Northern California Boat Accident Lawyer 

At the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley, our boating accident lawyers have extensive experience. Our Chico, Roseville, Sacramento, Redding, and Yuba City offices are situated near Lake Shasta and Lake Tahoe - both popular destinations for boaters and water sport fans. In the event of a boating accident, you have rights.

As with an auto accident or trucking accident claim, the injured parties in a boating accident can seek restitution for damages. If you or someone you love has been injured in a boating accident - either as a result of another party's negligence or through other circumstances, such as a product defect - we can provide you with legal counsel and aggressive representation. Boating accident litigation is complex and the defendants in such cases can vary widely - seek counsel from a professional.

Schedule a consultation by submitting your information, or call (530) 413-0245 to speak with us today! 

Damages and Eligibility

You may be eligible for financial compensation if you or someone you love was injured in a boating accident. If it can be shown that another party was negligent, reckless, or failed to live up to a duty owed, then the victim can file suit against the liable party or parties for damages. The liable party may be another boater, the manufacturer or designer of a defective product, a business, or other type of defendant.

It's important to note that every boating accident case is unique and there's no guarantee that the plaintiff will recover damages. That being said, plaintiffs in personal injury cases can typically file for damages relating to medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering. This includes future medical expenses relating to the victim's injury, as well as partial or full loss of future income. In the tragic event of a wrongful death, the decedent's family may be able to file suit on his or her behalf for damages relating to medical expenses, funeral expenses, loss of income, and emotional pain and suffering. To establish your eligibility for damages, we must first establish liability.

Establishing Liability

Our goal is to obtain the best possible recovery on your behalf, and to do this we must first determine fault. As there are a multitude of factors that can lead to a boating accident, the lawyers at our Chico, Roseville, Sacramento, and Redding offices work with top experts in the fields of biomechanical engineering, maritime engineering, accident investigation, accident reconstruction, forensics, and psychology to establish liability in accident cases. The cause of the accident will in part dictate the field of litigation, and whether a third party is named as a defendant or not.

If you own a private watercraft and were involved in an accident with another private watercraft, you can file suit against the other party; if you were a passenger on a commercial boat and were involved in an accident, you can file suit against the boat owner and operator. It may also be possible to file suit against the manufacturer or designer of a boat, jet ski, or other craft if it can be shown that the product suffered a manufacturing defect, was inherently dangerous, or potentially dangerous and the manufacturer or designer failed to warn you of such dangers.

Victims' Rights

Victims of negligence and recklessness have rights. At the Law Offices of Larry S. Buckley, our boat accident lawyers in Northern California do everything that we can in the interest of our clients. If you are unable to pay for medical expenses incurred as a result of your accident, we work with a network of board-certified doctors, therapists, and medical professionals that can provide you with the medical care that you need, advancing treatment costs until after a verdict or settlement has been reached on your behalf. We undertake these extra steps because we have an unwavering commitment to customer service - you can expect this level of service from us every day.

Contact Our Boating Accident Lawyers at (530) 413-0245

Our team has the resources and expertise to take on the insurance industry and large corporate entities. Whether your suit involves a private party as a defendant or a large business, we can take on your claim and ensure that your legal rights are protected. A consultation at our office is always free and we advance all legal costs and accept no payment for our services unless we are able to successfully recover damages on your behalf.

Boating Accident FAQ

• What is the statute of limitations for filing a boating accident claim? 
  The statute of limitations for a boat accident claim is how much time you have from the date of your accident to when you can file a claim for compensation against the liable party. It can sometimes begin on the date that your injuries first become reasonably noticeable or are diagnosed. Statutes of limitations vary from state to state, but, here in California, you will usually have two years from the point of your boat accident to begin your claim. If you have to name a government entity as a defendant, though, then the statute of limitations could be much shorter, possibly down to only a few months. For example, if you were hit by a Coast Guard vessel that was being sailed negligently, then you might have a slim window to file a claim. Taking action quickly by speaking with an attorney soon after your accident is highly advisable.
• Who owes you compensation for your boating accident injuries? 
  The party that owes you compensation after being hurt in a boat accident is called the liable party. They could be virtually anyone who contributed to your boat accident, such as another boater, a passenger, or even a boat manufacturing company that sold an unsafe part or vessel. As the claimant, the task of proving liability falls upon you and your attorney. If you cannot negotiate a settlement out of court, then you must convince the court that the defendant caused your accident to the degree that you say they did. The defendant does not have to prove that they did not.
• What damages can be recovered in a boating accident case? 
  Damages in a boat accident case are the losses experienced by you as the victim. Financial losses are called economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages. Losses that are more abstract are called non-economic damages, such as your pain, suffering, and permanent disability after the accident. Most claimants will file a personal injury or boating accident injury claim for their past and future medical bills, past and future lost income, pain, and suffering. They will also often file a property damage claim for costs associated with repairing or replacing their vessels, but this claim is technically handled separately from their personal injury claims.

Recommended Reading

• Summer Boating Safety Tips