Few outdoor summer activities are quite as enjoyable as boating down one of Mississippi’s many beautiful rivers. Each year, more than 2.5 million people vacation, boat, and fish in the Ross Barnett Reservoir, and many more Mississippi residents enjoy the historic Mississippi and other iconic rivers. While recreational and work-related boating are parts of everyday life for Mississippi natives and their families, it is also an unfortunate reality that boating accidents are a common occurrence as well.
Whether you or a loved one has been injured in a recreational or work-related boating accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the harms suffered. Talk to a Jackson boating accident lawyer at ‘MAGGIO LAW for a free consultation and find out what our firm can do to help you.
Call (601) 265-6869 or fill out our online contact form to get started!
In the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2019 report on boating accidents, it was reported that 4,168 boating accidents injured 2,559 people and killed 613 others.
The leading causes of boating accidents were:
According to the Coast Guard’s report, operator inattention was cited as the most common cause of boating accidents, accounting for 546 of these incidents and causing 36 deaths and 296 injuries.
Other leading causes of boat accidents include:
A lack of proper boating experience can contribute to unnecessary and avoidable boating accidents. Mississippi does not place many restrictions on operating a boat. The sole restriction on children under 12 years of age is that they must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older in order to operate the boat. In this way, boating laws are far less restrictive than the state’s driving laws, and this inexperience may contribute to accidents. However, Mississippi does also require boaters to take an education class, but even this requirement is waivable for older adults who are grandfathered in prior to this law’s enactment.
To reduce the risk of a boating accident, avoid drinking any alcohol while operating the boat, first and foremost. Common sense safety precautions should be followed as well, which include operating at a safe speed, avoiding overly crowded areas, and avoiding steering too close to safety buoys. It is also a wise idea to check weather reports before taking the boat out for the day. Beyond these commonsense basics, it also proves fruitful to take a boating safety and education course every few years. It never hurts to shore up safety knowledge, especially when these practices help save lives and prevent unnecessary injuries.
If you or your loved ones have been injured because of a boat operator’s disregard for the safety of others, ‘MAGGIO LAW is here to help. If we take on your case, we can investigate to determine what caused your injuries and who should be held responsible. We can help you pursue financial compensation for your medical care, lost earnings, and other losses or expenses. Our goal will be to help you put your life back together.
For your free boating accident consultation, call (601) 265-6869!
