Waterborne Danger: Have You Been Injured By A Drunk Boater?
When it comes to being impacted by a drunk driver, it may not be limited to the highways and roads. People who've had too much to drink also get behind the wheel of the boat, and when that happens serious injuries and even deaths can occur. This type of injury can impact both you and your family, and you are entitled to be paid monetary damages when it happens. Read on to learn more about getting hurt by a drunk boater
Sober Boating
It's easy to see by this is such a problem when you consider the relaxed setting. A day of fun on the water can be a mini-vacation to those in need of a break from the usual, but when you add alcohol to the day you can create a dangerous situation for anyone on the boat, in the water or in other vessels. The speeds on the water may be relatively low, but the effects of a crash on the water can be devastating. Just like in a car, reaction times slow with the effect of alcohol and visibility may also prevent a drunk boater from being fully aware of their surroundings.
Making the Public Aware
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NABLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard have teamed up in an effort to draw attention to the issue of piloting a boat while under the influence. Operation Dry Water seeks to educate the public about the dangers and the consequences of using alcohol out on the water. This operation also works with local water enforcement agencies like the fish and wildlife and water patrol groups to enforce existing impaired boating laws.
The Personal Injury Impact
You are entitled to be compensated if you are hurt as the result of an impaired boat driver, just like if you were hurt by a drunk driver on the road. You might remember the horrendous boating accident in September 2016 involving the Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. Fernandez and two others on the boat that day were killed when the boat crashed, and the families of the two dead mean have filed suit against the Hernandez estate for some 2 million in wrongful death damages. Autopsies showed that Fernandez, who was piloting the boat when it crashed, was legally drunk and some of the men had cocaine in their systems as well.
If you or a family have been impacted by an impaired boater, see a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to medical expense, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. For more details, contact a company like Dunbar & Dunbar.
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