged on their lives. Learn more about boating accidents in Philadelphia below, and contact Benedum Law if you have been injured in a in a boat casualty involving any of the following:
- Motorboats
- Sailboats
- Duck boats
- Jet skis and other PWC
- Water skiers
- Kayakers
- Swimmers
Pennsylvania Boating Accident Statistics
In 2017, Pennsylvania saw 69 boating accidents involving 96 vessels, and 52 people wound up needing medical care for their injuries. Additionally, 14 fatal boating accidents resulted in 15 fatalities. On average, around a dozen lives are lost every year on Pennsylvania waters, including especially boating along the Alleghany and Susquehanna Rivers. Most often the fatality victims were not wearing a life jacket, even though most often one was available.
Leading causes of recent Pennsylvania boating accidents were:
- Capsizing
- Boat-on-boat collisions
- Falling overboard
- Colliding with a fixed or floating object
Negligence of Philadelphia Boat Owners and Operators
Among all the various types of boating accidents and injuries, negligence of a boat owner or operator is most often to blame. This may be the result of boating while intoxicated or simply recklessness or inattention to the safety of others. Boat operators owe a duty of care to the people onboard as well as those on other vessels or in the water, including swimmers, water skiers and kayakers. Negligence in boat operation may include more than just driving errors and may involve stowing loose cargo on deck, having unreasonably slippery decks, and not providing life jackets. Companies which rent boats or personal watercraft should make sure their vessels are maintained in good repair and that renters have all the equipment they need on board to operate the vessel safely, including life jackets, life preservers and fire extinguishers when applicable. Doing so mitigates damages and oftentimes can prevent boating injuries and accidents.
Get Medical Care and Compensation after a Serious Philadelphia Boating Accident
If you have been injured in a Philadelphia boating accident, personal injury attorney Christine Benedum can help you pick up the pieces with the medical care and financial compensation you need to move forward and regain your best quality of life. Call Benedum Law at 215-LAWSUIT (215-529-7848) for a free consultation on your potential claims.
