Boating accidents happen often in Alabama and Mississippi waters. Common boating accidents include collisions with other boats or swimmers. They can also include injuries received on a boat, such as falling overboard or injuries due to fire or malfunction.
If you are injured in a boating accident, your first course of action is to contact the proper authorities and file an accident report. Your next course of action is to call an attorney.
Mobile, Alabama personal injury attorneys, Braswell Murphy, are skilled in handling personal injury claims based on boating accidents. We can review your situation and counsel you on your rights to recovery for your injuries.
Alabama And Mississippi Personal Injury Claims
Alabama boating law and Mississippi boating law require the use of care in open waters. If a boating accident occurs, in most cases someone did not exercise care – which gives rise to a personal injury claim. When courts decide personal injury claims based on boating accidents, they hear the facts and make decisions about:
- How much care all the parties owed each other
- What party and what lack of care caused the boating accident
- What injuries occurred as a result of the boating accident
- Who should pay what to whom based on fault
If more than one party to a boating accident caused the accident, courts could order all parties at fault to pay based on their share of the fault.
When A Boating Accident Occurs
If you own a boat and have not taken Coast Guard classes on boating safety, then make a point to do so. The Coast Guard and other marine law enforcement agencies offer classes on boating safety that discuss protocols to follow when boating accidents occur.
In general, boat operators must take the following steps in the event of an Alabama boating accident or a Mississippi boating accident:
- First, boat operators must stop their boat immediately and offer assistance to any injured parties unless doing so could cause serious injury to his or her own boat and/or its passengers.
- Next, the boat operator must exchange contact information with anyone injured in the boating accident.
- Finally, the boat operator must submit a written report to marine law enforcement.
For Alabama boating accidents, the marine law enforcement agency is the Alabama Marine Police Division. For Mississippi boating accidents, the marine law enforcement agency is the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks if the accident occurs north of Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) or the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources if the accident occurs south of Interstate Highway 10 (I-10).
Alabama law gives boat operators 10 days to file a report. Mississippi law gives boat operators 5 days to file a report unless someone dies, in which case the report must be filed in 48 hours.
Calling A Lawyer
After you have properly filed an Alabama boating accident report or a Mississippi boating accident report within the required timeframe, contact Mobile, Alabama personal injury attorneys, Braswell Murphy. We will review your accident report and the facts of your situation to determine your best course of action to recover your losses. Mobile, Alabama personal injury attorneys, Braswell Murphy, specialize in Alabama boating accident and Mississippi boating accident cases.
Attorney Kasie Braswell’s top-notch litigation skills and winning trial record have landed her such top accolades as a Rising Star from Alabama Super Lawyers and “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Attorney from the National Trial Lawyers Association. Ms. Braswell is also a member of the elite Million Dollar Advocates Forum ® and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum ® – designations reserved for premier attorneys who have won million-dollar and multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Fewer than 1% of U.S. lawyers belong to either forum.
Attorney Brian Murphy is an experienced personal injury lawyer and holds top leadership positions throughout the Alabama legal community. Alabama Super Lawyers recognized Mr. Murphy’s legal expertise in personal injury law and named him a Rising Star. Braswell Murphy has represented many clients just in a multitude of personal injury claims.
Contact the lawyers at Braswell Murphy today for a free consultation.
