BOATING Accidents in California

Throughout Northern California, particularly in Napa, Sonoma, Marin and Mendocino counties, boating has become a popular form of recreation. The state’s lakes and oceans, such as Lake Berryessa, Lake Sonoma, Lake Mendocino, just to name a few, play host to numerous boating accidents that injure and kill dozens of people each year.

Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Mendocino and Lake Counties in particular with their many lakes, rivers, islands, bays, shores and bodies of water see their fair share of boating accidents year round.  The most common boating accidents involve recreational watercraft, but occasionally it can include accidents that occur on commercial vessels such as ferry boats, cruise ships and other motorized watercraft.

Boating accidents caused by inattentive or distracted operators, can cause very serious injuries requiring immediate medical attention at a hospital and therefore deserve the professional attention of a boat accident lawyer.  Any swimmer in a lake, lagoon, inlet, bay, river, sea or ocean who has been struck by a boat, motor-craft, watercraft, jet ski, or other propeller will experience pain and severe injuries which could be life-threatening and warrant a consultation with a highly skilled, experienced and aggressive boat accident lawyer.

BOAT ACCIDENT LAWYER

Claims involving boating accidents must be filed and handled by an attorney with a strong knowledge of boating laws and regulations. The timeliness and statutes of limitations for such claims although is generally two years, they have some other components, which make them a bit tricky, so hiring counsel sooner rather than later is imperative.

Fighting for the Compensation You Deserve

At The Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara, we have more than 40 years of combined experience representing boat accident victims and the loved ones of those who have been injured or perished in a fatal boating accident. Our lawyers are committed to holding the negligent party accountable for your accident and helping you get the FULL compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

After a boating accident, an immediate investigation is needed to preserve important evidence.

TYPICAL BOAT ACCIDENT INJURIES

A swimmer, passenger or other innocent bystander who is injured in a boat accident, water sport accident or injured aboard a water borne vessel of any kind is at terrible risk of being seriously injured.  A victim’s head, arms, legs and fingers are most likely to be injured or maimed in a boat accident.  Oftentimes the injuries could involve many body parts and cause many serious injuries such as:

  • Concusssion/ drowning
  • Fractured / broken bones
  • Amputation
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Paraplegia
  • Quadriplegia
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Coma

Holding the Cause of Your Boat Accident Accountable

If another person caused your boat accident, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of medical bills and lost wages. Our boat accident lawyers will investigate your accident and take the time to understand how your injuries have impacted your quality of life. We will explore all avenues of recovery to ensure you get the compensation you need.

While many boat accident cases are resolved through settlement, we will prepare your case as if it were going to trial. By taking these additional steps at the forefront of your case, we are able to negotiate from a position of strength. However, if your interests are best protected at trial, you can count on us for aggressive representation in the courtroom.

When evaluating boating accidents, our law firm pays close attention to a boater’s failure to comply with boating, rules, regulations and laws as well as to the common causes of boating accidents, which include:

-Boating under the influence

-Reckless or aggressive boating

-Unsafe speeds especially for the conditions

-Unlicensed, untrained and unqualified operators and owners

Operator error and negligence are the most frequent causes for boating accidents. Oftentimes, operators underestimate the dangers of boating because they are improperly trained or under the influence. Boaters who cause injury accidents must be held responsible and our law firm makes that a priority.

Further, there are numerous state and federal laws that regulate safe boating, vessel maintenance and boating behavior. Further, there are also laws that require operators to report any type of watercraft accident or injury. These accident reports must be filed with a law enforcement agency or the California Department of Fish and Game or other state agencies where appropriate.

To learn more about the personal circumstances of your boating accident injury and how our law firm’s highly experienced legal team can work toward obtaining the maximum compensation possible, please contact the Santa Rosa office at 707-387-0940 or Palm Springs office at 415-234-0142 of The Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara today for a free consultation and evaluation of your case.

Please call our office at (707) 571-8600 in our centrally located Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.