Not all boats come equipped with propellers. Small boats with paddles, sailboats, and even jet boats operate without them, thus eliminating the potential for boat propeller injuries. If, however, you’re ever on any other type of boat and fall into the water, you may sustain these injuries and need to hire a boat injury lawyer to help.
Before you begin to take legal action after suffering injuries caused by a boat’s propeller, make sure you’re well educated on them. Continue reading to learn more about the prevalence of boat propeller injuries, the common types of such injuries, and more.
How Many Boat Propeller Injuries Are Reported Each Year?
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, just under 4,000 recreational boat accidents occur annually, leading to more than 2,100 injuries.
Boat propeller injuries make up a very small percentage of these injuries. Fewer than 150 accidents involving boat propellers are recorded every year, and they cause just over 130 injuries collectively.
However, injuries caused by boat propellers tend to be more serious than many other types of boat-related injuries. These injuries are some of the biggest concerns for boat owners when it comes to practicing water safety.
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What Are the Common Boat Propeller Injuries?
Even though boat propeller accidents are relatively rare, they can inflict a wide range of injuries to those involved in them. The exact boat propeller injuries you may sustain during an accident will depend on a propeller’s size, your size, your swimming abilities, and other key factors.
Common injuries caused by boat propellers include:
- Deep cuts and lacerations
- Bone fractures
- Limb amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
In some cases, a boat propeller injury could lead to scarring, vision loss, organ damage, nerve damage, and paralysis.
Who Is Often Responsible for Boat Propeller Injuries?
There are plenty of instances in which freak accidents lead to boat propeller injuries. A person might fall overboard while standing on the back of a boat and come into contact with its propeller after landing in the water. They might also end up contacting a boat’s propeller while participating in a water sport, such as water skiing, tubing, or wakeboarding.
But more often than not, those driving boats are ultimately found responsible for propeller injuries. Boat owners might cause these injuries by:
- Failing to maintain a safe distance from those in the water while driving a boat near them
- Exhibiting the reckless operation of a boat while steering it and causing passengers to fall into the water
- Operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Boat collisions could also be to blame for propeller injuries. If two boats collide, passengers may be thrown into the water and sustain serious injuries upon coming into contact with a propeller.
If you ever sustain such an injury for any reason, a boat accident attorney will help you pinpoint the responsible party so you can consider taking legal action against them. You may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against a boat owner to recover damages to pay medical bills, account for lost wages, and even cover legal fees.
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How Can Boat Owners Prevent Boat Propeller Injuries?
Boat owners can do their part to prevent boat propeller injuries. They can, above all else, avoid drinking or using drugs — including prescription medications that may alter their ability to make sound decisions — to minimize the risk of boat accidents taking place.
This is far from the only step they should take to prioritize water safety. They must also:
- Steer clear of starting a boat when its engine is already in gear
- Ask passengers not to jump on or off a boat when its engine is running
- Wear an engine cut-off switch while driving a boat
- Keep a boat away from swimming-only areas and any areas that feature large groups of people in the water
- Invest in a propeller guard for their boats
Taking these steps won’t completely eliminate the risk of injuries caused by boat propellers. However, they should increase awareness about boat and water safety and ensure boat owners think twice before putting themselves and their passengers into potentially risky situations.
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What Should You Do After Sustaining Boat Propeller Injuries?
Unfortunately, boat accidents happen, no matter how hard boat owners and passengers might work to prevent them. You may find yourself dealing with boat propeller injuries because of this.
If you do, make sure you respond accordingly. Here is how you should react:
- Call 911, provide a description of your location, and request an emergency response.
- Seek first aid from your fellow passengers until medical professionals arrive.
- Receive medical attention from first responders and request a ride to the nearest hospital for more medical care.
- Document your boat accident scene as well as your propeller injuries by using a smartphone to take photographs and videos.
- Search for a boat accident lawyer who can help you put together a personal injury lawsuit against whoever caused your accident and injuries.
If you happen to work on the boat that caused your propeller injuries, look specifically for a workers’ compensation lawyer. They will help you with the complexities associated with this type of case and put you in a position to possibly collect more compensation than you would otherwise.
Find the Right Boat Injury Lawyer by Reaching Out to Us Today
After gaining a better understanding of boat propeller injuries, you should have a stronger sense of just how devastating they are. You should also know what steps you should take in response to a boat accident involving propeller injuries.
Accident Hotline is here to help you find the right boat injury lawyer for your case. We can assist you in trying to recover economic damages as well as non-economic damages that account for pain and suffering and more. Give us a call at (818) 666-2765 today to discover more about how working with a boat accident attorney will benefit you when you’re aiming to recover from your injuries.
For a free consultation, call 888-340-7454
