With Spring upon us and pretty soon Summer that means more people will be out boating. I have a lot of friends who enjoy taking their boats out on the water and enjoying the sun. I also know that during certain celebratory times, people have a tendency to drink while boating. Which can lead to serious injuries. If you were injured in a boating accident, contact an injury lawyer at Silverthorne Attorneys to discuss your case. as someone who has been injured due to the negligence of another, you have rights. Contact an accident lawyer in our office. Consultations are free.
Accident Lawyer | Getting Compensation for a BUI Accident
Being injured in a boating accident is upsetting. and you can sue the boat operator who caused the injury. for instance, if the operator hit your boat, or you may have been in the boat with the operator who was intoxicated. When you are injured, you need to know that you deserve to be compensated for injuries, lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. First thing’s first: do your best to document the incident and your injuries. This will be extremely helpful when you meet with you accident lawyer.
Documenting Your Case
One of the most important things to do is to document your case. This goes for every accident. Here are some helpful ways that you can not only document your case but make sure you get the best settlement possible.
Get Medical Treatment
As with any accident, you need to seek immediate medical treatment after any injuries. If you cannot drive yourself to the hospital, call emergency services. After you are stabilized, you can contact an injury lawyer at Silverthorne Attorneys to begin your case.
- Hold onto copies of your medical records. These will help your accident lawyer prove the extent of your injuries.
- Note: we will also order copies of medical records. So if you do not have them, it is not necessarily a problem.
- Follow the medical treatment that your doctors prescribe. This will be huge in your case. If you don’t the boat operator and their insurance company may claim that you aggravated your injuries by not following doctor’s orders or that your injuries were not as serious as you claim.
Document Property Damage
If there was any damage to your property, you may be able to seek compensation for that as well. for example, if another boat rammed you and you were injured, you can collect damages on that.
- Take pictures of the damage to your property. This will help show the extent of the damage;
- Make sure you take pictures of the scene of the accident. If the boat hit anything in the water, etc.
- Get an estimate for repairs. If your boat was damaged, take it to a shop and ask for a detailed estimate of how much it would cost to fix your boat. If you already had the boat fixed before the accident, hold onto the itemized receipt of what work was done.
During this time, you want to make sure that you also take pictures of any injuries you sustained. These will be tremendous help when it comes to putting your case together.
Gather Witness Information
When putting together your case, you want to make sure that you gather as much information as possible. That will often include getting witness information. This is because you need to show that the operator of the boat was negligent in their actions.
- Gather as much information from witnesses as possible. Not only do you want to gather their names, you want to make sure you are able to get a statement from them as well.
- Like in a car accident, you want to get their name and contact information so that your attorney will be able to ask them questions as well.
Witnesses are often identified in the police report. If you want to obtain a copy of the police report for your records, go ahead. We will order an official copy for our records.
Write Down Your Account of the Incident
If you are able, write down your own account of the incident. This will be helpful when you contact your personal injury lawyer. That way nothing will be left out. It is important that you document what the other person did as well as what you were doing at the time of the incident. Remember to be honest in your assessment of the accident. It is important not to exaggerate or make up details of the incident. If you aren’t, it can ruin your credibility and therefore your case.
Document Loss of Income & Hold Onto Medical Bills
You can be compensated for any lost work due to your injuries. If you are permanently disabled, more often than not, you can ask your attorney to demand for future wages. You want to make sure that you have these things in writing. That include:
- W-2 forms;
- Pay stubs;
- Tax returns;
- a statement from your employer detailing your inability to work scheduled shifts due to your injuries.
During this time, you want to also remember that it is important to hold onto all of your medical bills. You can be compensated for any money you spent treating your injuries. You can be reimbursed for the following:
- Rehabilitation costs;
- Doctor and hospital fees;
- Prescription fees;
- Costs of therapy, etc.
Hiring An Injury Lawyer
At minimum, you want to meet with an injury lawyer to discuss whether or not you have a strong case. Silverthorne Attorneys can be found by using Google. or you can ask a friend for a referral.
- Schedule a consultation with an accident lawyer in our office. Consultations with one of our attorneys are always free!
- We work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not require payment up front. We take a percentage out of what you win in your settlement.
- This makes it easier for you. We know that many people worry about finances. However, with us, you will never have to worry about that. You will never have to worry about anything other than healing from your injuries.
Related Article: What is a contingency fee agreement?
If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your case. Consultations are free!
