Houston Boat Accident Attorney

Were you or someone you love injured while boating in Texas? Houston Boat Accident Attorney Hector Longoria has experience fighting the insurance companies to ensure his clients are fully compensated for their injuries. Call our office today for a free consultation and let his experience work for you.

Boating Accident Injuries in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas is a wonderful area for recreational boating. Lakes Houston and Conroe, as well as Sheldon Lake are very popular for those who enjoy spending time on the water. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, there are roughly 600,000 registered boats in Texas and each year, about 150 to 250 accidents involving those boats.

Compared to automobiles accidents, there is a relatively smaller number of boating accidents and fatalities. However, the vast majority of boating accidents are preventable. Most accidents involve lack of operator experience, carelessness, speeding, lack of attention, alcohol or a combination of several of those reasons. Additionally, many accidents that would only result in minor injury on land, can easily result in serious injury or death when involving a boat on the water.

For example, drowning is a real possibility anytime someone rides a boat and it only takes a few minutes of lack of oxygen for permanent brain damage to occur. Just a few minutes of unconsciousness underwater can easily lead to death or a lifetime or medical care due to severe brain injury. If a boater is lucky enough to fully recover from a boating accident, they may still have to deal with broken bones, lacerations and burns.

It’s unfortunate that what should be an enjoyable excursion on the water can lead to traumatic injury. No one understands this more than a Houston boat accident attorney, such as Hector Longoria.  He understands how dangerous boating accidents can be and how they’re usually the result of carelessness, negligence or recklessness of another. If you’re injured in a boating accident, he knows there’s usually someone responsible and can help you take full advantage of your legal rights.

What Kind of Boating Accidents Are Possible?

There are probably as many ways to get hurt in a boat as there are types of boats on the water. However, some of the most common types of boating accidents include:

• Drowning.
• Collisions with other boats or structure within the water, like a dock.
• Getting hit by a boat while swimming.
• Burns due to fire.
• The malfunction of defective boating equipment or the boat itself.

What to Do After a Boating Accident

If you become involved in an accident while operating a boat, Section 31.104 of the Parks and Wildlife Code requires that you provide assistance to those who might be injured and to minimize danger to others. You are also required to provide your contact information to anyone who was injured in the accident or whose property was damaged.

If the accident results in any injury, or property damage amounting to $2,000 or more, Section 31.105 states that you must also report the accident to a law enforcement agency or the Texas Parks and Wildlife within 30 days from the date of the accident. If the accident results in death, you must report it within 48 hours of the person dying.

Who May Be Liable for a Boating Injury?

Depending on the facts surrounding the accident and its cause, there can be any number of parties responsible for a boat related injury. Potentially responsible parties include:

• Boat operator.
• Boat owner.
• Boat manufacturer.
• Boating equipment manufacturer.
• Dock or marine owner.

What You Can Recover If You Are Injured in a Boating Accident

The types of harm you suffer will determine what damages are potentially available to you.  However, the following is just a partial list of what you could potentially recover:

• Medical expenses.
• Loss of income.
• Pain and suffering.
• Funeral expenses.
• Loss of companionship.
• Property damage.

Exactly what you may recover for will depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident and the harm you experienced. It takes an experienced skilled Houston boat accident attorney to fully identify the full extent of your potential legal recovery.

Steps You Can Take to Prevent Boating Accidents

If you’re hurt in a Houston boating accident, Hector Longoria knows how to help you get the compensation you deserve under the law. But as good as he is, he can’t remove your physical or emotional scars that may accompany an accident on the water. That’s why preventing a boat or water accident should be your primary goal. Luckily, most boating accidents are preventable. So by adhering to the following steps, you can significantly reduce the chances of getting hurt while boating.

• Drink responsibly and never operate (or let anyone else operate) a boat while under the influence of alcohol.
• Always wear a life preserver.
• Obtain boat safety training.
• Have your boat and related equipment inspected to ensure it is safe to operate and use.
• Watch out for carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Learn how to swim.

Do You Need to Speak with a Houston Boat Accident Attorney?

Call Houston boat accident attorney Hector Longoria today at 713-929-3996 (Houston) or 1-844-357-6337 (toll-free) for a free consultation. He will make sure that if you’re involved in a boating accident, your rights are protected and that you receive everything you’re entitled to under the law.