Common Boating Injuries and How to Avoid Them

There’s arguably no better way to enjoy the natural beauty of New York’s waterways than by boat. From the majestic Hudson River to the deep blue Finger Lakes, the state offers some of the best boating in the nation. However, a fun day on the water can quickly turn tragic when boat operators act negligently or drive under the influence.

In 2021, 192 boating accidents were reported across the state, resulting in 118 injuries and 18 fatalities. These were often caused by falling overboard, capsizing, or colliding with another vessel.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a boating accident caused by another person’s reckless behavior, a Syracuse boat accident lawyer can help you get the maximum compensation available under New York law.

The Most Common Injuries From Boat Accidents

Boating accidents can result in serious injuries, including:

• Head Injuries: When a boat collides with another vessel, dock, or submerged object, occupants may suffer severe head trauma or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). TBIs can cause long-term cognitive impairment and even permanent disability, impacting daily functioning and quality of life.

• Spine and Back Injuries: The intense forces involved in boating crashes frequently result in spinal cord and back injuries like herniated or bulging discs, vertebral fractures, compressions, and paralysis if the spinal cord is damaged.

• Broken Bones and Fractures: From slips and falls on wet decks to collisions tossing passengers about, boating accidents commonly cause broken legs, arms, ribs, and fractures requiring surgery and lengthy recoveries.

• Lacerations and Amputations: When a boat runs aground, collides with debris or other vessels, or strikes someone with spinning propeller blades, it can cause deep, disfiguring lacerations and amputations. These traumatic injuries may result in the loss of fingers, toes, or limbs.

• Drowning Incidents: Boaters ejected from a vessel due to a collision or capsizing face the risk of near-drowning, which can cause brain damage from lack of oxygen. Full drowning and death may occur if they cannot resurface quickly. Those without life jackets are especially vulnerable; 82% of drowning victims in New York were not wearing a life jacket.

• Wrongful Death: When occupants of a boat die due to another person’s negligence, it can result in wrongful death. This includes not only accidents that result in an immediate fatality, but also incidents when a person dies later from their injuries. If your loved one died in a boating accident due to another’s actions, you can pursue compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering.

How to Avoid Boating Injuries

Whether operating a boat or riding in one, you can take safety precautions to minimize your risk of injury. Consider these safety tips for an enjoyable excursion on New York waters:

• Always Wear USCG-Approved Life Jackets: Always wear a properly fitted life vest and ensure there are enough on board for all passengers. In the U.S., 85% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket when they died in 2022.

• Never Boat Under the Influence: Nationally, alcohol use is the leading known factor in fatal boat accidents, causing 16% of boating deaths in 2022. New York alone recorded 76 alcohol-related boating deaths from 2005 to 2021.

• Avoid Overloading the Boat: Know and never exceed your boat’s capacity limits for passenger weight or gear weight to prevent capsizing and swamping.

• Don’t Operate at Excessive Speeds: Following no-wake zones and reducing speeds in hazardous conditions provides more time to react and avoid crashes. Excessive speed was the cause of 24 boating accidents in New York in 2021.

• Inspect All Gear Before Departing: Before leaving the dock, check that all gear is functioning properly, including steering, battery, engine, electronics, radios, fire extinguishers, life jackets, and other required safety equipment.

• Use Common Sense: Being fully alert and sober, avoiding distractions, monitoring weather, and having contingency plans for worsening conditions can prevent many boating tragedies.

• Have Proper Safety/Emergency Gear: In addition to life jackets, New York requires all boats to carry visual distress signals. Make sure to take sound devices, fire extinguishers, and a way to contact emergency services, such as a high-frequency marine radio or cell phone.

• Complete Boating Safety Courses: Maintain your Boater Safety Certificate and routinely take boater safety courses to refresh your understanding of the rules of the water, right of way, navigation lights and signals, and emergency procedures to boost your safety.

Protect Your Rights After a Boating Accident in New York

Being injured in a boating accident due to another’s recklessness or disregard for safety is a traumatic experience with potentially life-altering consequences. Our boating accident lawyers at Catalano Law routinely handle boating accident cases and can use our legal knowledge and winning track record to fight for you.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation where we can discuss how to approach your boating accident claim and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.