Common Causes of Boating Accident Injuries

With people heading to Lake Lanier in Georgia and other vacation spots, it is important to understand the common causes of boating injuries. Powell & Associates, a leading personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA, has experience representing victims in serious boating accidents. Our legal team knows the most common causes of catastrophic boating accidents and wants to help you prevent them!

Here are some of the most common causes of boating accidents. Read below to help keep your family safe as you enjoy the water or contact our team at Powell & Associates today if you think you have a case: (404) 365-7077.

Inattentive Operators

The number one cause of boating accidents in the U.S. is operator inattention, according to a 2019 Coast Guard report. When you’re a passenger on a boat, it’s critical that you ensure your boat operator has his or her eyes on the water. If your boat operator is not paying attention, then your boat may end up hitting a sandbar or running aground. This impact can damage the boat and cause whiplash and other serious injuries for all aboard.

No Lookout

A close second to inattentive boat operators is not using a lookout. It is critical for those in charge on a boat to be diligent in observing what is going on around them, especially if you have passengers taking part in activities such as tubing, parasailing, water skiing and wakeboarding. All those activities are really fu, but if no one is looking out, then disaster can strike, leading to injuries from pulled muscles to broken bones.

Alcohol Use

A lot of people go out on the lake with an adult beverage and safely come home; however, the combination of alcohol and water can result in terrible consequences. If you are operating the boat, then it can lead to inattentiveness and accidents. If you are a guest on the boat, then you could slip and fall over the side of the boat and hit your head. Plus, if you are boating on the ocean, then you may become seasick as well.

Super Speed

It is really fun to go zipping around the water in fast boats like speedboats, but it can also be dangerous — just like on land. Speeding around can make it easy to miss sandbars or large rocks that can damage your boat or cause you to crash. You can also hit the wake of another boat too fast, which can cause the boat to jump out of the water and crash back down, leading to injuries like whiplash, broken bones, concussion and more.

Poor Weather Conditions

Going boating in poor weather conditions can lead to many accidents — and poor weather can sneak up on all but the most experienced boaters. Rough weather can lead to you losing control of your boat and wrecking it, leaving everyone on board at the mercy of the water, with no ability for swift rescue. Passengers can end up with concussions, broken bones and far worse injuries.

Get Help From Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in Atlanta, GA

Thankfully, the legal team at Powell and Associates has a great deal of experience trying cases dealing with catastrophic injuries that resulted from boating, car, truck and more accidents. You can trust our Atlanta lawyers to resolve your case. Contact us today about your boating accident case – fill out the online form or call (404) 365-7077 to schedule a free consultation.