What can you do with a drunken sailor? To be more specific, what can you do when his speeding motorboat rams into your dock? And what can you do when your daughter and her new husband were posing for wedding photos at the end of the dock, with the sunset behind them? What can you do when the groom needs 42 stitches and the bride spends her wedding night under observation for a concussion?

You can contact a personal injury attorney who has experience with boating accidents. U.S. Coast Guard data shows that there are nearly 6,000 boating accidents each year. The most frequently reported type of accident is collisions with other vessels. However, capsizing, falls overboard, running aground and other types of collisions also account for a great number of injuries and fatalities.

Factors in Boating Accidents

The factors that cause boating accidents are the same as those that lead to injuries and fatalities for drivers of other motorized vehicles. These include speeding, reckless driving, driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, operating damaged or defective boats, failure to adjust for unsafe weather conditions, and inexperienced drivers. The injuries, too, are often similar, including fractures, brain damage and spinal cord injuries, with the added danger of drowning.

A personal injury attorney who has experience with boating accidents can be an invaluable ally. Most lawyers maintain websites that list their areas of expertise. If you or someone you love has been in a boating related accident, you should investigate whether you can recover your medical expenses and possibly damages.