Personal watercraft like jet skis are one of the country’s most favored forms of recreation activities in the open water, usually linked to high adrenaline, beach-partying fun. Every year, the number of jet skis out on the country’s oceans, lakes, and rivers, keeps on increasing. Unfortunately, so do the number of accidents involving jet skis and other watercraft.
The state parks, open-sea beaches, and diving sites make the Outer Banks, NC, a popular holiday and water recreation destination. If you or a loved one is the victim of a jet skiing accident in North Carolina, you must contact an experienced watercraft accident attorney to understand and protect your rights.
People hardly realize that recreational watercraft are the reason behind a much higher number of severe injuries than any other type of boating accident. You may be legally entitled to claim financial compensation for your injuries in a jet ski accident, so read on for a proper understanding of the process.
Types of Jet Ski Accidents
Human error is the topmost cause of jet ski accidents. You may not be able to recover much in the way of financial compensation if you are the one mainly responsible for your accident. However, if you can prove someone else’s negligence or fault, for your jet ski crash injuries, you may have a claim. These are some of the common types of jet ski accidents:
- Accidents involving other jet skis
- Accidents involving boats
- Accidents involving fixed objects, like a pier
- Defect in the jet ski engine or other components
- Capsizing
- Fire
Typical Injuries in Jet Ski Collisions
Jet ski accidents mostly result in grievous injuries because the riders are completely exposed, during water recreation activities. Accidents occurring out on the water where medical help is not readily available adds to the disaster. Common jet ski injuries include:
- Traumatic head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Drowning
- Hypothermia
- Fractured bones
- Amputated limbs and digits
- Torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Burns
The first and foremost thing to do after sustaining injuries in a jet ski accident is to seek immediate medical help, even if it is simple first aid. It may take time to shift you to a hospital because of the location of the accident. Even if you feel you are not in any immediate need of medical care, you must consult with a doctor as soon as you can.
Some injuries manifest themselves much later and can be far worse than they might appear in the beginning. A physician will be able to run tests to be in a better position to ensure that you heal properly and quickly. Moreover, a record of your doctor’s visit, and that of your injuries, will be helpful if you need to file a compensation claim for your jet ski collision injuries.
Compensation You Can Recover in a Jet Ski Accidents
If you have sustained injuries in a jet ski accident due to someone else’s negligence, you can recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability
- Long-term health care expenses
- Loss of future earning potential
- Loss of enjoyment of life
What Do You Need to Bring a Jet Ski Accident Injury Claim?
Before you file a compensation claim for your injuries and other damages in a jet ski accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you need to meet all of the components of a negligence case, which include:
- The other party had a duty toward you
- The other party violated that duty
- Your injuries were caused by the actions or inaction of the other party
- You suffered losses and damages
Evidence Required for a Viable Injury Claim
To support each of these elements and establish your claim, you will be required to produce evidence. The evidence could include:
- Photographs
- Your statements
- Eyewitness statements
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Accident reconstruction reports
- Medical expert’s reports
- Wage slips and income tax returns
Problems with Filing a Jet Ski Accident Claim
Filing a successful financial compensation case for your jet ski accident injuries is not easy, as you may need to fend off questions regarding negligence and liability on your part. If you are found to be at fault, even if partially, it could effectively reduce the amount of compensation you may be able to recover. While it may turn out to be quite a difficult task to identify the at-fault person and hold them responsible, there might also be issues with insurance coverage.
You will also need to keep in mind the time limit stipulated by the statute of limitations to bring a personal injury claim against a negligent party. Identifying and gathering all the evidence in time and then trying to wade through the complex litigation process can be overwhelming in the best of times, leave alone when you are trying to recover from the physical, emotional, mental, and financial costs of your jet ski accident injuries.
Connect with a North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney
You need not face the overwhelming claims process all by yourself. The accomplished North Carolina personal injury attorneys at Shapiro, Appleton & Washburn, are at hand to help and guide you in your quest for fair and rightful compensation for your injuries in an Outer Banks jet ski accident.
Call us at 800-752-0042 or contact us online today and let us connect you with an attorney to evaluate your claim. Act now, time may be running out.
References:
https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/library/duty-to-report-in-north-carolina-boating-accidents.cfm
https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/blog/fatal-jet-ski-injury-in-north-carolina-kills-virginia-man.cfm
https://www.hsinjurylaw.com/blog/boating-accidents-have-safety-lessons-to-teach.cfm
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