Michigan Boating Accidents
The popularity of personal watercraft, including small fishing boats, jet skis and other pleasure boats, has significantly increased the number of individuals on American waterways, and our Michigan communities are no exception.
Dozens of smaller lakes ideal for recreational boating dot our state, including Lake St. Clair, Green Lake, Union Lake, Long Lake, Lower Straits Lake, Middle Straits Lake, Cass Lake, Orchard Lake, Pine Lake and Sylvan Lake. Michigan is also surrounded by massive waterways, including Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
A recreational boating accident can lead to serious injuries, including crushed hands or fingers, head injuries or back injuries, and serious lacerations. If the actions of a careless Michigan boater physically harmed you, you may be facing weeks or months of recovery. You deserve financial compensation for your medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering.
An in-depth understanding of state law, federal law, personal injury law, and maritime law may be essential to obtaining the money you need for the injuries from your boating accident. The boat accident lawyers of The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. can help.
Call The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online for a free evaluation of your claim. If there is no recovery in your case, there is no fee for our services.
Based in Based in Bloomfield Hills, our boat accident attorneys represent clients across the state, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham Michigan, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills.
More About Boating Accidents
More than 12 million boats are registered in the U.S., according to the United States Coast Guard. In 2009, there were 4,730 accidents that involved 736 deaths, 3,358 injuries and approximately $36 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents. The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (46%), personal watercraft (22%), and cabin motorboats (14%).
The U.S. Coast Guard also reported that in 2009:
- Only 14 percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction.
- Seven out of every 10 boaters who drowned were using boats less than 21 feet in length.
- Operator inattention, operator inexperience, excessive speed, improper lookout and alcohol ranked as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents.
- Alcohol use was the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; it was listed as the leading factor in 16 percent of the deaths.
Boating Accidents and Your Legal Rights
Recreational boating accidents typically fall under the legal category of “personal injury cases,” which result from property owners' negligence, poor property maintenance and unsafe conditions. Most boating accidents occur as a result of the boat operator's negligence or recklessness.
If your boat injury stemmed from a boating accident caused by another boater's negligent conduct, including reckless or impaired operation of their vessel, you may be entitled to money damages.
As a personal injury firm, we have helped boat injury victims obtain financial compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, disability, and more.
The boating accident attorneys at The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. are committed to each and every client. We are not one of those "burn and churn firms" that treats clients like a number. Our boat injury lawyers provide customized representation and personalized attention. Since our personal injury attorneys focus on litigation, we thoroughly prepare your case for expert representation at the settlement table or in the courtroom.
Call The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. Today!
If you or someone you love has suffered a boating injury in Michigan, call the boating accident attorneys of The Stroble Law Firm, P.C. today at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online for a free evaluation of your case. If there is no recovery in your case, there is no fee for our services.
