Erie
Boat Accident Lawyer

On This Page

1. Our Boat Accident Lawyers in Erie, PA, Can Help You Build and Pursue Your Case
2. You Could Be Entitled To Several Different Types of Financial Damages
3. Our Boat Accident Attorneys in Erie, PA Handle Many Different Types of Cases
4. Schedule your Free Consultation with the Team at Berger and Green Today

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

January 01, 2023

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

If you or a loved one was injured in a boating accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries and other related losses. Boating accidents can result in serious injuries leading to costly medical bills and lost wages from time missed from work during your recovery process. Pursuing financial damages can help to cover those losses and get your life back on track. 

Our Erie boat accident lawyers are happy to provide initial advice about what you can claim during a free case review. If we can help, we provide our legal services on a no-win, no-fee basis, so there are no upfront fees to pay as we fund the cost of building and pursuing your case. 

Our Boat Accident Lawyers in Erie, PA, Can Help You Build and Pursue Your Case

There are many reasons people get injured while boating, whether on holiday, recreationally or at work. To claim compensation, you or your lawyer will need to prove another person or business did not behave with reasonable care (meaning they were negligent) to hold them liable. However, managing a complex legal case while coping with your injuries can be overwhelming. So this is where we can step in and help by:

Investigating the Cause of the Accident

Our attorneys will be able to investigate the facts of your case to help you determine who is at fault for the boating accident. Liable parties can include boat owners, boat operators, boat and equipment manufacturers, or an employer. We can also gather the evidence needed to support your case from the investigation. Evidence can include photographs or video footage of the accident scene, reports from boating authorities, eyewitness testimony, medical records, and financial records. 

Managing Case Administration and Communications between Parties

As well as guiding you through the legal process and answering your questions, we will manage the bulk of your case administration and communication with other parties. This could include:

• Talking with the at-fault party’s insurance company
• Working with your medical provider to ensure they provide the medical information needed to support your case
• Managing the day-to-day administration of your claim
• Gathering and organizing key evidence and records to calculate damages

Proving another Person or Business Was Responsible for Causing Your Injuries

Proving the carelessness or negligence of the other party is a crucial part of the legal process in order to recover compensation. We will need to show:

• The liable party had a responsibility to use reasonable care to prevent injuries to others
• The liable party failed to act as a safe or cautious person would act and caused an accident
• The accident caused your injuries
• You suffered physical, emotional, and financial loss as a result of being injured

In many cases, the fault between both parties is disputed. Other factors, such as complex insurance and maritime laws, can also apply to your case, so proving negligence is not always easy. This is where the assistance of our legal team can be beneficial. 

Calculating the Financial Extent of Your Injuries and Other Losses

To evaluate whether or not a settlement offer is fair, you will need to know the financial extent of your losses beforehand. In addition, you must consider any losses you may incur in the future due to ongoing medical bills or reduced earning capacity if your injuries impact your ability to work. Our attorneys will evaluate every aspect of how the accident affected you and ensure all your losses are accounted for. 

Negotiating For an Appropriate Settlement

Once liability is established, insurance companies typically argue for a reduction in the amount claimed. This is because there is always scope for disagreement regarding damages such as pain and suffering, as they are not easily defined. 

Further, the insurer will likely seek to protect its financial interests by paying out as little as possible. Our job is to protect your best interests in settlement negotiations. As such, we draw on over 40 years of experience in helping clients with their injury claims to arrive at the best outcome for you. 

You Could Be Entitled To Several Different Types of Financial Damages

• Current and future medical bills and treatment costs related to your injury
• Rehabilitation costs such as physical therapy or counseling 
• Lost income due to time missed from work while you recover
• Compensation for reduced earning capacity if your injuries impact your ability to work in the future
• Pain and suffering for the physical and emotional harm caused by your injuries
• Loss of enjoyment of life if the injury affects activities you enjoy 
• Property damage or loss

If the accident caused the loss of a loved one, close family members may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover financial damages.

Our Boat Accident Attorneys in Erie, PA Handle Many Different Types of Cases

In 2021, the Coast Guard attended 4,439 accidents which caused 658 fatalities and 2,641 injuries, according to their most recent annual report. The following factors caused most boating accidents:

• Operator inattention
• Operator inexperience
• Alcohol or drug use
• Improper lookout
• Machinery failure
• Faulty or missing safety equipment such as life jackets
• Excessive speed
• The force of a wave or wake
• Navigation rules violation
• Hazardous waters
• Weather

Victims of boating accidents can be injured in slip or fall accidents or if their boat collides with another vessel or fixed objects such as moorings. They can also fall overboard, resulting in serious injuries or worse. 

How Long Do I Have To File My Case?

The time limit for filing a boating accident personal injury claim is generally two years per Pennsylvania law per Pa. C.S.A. § 5524. After this it gets hard to pursue legal action so contacting a lawyer as soon as possible is ideal. At Berger and Green we will work our hardest ensuring all of your deadlines are met well before they come up.

Schedule your Free Consultation with the Team at Berger and Green Today

Pursuing compensation after being injured in a boating accident caused by someone else’s negligence can be challenging for you and your family. This is why we are here to help. To learn more about your legal options, schedule a free consultation with our team today.