A day on the water can be a relaxing and enjoyable time for everyone involved, as long as everyone acts responsibly and follow all applicable state regulations for the proper operation of watercraft. Unfortunately, there are far too many incidents every year where a careless boater causes severe or life-changing harm to others through their misconduct.
After a boating crash, speak with a personal injury attorney at The Kryder Law Group to understand and make effective use of your legal right to seek civil recovery. Once retained, your Elgin boat accident lawyer could ensure you are aware of every option in your unique situation and work diligently to secure the best possible case result on your behalf.
How Does Fault Work in Watercraft Crash Claims?
Many of the rules that apply to motor vehicle operators on land have analogues for operators of personal watercrafts. For example, different waterways have different speed limits measured in “knots” as opposed to “miles per hour,” and boating while intoxicated is just as illegal as driving a car in the same condition. Accordingly, anyone who violates state law while operating a watercraft and end up causing a collision may bear civil liability for all ensuing damages.
Establishing fault for a boat collision is not always straightforward, nor is there usually a single person 100 percent to blame for the incident. For instance, some injuries on the water stem from poor maintenance of a rented vessel or from a boat manufacturer producing a vessel with faulty parts, and others may stem from a combination of factors that implicate multiple parties.
Contributory Fault
In addition, people injured in water vessel wreck can sometimes bear partial or primary fault for their own accident. If this is the case, 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes §5/2-1116 allows a court ruling on the case to proportionately reduce a plaintiff’s final damage award or bar them from recovery altogether. An Elgin boat collision attorney’s assistance can be crucial both to proving someone else’s liability for a crash and countering allegations of comparative fault made against a plaintiff.
Recovering Compensation within Elgin Filing Deadlines
Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, anyone who does not start the civil litigation process within two years of sustaining a personal injury generally loses the right to recovery for any negative effects of that injury. Waiting too long to file suit could lead to recovery being impossible even if someone else is clearly to blame for the incident in question.
Help from a skilled watercraft crash attorney in Elgin can be vital to building a comprehensive claim within the time limits set out by state law.
Discuss Legal Options with an Elgin Boat Accident Attorney Now
Collisions between watercraft can be just as dangerous and possibly deadly as crashes between automobiles on land. Fortunately, you may have grounds to file suit against the party responsible for your accident and seek restitution for every form of harm you experienced as a result.
Assistance from an Elgin boat accident lawyer could be the difference between a successful resolution to your lawsuit or settlement demand and a frustrating experience that leaves you without any compensation at all. Schedule your initial consultation with The Kryder Law Group today.
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