As the weather warms over the next few months, more and more people will pull their boats out of storage and hit the lakes.  And why wouldn’t they?  Texas has more 300 navigable lakes, more square miles of inland water than any other state, and over 600,000 registered boats.  However, Texas only recently implemented mandatory boater education, and even then, it only applies to those born after September 1, 1993.  This means that there are a lot of boats on the water, a lot of operators without proper safety training, and thus the potential for a lot of serious injuries.

For example, in 2011 (the most recently reported statistics), the Coast Guard reported that there were 4,588 accidents involving 758 deaths, 3081 injuries, and approximately $52 million in property damage nationally.  In Texas alone, there were 197 accidents, 34 deaths, 105 injuries, and nearly $1.3 million in property damages.  Importantly, the top four primary contributing factors in these accidents were operator inattention, improper lockout, operator inexperience, and excessive speed.  Or more simply put, these accidents were caused by the negligence of the boat operators.  This means that if you have been harmed in a boating accident, there is a strong likelihood that you were not at fault and may be able to recover for your injuries.

If you have been injured or harmed in a recreational boating accident, a prompt investigation is critical, so that key witnesses can be interviewed, physical evidence can be preserved, and your rights can be protected.  Therefore, if you or a loved one are involved in boating accident, the attorneys at Powers Taylor can help you obtain compensation for the injuries sustained.