While boating is a popular activity that provides people with an outlet to relax and spend time with family and friends, boating accidents are unfortunately a common occurrence and often result in severe injury or death.

While each contributing factor of individual boating accidents can be unique, there are various cases that are common among boat accidents.

Typically, a person on a boat falls overboard, the boat collides with another object or the boat capsizes. Boating accidents can cause extreme injuries, including traumatic brain injuries.

If you are injured in a boating accident, not only can the party responsible be held accountable based on negligence, but it also is possible they violated state, federal, or maritime laws. It’s important for boating accident victims and their families to know when these different laws come into play.

The main cause of boating accidents leading to death is collisions both with other watercraft and collisions with stationary objects, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Below are the top 10 reasons, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, for boating accidents. They include:

• Distracted Boat Captain or Operator.
• Driving the Boat while Under the Influence.
• Equipment Malfunction.
• Adverse Weather Conditions.
• Boat Operator Inexperience.
• Driving a Boat at Excessive Speeds.
• Boat is Overloaded.
• Improper Lookout.
• Violation of Navigational Rules
• Reckless driving by the operator

You should seek medical attention if you are involved in a boating accident, even if you think you feel fine and do not show any immediate injury.

Some injuries are apparent, but others can stay dormant for days or months and if your injury shows up later, it can be difficult to prove it was a result of the boat accident.

If you are involved in a boating accident you should:

•      Make sure your passengers are safe and make sure no one has fallen overboard.
•      Call for help.
•      Gather information.
•     Notify your insurance company.

Hiring a boat accident lawyer ensures your legal rights are protected.

Boating accident injury lawyers are specialized personal injury attorneys who will guide you through the complex legal proceedings associated with these types of cases.

Cooper Levenson is a full-service law firm established in 1957. The firm includes 70 attorneys with offices in Atlantic City and Cherry Hill, N.J.; New York, N.Y.; Wilmington, Del.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla, and Las Vegas, Nev. Randolph Lafferty, and Kathleen Beers are personal injury attorneys and can be reached at (609) 572-7788.