Residents and visitors to Marietta enjoy filling their time with outdoor activities on the waters of Lake Acworth, Lake Allatoona, and the Chattooga River. Unfortunately, a good time can quickly go bad when boaters drink alcohol, flout safety laws, or act carelessly. Yet, those injured in boating accidents have legal recourse options.
If a boating wreck hurt you, a Marietta boating accident lawyer can recover compensation from the at-fault party. You shouldn’t have to carry the financial responsibility all on your own. Call Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group for a free case review as soon as possible. Our team of compassionate legal professionals can explain your rights and break down the laws pertaining to your case.
Table OF Content
Our Lawyers Take Your Marietta Boating Case With No Upfront Fees
We focus on bringing justice to victims of personal injury who have suffered due to the negligence of others. Our accident lawyers serving Marietta dedicate themselves to recovering the money you need to take care of your medical bills, keep a roof over your head, and give you comfort and stability as you heal.
We work hard to build a compelling case that demands the compensation you deserve, and it won’t cost you anything upfront. The boating accident attorneys at our firm work for a contingency fee, meaning we only collect payment if we win your case.
You would pay our Marietta injury firm from the settlement we help you obtain. Justice shouldn’t have a price tag, so we make legal services financially accessible to anyone who wants it.
We Offer Proactive Legal Help for Our Boating Accident Clients in Marietta
Our boat accident lawyers take a proactive approach to every case. We don’t wait for the opposing party to set the tone. We calculate our moves carefully and prepare for potential outcomes to stay in front of your case and ahead of our adversaries.
When you work with our legal team serving Marietta, we ensure your medical treatment costs, lost income, and other losses from your accident are well accounted for before going to the insurance company with our demands. Knowing the value of your case is crucial to receiving a fair payout. We never let the insurer tell us what your case is worth, especially since insurers routinely undervalue claims.
Further, as we conduct a workup of your boating accident, we search for multiple avenues of compensation from liable parties, not just those directly involved in the accident. Knowing who to go after is paramount in recovering be money you deserve.
Our Marietta Watercraft Accident Lawyers Seek Compensation
Before we can pursue damages for your injuries, we must understand your losses. Our team takes a detailed look at your financial expenses, your physical injuries, and your emotional losses to determine what you deserve.
It’s our goal to ensure you get fully compensated for the harm you suffered. Recoverable damages in your case may comprise:
Lost Income and Job-Related Benefits
If you cannot work due to your injury, you could recover any job-related income, including tips, bonuses and hourly rates. We evaluate your employment records and job history to learn what you’re owed.
Diminished Future Earning Ability
If you can return to work, you could only do so at a reduced capacity.
This could mean:
- You cannot work as many hours as you once did
- Missing promotions
- Having to take a different position
- Requiring assistance with certain activities
Your boat accident lawyer serving Marietta can secure compensation for your reduced earning potential. Just like with your lost income, we can use your employment records and other information to pursue what you need.
Current and Future Medical Bills
Affording medical care may seem close to impossible, even if you have health insurance coverage.
Recoverable healthcare damages include:
- Surgeries
- Hospitalization
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Mental health services
- Assistive medical devices
- Doctors’ visits
Your settlement could also include coverage for damages you haven’t incurred yet. We consult with your healthcare team to learn about what you need to make a full recovery.
Property Damage
Your boating accident may have caused damage to your boat, jet ski, or boating equipment. Property damage resulting from the accident qualifies for compensation.
Pain and Suffering
The physical trauma of the accident may have left you with severe pain or disabilities. You can receive damages for these physical injuries, whether those conditions involve soft-tissue injuries, broken bones, burns, or spinal cord trauma. The law also recognizes that traumatic experiences, such as boating accidents, can leave victims with emotional injuries as well.
Compensation for pain and suffering accounts for the accident’s toll on your quality of life. Some attorneys use the term “pain and suffering” as a catch-all phrase for various non-economic damages, including scarring, disability, and disfigurement. Our team can evaluate your boating accident and injuries to learn what you need.
Georgia Imposes a Two-Year Filing Deadline on Boating Accident Cases
We recommend promptly considering your options after a boating accident in Marietta. That’s because the state limits how long you have to file a lawsuit. Per Georgia law, you generally have two years from the accident’s date to seek financial recovery through a lawsuit.
Your lawyer wants ample time to build your boating accident case. Here, they can investigate the accident, speak to witnesses, gather evidence of your losses, retain experts to validate your claims, and file your case in court.
An exception may exist to the legal deadline, but there is no guarantee. Speaking with a member of our legal team is a good way to find out when your deadline is. When we take your case, our boating and watercraft accident lawyers file your case on time to preserve your right to damages.
Our Marietta Boat Accident Attorneys Identify the Liable Party
The boating accident attorneys at our firm can determine who is financially responsible for your injuries. By law, if another party’s negligence caused your accident, they could bear financial liability for your losses. It’s possible that liability rests with multiple people or entities, depending on the collision’s cause and other contributing factors.
Liable parties in your case could include:
- The boat’s operator. The person manning the other vessel at the time of the accident could be liable if they acted carelessly. A lack of training is a major factor in many boat accidents. A report from the U.S. Coast Guard also identifies inattention, improper lookout, and speeding as other factors for accidents.
- The boat or personal watercraft’s owner. Failing to properly maintain a vessel could make the boat owner liable for any accidents resulting from malfunction. The owner of the watercraft may also bear responsibility if they left the boat in the care of someone who was not trained, licensed, of mature age, or properly supervised.
- The watercraft’s manufacturer. Vessel defects or failures could leave the manufacturer of the watercraft on the hook for damages.
- A rental company. Boating, jet skiing, and other watercraft rentals must meet specific standards. The rental company must keep the watercraft in working order, provide safety equipment to renters, and ensure renters receive legally required education. In addition, they must only rent to operators who are of legal boating age.
Our boating and watercraft accident attorneys can perform a thorough investigation to identify the cause of your boat accident and who is liable.
We Manage Boating Accident Cases Resulting From These Situations
A boating accident can occur in many ways.
A Marietta boat accident lawyer at our firm can help you seek financial compensation in cases that involve:
- Falling overboard
- A crash with another watercraft or a fixed structure
- Boat explosions and fires
- Capsizing or sinking watercraft
- Drowning
- Propeller accidents
- Alcohol
- Boat theft
- Jet ski accidents
- Surfing, water skiing, parasailing, kitesurfing, or other watersports
- Individual divers, swimmers, and snorkelers struck by watercraft
This is not a comprehensive list. We accept a host of cases. If you have a boating accident that does not match any of the descriptions above, you can reach out to our law office to discuss the specifics of your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boating Accidents in Marietta
Even if you’ve worked with a lawyer before, you could have many questions about recovering compensation for your losses. We pride ourselves on offering the answers you need to make decisions moving forward. You may ask:
How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Boating Accident Case?
Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group intends to resolve your case as quickly as possible. This means dealing with uncooperative claims adjusters, investigating your collision, and itemizing your losses. It also means recognizing any threats to your case.
When it comes to personal injury cases in general, it could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to resolve your claim. We encourage you to remain patient during this challenging time. Hastily accepting a settlement offer does more than end your case; it could also mean walking away with less money than you deserve.
What Injuries Allow Me to Recover Damages?
If you suffered injuries in a boating accident that required medical care, you can recoup damages through a claim or lawsuit.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that these injuries commonly result from boating accidents:
- Near-fatal drownings
- Burns
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Hypothermia
- Spinal cord trauma
- Soft-tissue injuries, including strains and sprains
- Internal organ damage
- Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions
We also advocate for families who have lost loved ones.
How Much Could I Recover Through a Claim or Lawsuit?
Our attorneys intend to recover everything you need. Yet, exactly how much you can recover depends on your situation.
When calculating your losses, we can consider:
- The severity of your condition
- Your estimated recovery period
- Your lost income and time missed from work
- Your out-of-pocket losses (such as childcare expenses)
- The liable insurance policy
- Your anticipated healthcare costs
We aim to recover everything you need.
What Should I Do After a Boating Accident in Marietta?
Seek medical attention after your boating accident. Firstly, it helps you fully recover from your condition. Also, the information you get from your healthcare provider (such as your X-rays) could benefit your case.
Other considerations in the aftermath of your accident include:
Following Your Doctor’s Orders
Visiting the doctor in the aftermath of your collision is one thing. Following their instructions is an entirely separate matter.
These instructions may involve:
- Attending physical therapy
- Taking medications as prescribed
- Going to follow-up appointments
- Taking time off from work or school as recommended
- Limiting your physical activity
Following your doctor’s treatment plan shows the insurer that you’re committed to making a full recovery. Failing to do so could raise some suspicions about your case, mainly, that you’re not as injured as you claim.
Keeping All Information Related to Your Case
Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group can investigate your accident and gather the evidence needed to bolster your claim.
Yet, as your case progresses, you may also come into possession of key evidence, such as:
- Written communications between you and the insurer
- Receipts and bills for out-of-pocket expenses
- Photos of the boat’s damage
- Your imaging scans and lab test results
- The names of your prescribed medications
We need the information to prove the other party’s negligence, as well as the cost of your damages.
Considering Your Legal Options
Suffering a boating accident was hard enough. You shouldn’t have to navigate the process alone, too. That’s where our law firm comes in. We can take care of everything your case entails, from its initial filing to its conclusion. As noted, we offer free case reviews where we can discuss your situation.
Reach Out to Our Boating Injury Lawyers Serving Marietta
No matter the cause, if someone else caused your boating accident, you can count on a personal injury attorney in Marietta to hold them accountable. A Marietta boating accident lawyer at our firm can work tirelessly to get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free case review at (678) 235-3861.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation Today!
Client Testimonial
"Great team! Professional and Caring employees." -Noella Hollie. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Read more of our Google reviews!