Vehicular accidents are often perilous—but even more so in the open water, as there’s very little in terms of protection once you’re at the mercy of the sea. The jet ski, sea-doo, Waverunner, and other similar personal watercraft typically bring mental images of an adrenaline rush, fun at the beach, and partying. However, a lesser-known fact is that statistics show personal watercraft accidents cause more severe injuries than any other boating accident!
When the unfortunate happens, and you get hurt while riding a personal watercraft, then it’s best to know how to proceed from there. Accidents like these are actually very similar to vehicular accidents, in which you will be able to file a personal injury claim. However, similar to other injury claims out there, the case on your hands still depends on multiple factors.
Is filing a personal injury claim necessary?
According to studies, there’s an average of 130,000 people who sustain injuries from personal watercraft accidents each year. The U.S. Coast Guard has reported that in a single year, over 3000 injuries and 700 fatalities involving watercrafts used for recreation occurred nationwide. When you become a victim of an accident with a jet ski in New York, you could be eligible for multiple things, such as medical expenses.
While it’s true that there is no way to predict an accident, many of them could have been avoided at the very least—if not for someone else’s negligent actions. Much like the rules when it comes to driving a vehicle on roads, if the personal watercraft injury you sustained was caused by an operator that was speeding, intoxicated, or downright reckless, then they’re essentially considered negligent.
What causes jet ski accidents in the first place?
There are quite a few factors that can trigger a jet ski accident, including:
- Collision with another jet ski;
- Collision with objects (buoys, debris, docks, poles, sand bars, and the such);
- Equipment failure;
- Falling when they’re going at a high-speed rate; and
- Inadequate instructions.
Ultimately, who was responsible for the accident?
If the accident you were in was due to another driver’s negligence, it’s important to contact an accident lawyer and file a claim at the soonest possible time. Depending on the circumstances at hand and your injuries, you may be able to go further and file a Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS lawsuit.
Deciding whose responsibility the accident falls under can get complicated. There are several things to consider, like whether or not the driver was knowledgeable enough to operate the equipment properly. If they were, then was it their actions that caused the accident in the first place? Was there a liability waiver signed by the victim before they started the activities that led to the accident?
One of the key differences between car accidents and jet ski accidents is that for the latter, the victim will deal with an “assumption of risk” defense. It’s worth noting that while the waiver can protect the business owner from lawsuits when customers suffer some injuries, the renter did not sign away all of their rights to sue the personal watercraft owner!
Conclusion
There is a high number of accidents and fatalities connected to personal watercrafts—jet skis, in particular, come to mind. Such incidents have a lot in common with car accidents, in which you must file for a personal injury claim if you find that the accident was an avoidable one if not for someone’s negligence.
Are you looking for a jet ski accident attorney to help you out with your personal injury claim? Ronemus & Vilenksy has got your back! We handle a variety of areas that center on accidents and malpractice in the New York area. Get in touch with us today, and let us help you get the compensation you deserve!