Boating Accident Attorney in Lafayette

Boating is a big part of life here in Lafayette, but when people get careless, what should be a low-key pastime can become positively dangerous. If you’ve been hurt in a watercraft accident in the Lafayette area, let The Thibeaux Firm advocate for your rights and pursue your boat accident claim on your behalf. You deserve compensation and accountability; we want to help you demand it.

Attorney Omar Thibeaux has a track record of success representing accident victims throughout Louisiana. He and all of us here at The Thibeaux Firm understand that the claims process can seem intimidating. So, we’ll work hard to give you the peace of mind you deserve as we seek the compensation you deserve. And, as home to “The 25% Attorney,” you’ll get the best value for your accident claim.

Contact us today to speak with a Lafayette boat accident lawyer at no cost or obligation. We look forward to meeting you and hearing your story during a free initial case review.

How a Lafayette Boat Accident Attorney Can Help You

Recovering from a serious boat accident can take considerable time and energy. Don’t make the mistake of trying to handle your claim, too. A Lafayette boat accident lawyer from The Thibeaux Firm can handle all the details of your legal claim while you focus on getting better.

Let our boat accident law firm help you demand the financial resources you need by:

• Investigating the accident to recover critical evidence, such as accident reports, surveillance camera footage, eyewitness testimony, and accident scene photos or videos
• Identifying liable parties to evaluate your options for seeking financial recovery
• Documenting your injuries and calculating your ongoing and future expenses or losses
• Filing your claims and handling communications and negotiations with insurance adjusters, corporate representatives, and defense attorneys
• Making a determined effort to secure maximum boat accident compensation for you as quickly as possible in a settlement
• Going to court and trial as necessary to demand the financial recovery and justice you deserve
• Never charging you anything unless we recover compensation in your boating accident lawsuit

Attorney Thibeaux is known across the Pelican State as “The 25% Attorney.” That’s because he represents clients for a flat 25 percent contingency fee, which is considerably less than the typical 33 to 40 percent other law firms charge. This means you don’t pay us unless we win your boat accident claim — and you get to keep more of your award when we do.

What You Should Do if You Are Involved in a Boating Accident

Taking prompt action after a boating accident can protect your rights to seek compensation for your injuries and property damage. Here’s how to do that:

• Seek prompt medical attention to get checked for injuries you may have sustained in the accident.
• Report the accident to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries or the U.S. Coast Guard.
• Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations and recovery instructions.
• Request copies of the medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
• Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts to document your medical expenses and the costs of repairing or replacing your boat.
• Gather copies of your pay stubs or income statements if you miss time from work or have to transfer to a lower-paying modified duty position.
• Avoid discussing the accident on social media or posting photos or videos of yourself while undergoing treatment.

Finally, contact an attorney at The Thibeaux Firm to discuss your boat accident case and learn how we can help pursue compensation for your injuries and losses.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Boat Accident?

Several different parties could be legally liable for your boat accident-related injuries. Depending on the circumstances, you could pursue your boat accident lawsuit against any of the following:

• A Boat Operator – The operator of the boat will bear liability for a boating accident caused by their careless or reckless action, such as speeding or failing to maintain a lookout.
• The At-Fault Boat Operator’s Employer – The boat operator’s employer could also bear liability for injuries and property damage caused by the operator’s on-the-job negligence. Employers operating commercial vessels may include fishing, shipping, charter, and ferry operators.
• The Owner of a Vessel Involved in the Accident – The boat’s owner may bear responsibility for a boat accident that occurs due to mechanical problems caused by inadequate maintenance.
• A Boat or Equipment Manufacturer – A boat or boating equipment manufacturer could be liable for a boat accident caused by design or manufacturing defects in the vessel or its equipment.

What Compensation Can I Recover from a Boat Accident?

If someone else is responsible for causing the boat accident that injured you, they should also be responsible for the harm and loss you suffered as a result. That means they could owe you money for your:

• Boat repair or replacement expenses
• Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation, including hospitalization, surgeries, prescription medications, pain management care, and physical or occupational therapy
• Costs of long-term care, such as home health services, housekeeping assistance, or home renovations to install disability accommodations
• Loss of wages/income due to temporary disability from your job
• Loss of future earning capacity and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from your job or other forms of work
• Pain and suffering
• Reduced quality of life caused by disabilities or permanent, visible scarring or disfigurement

What Are the Louisiana Boating Laws?

Louisiana boating laws promote the safe operation of watercraft to reduce the risk of boating accidents. Important boating regulations in Louisiana include the following:

• Operators must be 16 or older to operate a personal watercraft.
• Operators born after January 1, 1984, may operate a motorboat with more than 10 horsepower only after completing an approved boater education course or when accompanied by an adult who has completed a board education course approved by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries.
• Vessels approaching head-on must keep to their respective right.
• A vessel overtaking another may do so on either side but must yield the right of way to the overtaken vessel.
• When vessels have crossing paths, the vessel on the left must yield the right of way to the vessel on the right.
• Motorboats must yield the right of way to non-motor-powered vessels, except when a non-motor-powered vessel overtakes a motorboat, for deep-draft vessels that must remain in narrow channels, and when towing other vessels.
• Motorboats must maintain a direct course when passing sailboats.
• Vessels approaching piers or landing docks must yield the right of way to departing vessels.
• Vessels departing a shoreline or tributary must yield the right of way to through traffic or vessels departing the shoreline or tributary.
• Vessels may not abruptly change course unless the operator can do so without the risk of collision with another vessel.
• When an operator cannot ascertain the course of an approaching vessel, they must slow down to the minimum speed necessary to maintain steerage until the approaching vessel has passed.
• Vessels yielding the right of way must reduce speed, stop, reverse, or alter course as necessary to avoid collisions. Vessels with the right of way shall maintain course and speed.
• Vessels passing other vessels must avoid creating a hazardous wake or wash.
• Vessels must keep at least 100 feet clearance of a diver’s flag.
• Operators must maintain a proper lookout.
• No one may operate a motorboat, vessel, or personal watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Vessels may not unreasonably or unnecessarily interfere with free and proper navigation in waterways.

What Are Common Causes of Louisiana Boating Accidents?

Boat accidents can occur when operators fail to follow Louisiana boating laws and general best practices. Some of the most common causes of boating accidents in Louisiana include:

• Speeding or traveling too fast for water conditions
• Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Reckless operation, including excessive speeding or disregarding warning signs, flags, or buoys
• Inadequate lookout
• Not consulting navigation charts to identify hazards such as shallow channels or underwater debris
• Operating in unsafe wave or weather conditions
• Inadequate vessel/equipment maintenance
• Defective products or defectively designed/manufactured vessels
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Failing to follow navigational rules
• Overloading vessels with too much cargo or too many passengers
• Making sudden or sharp maneuvers, especially at speed

What Are Common Injuries Someone Can Sustain in a Boating Accident?

A boat accident can cause devastating injuries for operators, passengers, or swimmers/divers. Common types of boat accident injury include:

Contact a Boat Accident Lawyer in Lafayette Today

If you’ve been hurt in a boating accident someone else caused, you need determined legal representation who will fight to recover the compensation and justice you need and deserve. Contact The Thibeaux Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options. Discover what a Lafayette boat accident attorney can do to pursue financial recovery at no upfront cost to you.