Many people living in San Antonio, TX enjoy boating for recreation. Unfortunately, boating accidents can cause severe injuries and wrongful deaths. A fun day can quickly turn into a life-altering event.
If a boat accident is caused by another party’s negligence or intentional torts, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our San Antonio boating accident lawyers at George Salinas Injury Lawyers can help you get the money you deserve for boat repairs, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
Contact our law firm or call us at (210) 225-0909 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced San Antonio boating accident attorney.
Why Choose George Salinas Injury Lawyers?
Boating accident claims are complex personal injury cases. They often involve laws and regulations that many attorneys do not deal with in their practice. Therefore, an attorney handling a boating accident case must thoroughly understand local, state, and federal laws governing boating accidents.
At George Salinas Injury Lawyers, our San Antonio boating accident attorneys thoroughly understand the law. Our lawyers have been featured on several news channels, including NBC, Fox, CBS, and ABC.
Our founding attorney, George Salinas, has received honors and awards from numerous organizations, including The National Trial Lawyers and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. He was selected as a Texas Super Lawyer and a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star.
When you hire our award-winning San Antonio personal injury lawyers at George Salinas Injury Lawyers, our legal team will:
- Investigate how your boat accident occurred and identify the parties responsible for causing the accident
- Monitor investigations by local, state, and federal agencies
- Work with top-rated expert witnesses in fields related to your boat accident
- Gather evidence establishing causation and liability
- Calculate how much your boating accident claim is worth after carefully documenting your damages
- Handle all matters related to insurance claims, including negotiating settlements
- File a lawsuit and take your case to court, if necessary
We are ready to fight for fair compensation for your injuries and damages after a San Antonio boating accident. Contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers to schedule your free case evaluation with a boat accident lawyer in San Antonio, Texas.
Common Causes of Boating Accidents in San Antonio, TX
Boating accidents occur for many reasons. The most common reason is negligence and intentional acts.
Common causes of boating accidents in Texas include:
- Colliding with other boats, docks, or marinas
- Intentionally or negligently grounding the boat
- Operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs (i.e., boating under the influence or BUI)
- Inexperienced boating operators and drivers
- Failing to take required safety precautions when on the water
- Driving the boat at excessive speeds
- Failing to keep an adequate lookout (i.e., distracted boating)
- Fires and explosions
- Exposure to carbon monoxide
- Violations of navigation rules
In addition to the above, machinery failure, defective boat parts, hazardous waters, and poor weather conditions can contribute to the cause of a boating accident in San Antonio. Determining the cause of the boat accident is crucial for identifying the parties responsible for your damages.
Who Is Liable for Damages Caused By a San Antonio Boating Accident?
One or more parties could be liable for boating accidents. The factors that contributed to the boat accident and the circumstances of the accident determine liability.
Potential parties that could be liable for your damages include:
- The operator of the boat
- The owner of the boat
- The boat’s manufacturer
- A boat parts manufacturer
- Passengers
- Other boaters and people on the water
- A boat rental company
- Boat repair and maintenance facilities
Our San Antonio boating accident lawyers at George Salinas Injury Lawyers will perform an independent accident investigation. We’ll carefully analyze all factors to determine whose actions contributed to the boat accident. Then, we’ll aggressively pursue those parties for compensation for damages.
What Compensation Can I Receive After a Boating Accident in San Antonio?
The compensation you receive in a boating accident claim depends on many factors. The severity of your injuries and whether you sustained permanent impairments are significant factors in determining how much your case is worth. Whether you contributed to the cause of the boat accident and the availability of insurance coverage can also impact how much you could receive.
Generally, accident victims can receive compensation for their economic and non-economic damages.
Examples of the types of damages paid in a boat accident case include:
- Property damage
- Medical bills and expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Mental anguish
- Lost wages, benefits, and earning capacity
- Decrease in quality of life
- Impairments and disabilities
The insurance adjuster is not a trusted source for the value of your claim. The adjuster’s job is to protect the insurance company from liability. Likewise, an at-fault party will try to avoid paying damages. Therefore, if you want to know how much your boating accident case is worth, call us for a free consultation with a San Antonio boating accident attorney.
Common Injuries Caused By Boating Accidents
A boating accident can cause many types of injuries.
A person involved in a boating accident could sustain multiple injuries, including:
- Severe burns and disfigurement
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones and fractures
- Electrocutions and electrical injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal organ damage
- Lacerations and puncture wounds
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Soft tissue injuries
- Drowning
After a boating accident, seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries. Delays in medical care could hurt your chance of receiving a fair settlement.
You must prove that the boat accident caused your injuries. Therefore, you need detailed medical records. It is helpful to take pictures of your injuries to help establish the severity of the injuries.
You must also prove the elements of a negligence claim. Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers will handle this requirement for you. We’ll gather evidence to build a solid case for fault against the party who caused the accident.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Partially Responsible for a San Antonio Boat Accident?
Texas has a modified comparative negligence standard for personal injury cases. According to the law, if your responsibility for causing the accident is greater than 50 percent, you cannot receive any compensation for damages. However, if your liability is 50 percent or lower, you can receive some money for your claim.
For example, suppose a jury found you were 20% to blame for a boat crash. However, the jurors awarded you $500,000 in damages. Because you are 20% at fault, your compensation is reduced by 20 percent.
Therefore, instead of receiving $500,000, you receive $400,000. That amount equals the total award less your 20% of fault.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Boat Accident Lawyer in San Antonio?
We understand that paying a retainer fee to hire a lawyer after an accident or personal injury is difficult. You might still be out of work recovering from your injuries. However, we do not want you to worry about how to pay for a lawyer after an accident.
Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee is a percentage of the amount recovered for your case. Instead of paying an upfront fee to hire a lawyer, you pay attorneys’ fees after we recover money for your claim.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After a Boating Accident in Texas?
The statute of limitations in Texas for most negligence claims is two years from the accident date. However, exceptions could change the deadline.
Do not risk losing your right to file a lawsuit after a boat accident. Instead, contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers as soon as possible after being involved in a boating accident.
What Should I Do After a Boating Accident in San Antonio?
If you are involved in a San Antonio boat accident:
- You are required by law to stop and render aid unless doing so would endanger your boat or passengers.
- You must provide your name and vessel identification to anyone injured and the owner of any damaged property.
- Report the boat accident to the appropriate authorities.
- If possible, take photographs of the damage to your boat and the accident scene, it can also be helpful to make a video with your cell phone.
- Law enforcement officers should instruct you on what to do when they complete their investigation.
- If operating your boat is dangerous, you need to have it towed to shore.
- Seek immediate medical treatment for your injuries.
- Document all damages by keeping copies of bills, receipts, and other documents.
- Call our law firm to schedule a free appointment with an attorney as soon as possible.
Contact A San Antonio Boating Accident Lawyer Today
Have you been injured in a boating accident on one of the many lakes near San Antonio, TX? If so, we want to help you receive compensation from the party who caused the boat accident. Call now for a free case review with one of our San Antonio boating accident lawyers.