Who Is Liable In A Las Vegas Boating Accident?
Because of its glorious weather and stunning lakes, Nevada is an attractive destination for domestic and international boating and fishing enthusiasts. Las Vegas weather is perfect for enjoying boating year-round. Boats are owned and operated in the city for pleasure, business, and fishing. However, a fun outing on the water can quickly become a tragedy when a boating accident occurs.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, most boating accidents result from human error and negligence. The leading causes of boat accidents in Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas include inexperienced and unlicensed operators, operator inattention, improper lookout, speeding, alcohol consumption, inadequate boat maintenance, and poor weather conditions.
Nevada Boating Laws and Regulations
A person operating a personal watercraft (PWC) in Nevada must be at least fourteen.
Additionally, a person operating a vessel that is towing a person on water skis, a surfboard, or any other device must be at least sixteen years of age or at least fourteen years of age and have on board a person at least eighteen years of age in a position to supervise the operator.
Vessel operators required to have a Boater Education Card must carry the card on board the vessel and have it available for inspection by an enforcement officer. Not taking your Boater Education Card when required can result in a fine.
Nevada law enforcement officers patrol the waterways to make the boating experience safe and pleasant.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, federal law requires the boat owner to file a boating accident report with the state if someone was injured, died, disappeared, or property damage exceeds $2,000. Generally, boating accidents must be reported within forty-eight hours if injuries occur.
Liability In A Boating Accident In Las Vegas
Nevada boat owners and operators are legally responsible for ensuring the safety of their crew members, passengers, and people in other boats in close vicinity. When they fail in this duty of care, they can be held liable for injuries, property damage, and even loss of life.
Injured victims have a legal right to file financial claims against responsible parties and recover compensation for damages.
Determining liability in a boating accident is complex and requires thorough expert investigation. A boating accident lawyer can investigate and collect evidence on your behalf. Your attorney can also determine how much compensation you are entitled to for your injuries and damages.
As water tends to wash away all the accident traces, it becomes quite challenging for even experts to reconstruct the accident.
Liable Parties In Las Vegas Boating Accident
In a typical Las Vegas boating accident, usually, one or many of the following parties can be held liable:
The Owner Of The Boat
An owner of a boat can be held responsible for damages for not carrying out timely maintenance of the vessel or for hiring inexperienced or unlicensed operators and crew members.
The Operator Of The Boat
When an operator of a boat in Nevada waters fails to provide reasonable safety for the passengers or crew members or when the operator is reckless and shows scant regard for the maritime laws and boating regulations, he or she can be held liable for the accident.
The Manufacturer Of The Boat/Vessel
If a defective part or component causes a boating accident, the boat manufacturing company or the individual manufacturer of a particular piece can be liable for damages.
The manufacturers can be held responsible for design flaws, too, if any.
The Rental Company
Rental companies or persons who lease boats out can be held liable for damages if they fail to properly maintain the boat’s operational or safety equipment or train boat operators, crew, and passengers.
Most reputed companies have stringent maintenance and operating schedules for their equipment, but that doesn’t mean that the accident may not have been caused by negligence on their behalf.
These entities can also be held liable for leasing out the vessel to someone not qualified to operate it.
Passenger
A Passenger can be held liable for being reckless or for preventing the operator or a crew member from fulfilling their duty.
When a passenger disregards or violates safety protocols, it’s not only the other people on board that can be impacted. Other boaters and watercraft users, and even swimmers along the lake shore, can also experience injury, loss of property, or life.
Pacific West Injury Law – We Help You Navigate The Murky Waters Of Personal Injury Law
If you’ve been injured in a Las Vegas boating accident, you don’t want to settle for an inexperienced lawyer who has never seen a boat.
Claim adjusters are masters at interviewing victims when they are most vulnerable. Direct all communication from insurance companies to a lawyer who has the experience and the expertise to deal with them.
You want someone with experience handling the complexities of Nevada personal injury law. The personal injury lawyers at Pacific West Injury Law can help you get the compensation, justice, and closure you deserve after your accident.
Contact A Las Vegas Boat Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a boating accident in Las Vegas, Henderson, or North Las Vegas due to the careless actions of someone else, an experienced Las Vegas boating accident injury attorney can guide and assist you in recovering compensation for the injuries suffered and the emotional and mental turmoil that you have had to endure.
Call an experienced Las Vegas boating accident lawyer at our firm for a free case evaluation immediately.
