New Jersey Boat and Watercraft Accident Lawyers
New Jersey’s coastline extends over 130 miles and currently has over 170,000 registered boats. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there are over 100 Boat and Watercraft Accidents every year in New Jersey. Because occupants of boats are usually not restrained, boating accidents can have serious consequences especially if a boat capsizes, collides with an object affixed or floating in the water, a mishap with a water skier, strikes a submerged object or unexpectedly runs aground.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard statistics for 2014:
- There were 4,064 reported boating accidents that killed 610 people and injured 2,678.
- Of the 610 fatalities, 255 involved boat operators who had no formal instructions on how to operate the boats.
- That year in New Jersey there were 111 reported accidents causing three deaths and 77 injuries. The state had one the lowest fatality rates for boaters in the country.
The Coast Guard reports that the most common, major contributing factors to 2014 boating accidents were:
- Operator inattention
- Improper lookout
- Operator inexperience
- Excessive speed
- Alcohol use
- Machinery failure (mostly engine failure)
- Navigation rules violation.
The NJ Boat Accident Attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane and Noble understand how handling a boat requires a specific knowledge of maritime rules and procedures. They are also familiar with how boating accidents often occur. Most times boating accidents are a result of operator error. Either the operator is inexperienced, not paying attention, traveling too fast or has consumed too much alcohol. In the event that you were charged with DWI for boating while intoxicated in New Jersey, our DWI attorneys can help! Boating is serious business because the operator, the passengers and those on other boats are at risk of injuries and death if an accident occurs. Education of operators, especially those who may be inexperienced boat renters, makes essential.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a boating accident due to the negligence of another in New Jersey, call our attorneys at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble to analyze your case and assist you in preserving any evidence in determining why the accident occurred. Contact our New Jersey Boat and Watercraft Accident attorneys at the office of O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble. You can simply Contact us online or call 1-908-928-9200 or 1-800-586-5817 for a free no obligation consultation