After boating accidents, jet skis are the second leading cause of vehicular accidents on the water. Obeying local waterway laws and wearing a lifejacket is your best course of action for avoiding a jet ski crash, but what happens if you’re still injured by a jet ski?
Head to any Texas lake or cruise on down to the Gulf of Mexico during the warm months and you’ll no doubt see a flotilla of jet skis on the water. As thrilling and as fun as jet skis can be, too often, they result in serious life-altering injury or even death. People can easily underestimate the power of a jet ski, and with many of them reaching speeds of up to 70 miles an hour, a poor decision or momentary loss of control can turn catastrophic in a split second.
Make Sure Everyone Is Safe
Just like in a car accident, the first priority is to make sure you and everyone else involved in the crash is safe. Water adds an extra level of danger, and the risk of drowning following a jet ski accident is incredibly high. Everyone should do their best to get out of the water. If someone is unconscious or injured, do your best to help them get out of the water and out of harm’s way.
If somebody is injured, call for medical attention as soon as possible. The person may have more serious internal injuries that need immediate medical attention.
Report The Accident
Under federal law, boating accidents that involve a death, serious injury, missing persons, or damages over $2,000 dollars must be reported to the authorities. Once everyone is out of danger following a jet ski accident, call the local authorities and inform them of what happened.
See A Doctor
Not all injuries are immediately apparent, neck, leg, back, and even some head injuries can take days to show up. If you were involved in a jet ski crash and think you might have an injury, see a doctor and get yourself checked out. Even if you received immediate treatment after the crash, it’s better to be safe than sorry and see a doctor for a follow-up. You’ll also want to document any injuries for insurance and possible legal counseling.
Consider Hiring An Attorney
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2020, there were over 5,000 watercraft accidents, and 22% of these involved personal watercraft such as jet skis. Jet ski accidents are always unpredictable and following an accident, you may need to consult a lawyer.
Just like in auto accidents, it’s not always clear right away who is at fault in a jet ski accident. An experienced legal team who has handled jet ski crashes before may be able to help minimize financial liability. Likewise, if you were involved in a jet ski crash and suffered an injury that was not your fault, it’s imperative you seek legal counsel. While financial compensation won’t be able to reverse the events that happened, it can help with medical bills, financial losses, and pain/suffering.
Contact the Malley team to learn more about how we can help.
