Seattle Personal Injury Lawyers
Boating & Maritime Accidents
If you have been hurt in an accident involving a boat or personal watercraft, contact us and
tell us your story. We are waiting to help you rebuild your life after an accident.
The boating & maritime accident attorneys at Brett Murphy - Washington's Injury Lawyers understand the unique laws governing boating accidents. Personal injury attorney Bill Coats graduated from a special Admiralty and Maritime law program at Tulane Law School with a concentration on this type of claim. Whether a boating accident occurred because of human error, dangerous equipment or vessels, collisions, fires, falls overboard or explosions, the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Brett Murphy can help recover prompt, fair and just compensation.
In 2002, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) reported more than 750 recreational boating fatalities, 4,062 injuries and over $39 million in property damage. This includes open/cabin motor boats, personal watercraft (PWC), canoes/kayaks, pontoon boats and rowboats. Open motorboats and PWCs account for more than one-third of new boat sales and the highest incident of injury and death. The PWC is unique since it is the only type of recreational vessel for which the leading cause of fatalities is not drowning, but blunt force trauma.
States have responded to boating safety concerns with legislation governing minimum age requirements, stringent criteria and guidelines for reporting boating accidents, and standards for vessel manufacture and operation. Manufacturers’ errors can contribute to boating accidents and design/build defects have included problems with motors, electrical systems, navigational lights, ignitions, carbon monoxide, fuel systems, Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) and ventilation.
WHAT BRETT MURPHY ATTORNEYS CAN DO FOR YOU
Our goal is help personal injury clients receive prompt, fair and just compensation for their injuries from boating accidents.
The injury attorneys at Brett Murphy have the experience and training to effectively counsel injured boaters and their families. Our firm has successfully handled boating accident claims involving injuries to crew members, passengers and longshoremen. We also help families across Washington State from our offices in Seattle, Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Tacoma, Vancouver, and Spokane.
In addition to representing injured passengers on private and commercial boats, Brett Murphy attorneys help seamen who are hurt on-the-job. Our personal injury lawyers fight to ensure that crew receive the benefits to which they are entitled including maintenance, care and unearned wages.
Do not wait until it is too late to seek legal advice. If you have suffered an injury in a boating accident, contact our office today. We offer a free initial evaluation of your claim. You may be entitled to compensation. Our attorneys will negotiate a prompt and just settlement or fight aggressively to ensure that you receive full maximum compensation in accordance with the law.
At Brett Murphy, our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers give proactive attention to the needs of each boat accident client. We help by coordinating medical payments, organizing documentation and supporting each client through the sometimes difficult claims process. Since insurance companies know our firm’s determination to litigate cases when a settlement offer is inadequate, we are usually able to resolve most personal injury claims through negotiation. Call the personal injury attorneys at Brett Murphy today at (888) 778-8851, 360-714-0900, or contact us via our online form.
Frequently Asked Questions about Boating and Maritime Accidents.
