Drowning - When fatal boating accidents occur, 75% of those are because the victim drowned. And the main reason for drowning in these cases was because the victim was not wearing a life jacket. Drowning can happen even if the person is a strong swimmer. They could have been knocked unconscious or been stuck under debris from the boat crash. Nearly drowning can also cause lifelong incapacitation.
If you lost a loved one because they were not wearing a life jacket when they went overboard and there weren’t life jackets available, you could bring a wrongful death case to the boat’s owner. It’s a law that all passengers must have access to a life jacket that is the correct size and in good working order while aboard a vessel. The law is far stricter for children. In most states, children under 12 years of age must wear a lifejacket at all times while underway on any vessel.
Traumatic brain injuries - A common injury during a boating accident is a traumatic brain injury. This can happen from the force of the impact when two vessels collide. A traumatic brain injury could also result from a lack of oxygen while underwater or exposure to carbon monoxide.
Spinal cord injuries - Spinal cord injuries can happen in several ways. First, the impact of a collision can be forceful enough to cause damage to your spinal cord. Second, if you are forcefully slammed around on a boat due to waves or the wake from another boat, you could be injured and face lifelong pain and suffering.
Electrocution - When you have a significant collision in a boat, electrical components from the electrical systems and appliances aboard the vessel could contact water and cause electrical burns and other severe injuries.
Lacerations and amputation - Coming into contact with a boat’s propeller blades is a recipe for disaster. The human body is no match for this kind of equipment. If the force of the boat crash causes someone to come into contact with a boat propeller, it can cause severe lacerations and loss of life or limb.
The risk of boat propeller injuries outside of a collision can be dramatically reduced if a boat’s captain never allows passengers to board or exit the boat while the engine runs and informs passengers where the boat propeller is located. Furthermore, a responsible boat operator will use extreme caution when near other boats that are towing skiers or tubers and will never enter swimming zones.