Boating Accidents in Houston and The Woodlands
With numerous lakes and proximity to the Gulf, boating accidents in Houston, The Woodlands, and Lake Conroe occur fairly frequently. Of course, you’re much less likely to get into a boating accident in Houston than a car accident in Houston, but when boating accidents do occur, they can be especially devastating.
Grimes & Fertitta are boat accident lawyers in Houston and The Woodlands who represent individuals involved in boat accidents that were caused by a person’s or a company’s negligence. (Read more about types of negligence.) As a personal injury law firm, we’ve earned a reputation for handling tough boat accident cases (including those involving wrongful death) with integrity and humanity.
If you or a loved one was recently injured in a boat accident in Texas, chances are that you’re buried in unexpected medical expenses. And while your insurance company may give you some compensation, they probably won’t give you and your family what you need and deserve.
To get your case off to the right start, call us at 713-224-7644 or contact us online today. All consultations are free; we work on a contingency basis, so we don’t get paid until you get justice.
What to do if you’re involved in a boating accident in Houston or The Woodlands
After a boating accident, most people are extremely disoriented. Unfortunately, what you do during this confusing time can impact not only the success of your case but, in some circumstances, whether or not someone lives or dies. Here is a quick guide to the best steps you can take after being involved in a boating collision.
- Help others: If you were operating a boat involved in a crash, you are required by law to help others (both of your own passengers and passengers of the other boat) affected by the accident, so long as in doing so you won’t be endangering your passengers, crew, or ship.
- If you are out of the boat, get on board as soon as possible. Once you’re safe, work to get others out of the water.
- The United States Coast Guard reports that over 70% of boat accident-related deaths are caused by drowning. The faster you act, the less likely someone is to drown or receive brain damage from oxygen deprivation.
- If possible move the boat to a safe location that’s outside of the path of boating traffic.
- Never, ever leave the scene of a boating accident.
- Call the Coast Guard: According to the National Coast Guard website, “People in an emergency and need of Coast Guard assistance should use: VHF-FM Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) and/or dial 911.” Be prepared to share the location of your vessel and details about what medical assistance is needed.
- Share your contact information: If you were operating a boat involved in a crash you are also required by law to give out your name, address, and boat identification to any person involved in the accident.
- Gather evidence: The evidence you gather during this time can be vital to the success of your personal injury case.
- Get the contact information of all parties involved, including law enforcement.
- Take photos of your boat, any other boats involved, any property damaged, and the location of the damage.
- Note any additional circumstances, such as inclement weather.
- File a report: You must file an accident within 30 days if the damage incurred exceeds $2,000 and within 48 hours if the accident resulted in someone’s death.
- Call Grimes & Fertitta: A personal injury lawyer at Grimes & Fertitta can help you determine whether or not you may have been injured as a result of negligence, as well as whether or not you may be owed compensation.
For more information on the laws surrounding boating accidents in Houston and The Woodlands please see Sections 31.104 and 31.105 of the Parks and Wildlife Code.
Types of Texas boating accidents and other boat accident variables
There are lots of different types of boats out on the water—sailboats, fishing boats, yachts, cabin cruisers, personal watercraft, etc.— all of which create different circumstances for your accidents and for your case.
Boat accidents can also occur in many different landscapes—far out to sea, on a lake, on a river—and for a variety of reasons—machinery failure, hazardous weather conditions, operator inattention, intoxicated operators, and speeding, to name just a few.
And of course, boat accidents in Houston and The Woodlands do not always happen between two vessels. Accidents can also occur due to flooding, capsizing, running aground, collisions with swimmers, explosions, and collisions with a fixed object.
How can a boat accident lawyer help?
After you or a loved one has been injured in a boat accident, perhaps the last thing that you want to do is to begin a legal battle. At the same time, expenses from boating accidents in Houston and The Woodlands can mount up fast.
Such expenses can include:
- Hospitalization and treatment expenses
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering damages
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship (in wrongful death cases)
If the responsible party or an insurance company doesn’t do what’s right and refuses to give you fair compensation, you can easily become a victim twice over; the victim of an accident, and the victim of injustice. While a boat accident lawyer can’t make it so that your boating accident never happened, they can take on the burden of litigation off of your shoulders.
At Grimes & Fertitta, we can help you determine whether or not you have a case, discover who may be liable for your injuries, negotiate damages with insurance companies and, if an appropriate settlement cannot be reached, take your case to trial.
Grimes & Fertitta: Attorneys for boating accidents in Houston and The Woodlands
Not every law firm can take on cases for boating accidents in Houston and The Woodlands. At Grimes & Fertitta, our lawyers not only have years of successfully representing clients who have been injured in boating accidents, but we have the additional experience of being former insurance defense lawyers.
We can anticipate the tactics these companies use to keep you from getting the money you and your family need, and we can head them off at the pass, saving you both time and money.
Whether you were involved in a recreational boating accident in Houston or The Woodlands, or their property was damaged in a boating collision, as our client, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands with Grimes & Fertitta. We are a small, intimate firm with a reputation for keeping our clients’ best interests at heart. To us, you will never be “just a case number.”
Remember: the people you are up against probably already have lawyers on their side. Get your case off to the right start. Call us at 713-224-7644 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today.
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