Recreational Boating Accidents
Here’s Why Northeast Boaters Are Being Asked to Label and Secure Their Paddlecraft
The United States Coast Guard is asking Boston residents to carefully label their canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards with their names and phone numbers. This requirement comes after a huge increase of cases this summer that involved unmanned and floating paddlecraft that were adrift and seemingly abandoned. Why Do Boston Residents Need to Label and…
Read MoreWhat Did the Coast Guard Find in Last Year’s Statistics Report for Recreational Boating?
On May 29, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) released a report that highlights statistics on recreational boating injuries and fatalities in 2017. Some of the statistics that were outlined in the report are alarming. What Did the Statistics Show About Boating Injuries and Fatalities? The statistics in the report showed some positive improvements in…
Read MoreWhy Was This Boater Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison?
A judge sentenced a woman to seven years in prison last month for a boating accident that happened in December of 2013. That day, the boater and her boyfriend were drinking and enjoying the weather when she drove her 18-foot boat into a piling underneath the Old Griffin Road Bridge in Dania Beach, Florida. A surveillance…
Read MoreHow Did These Boaters Die on an Alabama Lake?
Last year, two passengers on a pontoon boat lost their lives when they were struck by another vessel in the northwest Alabama area. The pontoon boat passengers had been taken out late that night for stargazing when a barge being pushed by towboats was heading downstream. The pontoon boat stalled and the barge smashed into…
Read MoreBaltimore Man Indicted for Fatal Boat Accident
CBS News Baltimore reports that a man has been charged in connection to a boat accident that occurred over the summer that left two women dead. The accident occurred when a recreational boat slammed into a pillar at the Key Bridge. The crash allegedly injured six passengers, in addition to killing the two women aboard.…
Read MoreWho is Responsible if a Piling Led to My Boating Accident?
After a piling caused a boat accident that left a man injured, he is suing a half dozen oil and gas companies because he claims their negligence led to the wreck. According to The Louisiana Record, in June 2014, the man had taken his skiff out fishing near Four Island Dome, Louisiana when it was…
Read MoreDid Speed and Alcohol Cause a Fatal Michigan Boat Accident?
According to the Macomb Daily, alcohol and speed are being investigated in connection to a fatal recreational boat accident that took place on September 12 on Lake St. Clair in Michigan. The accident reportedly involved two boats that collided, resulting in the drowning death of a 43-year-old female passenger aboard one vessel. The incident took…
Read MoreSurgeon Charged in Drunk Boating Accident
WFMJ-TV reported recently that a surgeon in Ohio was charged in connection to a fatal boat accident on Berlin Lake. According to the news outlet, Dr. Joseph Yurich has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence. Since his arrest, he has been free…
Read MoreCalif. Man Killed in Labor Day Weekend Boat Accident
According to ABC News, a California man was killed over Labor Day weekend in a recreational boat accident off the coast of Catalina Island. The man was identified as the son of a former San Francisco 49ers executive. The victim was reportedly on a dinghy that was carrying five people when it collided with another…
Read MoreAvoid Labor Day Drunk Boating
With Labor Day weekend approaching, we know that there will be a number of people enjoying recreational boating activities on the water. If you are on the water this weekend, make sure that you avoid drunk boating at all costs, as there will be increased patrol in many waterways, and an accident could result in…
Read MoreHow Can My Teen Boat Safely?
If you have a teen and own a boat, you should take some safety steps before you allow him or her to operate the vessel. Before allowing teens to boat, make sure that they: Are aware of the dangers of drunk boating Do not allow people to tube, ski or wakeboard without experience Are aware…
Read MoreHow Can I Safely Water Ski?
As the summer continues and Labor Day arrives in a few weeks, more people will be out on the water participating in recreational boating activities like water skiing. If you are a water skier or boat operator, make sure you take safety precautions. Water skiing accidents can be deadly or lead to catastrophic injuries like…
Read MoreTwo Women Die in Maryland Boating Accident
Sadly, on July 26, two women were killed in a Maryland boating accident that has many people asking questions about the boater safety in the state. According to CBS Baltimore, the fatal boat accident occurred by the Key Bridge, near Dundalk. The boat involved, a 37-foot recreational model, reportedly struck a concrete piling near the…
Read MoreHow Can I Tube Safely?
Are you a boat owner who often pulls passengers on tubes? If you do this fun activity, be aware that accidents can happen when you are reckless. This is why it is important if you are pulling a tube to be as safe as possible. Make sure that your passengers are safe, so you can…
Read MoreWoman Sentenced For Fatal S.C. Boat Accident
According to the Independent Mail, a South Carolina woman was sentenced to one year in jail recently after she was involved in a boat accident last year that killed a 9-year-old and 5-month old. The news source reported that Dawn Thompson, 53, pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter. She was sentenced to jail,…
Read MoreFour Injured in NJ Grounding Boat Accident
According to WABC-TV, four people were injured on July 11 in a New Jersey boating accident. The network reported that the accident occurred in Little Egg Harbor Bay, between Holgate Long Beach Island and Little Egg Harbor Township. The recreational 50-foot boat reportedly ran aground with 13 people aboard. One woman, in her 60s, had…
Read MoreFourth of July Boat Accident: Capsizing Event Kills Two
Sadly, a pontoon boat carrying passengers on the Fourth of July capsized in Kentucky, killing two people and leaving three others missing. According to CNN, the boat capsized on the Ohio River, outside of downtown Louisville. Aside from those missing or killed, three children and one adult were hospitalized with injuries. Most of the people…
Read MoreTwo Men Indicted in ‘Naut Guilty’ Boat Accident
Updating a story that we have been following recently, two Boston men have been indicted on charges relating to the Naut Guilty boat accident that resulted in a woman losing her arm. According to the Boston Globe, attorney Benjamin P. Urbelis, 33, has been indicted on charges of negligent operation of a boat, operating a…
Read MoreHow Can I Avoid a Fourth of July Boat Accident?
With the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday this year, our maritime attorneys expect heavy boating traffic along the coast. Because of this, we would like to offer you some safety tips, so that you can avoid a Fourth of July boating accident. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends doing the following this holiday: Wear…
Read MoreSecond Man Charged for ‘Naut Guilty’ Boating Accident
Updating a story that we have been following recently, a second man has been arrested in connection to a Boston Harbor boating accident in which a teenager lost part of her arm after she was struck by the vessel’s propeller. According to the Boston Globe, Alexander Williams, 24, allegedly started the Naut Guilty’s engine while…
Read MoreMan Arrested for NJ Hit-and-Run Boating Accident
According to reports, New Jersey police have arrested a 21-year-old man following a hit-and-run boating accident in Sparta that injured five people. The New Jersey Herald reported that the accident occurred on Lake Mohawk on June 14. A recreational boat being driven by the suspect reportedly crashed into a pontoon boat, sending several people to…
Read MoreConn. Governor Signs Towing Bill into Law
On June 4, Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy signed “Emily’s Law”, which establishes a towing age for people behind recreational boats. According to WTIC-TV, the law requires boaters to complete a safe towing class before earning a boating certificate. The law was named after Emily Fedorko, 16, who died last summer in a Greenwich boating accident.…
Read MoreAre OUIs Common in Massachusetts?
As we reported in our blog earlier this month, alcohol use is a factor in almost a third of all recreational boating fatalities in our country. Sadly, an investigation by the Boston Herald indicates that state officials may not be targeting drunken boaters enough. According to the news outlet, Massachusetts Environmental Police have made only…
Read MoreBoston Lawyer Charged With Drunk Boating
Sadly, a Boston attorney was recently charged with operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol following a boating accident that resulted in a young woman losing her arm. According to Boston.com, Benjamin Urbelis, 33, has been charged with “operating a boat while under the influence causing serious bodily injury, negligent operation of a boat…
Read MoreAvoid Memorial Day Drunk Boating
If you plan to enjoy recreational activities this Memorial Day weekend, make sure that you avoid reckless behavior such as drunk boating. Alcohol affects a person’s balance, judgment and reaction time—this is a dangerous mix when someone is operating a boat. Many fatal recreational boating accidents are the result of intoxicated operators—in fact, according to…
Read MoreDrunk Boating Accidents: How Can an Attorney Help?
We have brought up several times in previous blogs the dangers of drunken recreational boating. Sadly, alcohol use is a factor in almost a third of all recreational boating fatalities in the U.S., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. With this in mind, a former state delegate in Maryland who was convicted of drunken boating…
Read MoreWhy Do Recreational Boats Capsize?
When it comes to recreational boating accidents, capsizing incidents are not uncommon. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2013, there were an estimated 250 capsizing events reported to the agency involving recreational boats, resulting in about 175 deaths and more than 330 injuries. Unfortunately, capsizing incidents can occur for a number of reasons, including…
Read MoreIs It Dangerous to Sail a Skiff Off the Coast of Alaska?
A couple of boaters fell overboard into the chilly Alaskan water when their 17-foot skiff hit ground at Kanga Bay near Sitka. This bay, which is in Southeast Alaska, is off an island that is only accessible by boat, plane or helicopter. Fortunately, a 9-11 call was made around 10 p.m. before the situation could…
Read MoreCan I Sue a Boat Operator Who Is Facing Criminal Charges?
Can I Sue a Boat Operator Who Is Facing Criminal Charges? In some cases, the operator at fault in a recreational boating accident will have to face criminal charges for his or her actions leading up to the crash. While boaters who break the law should be held accountable for their actions, especially if those…
Read MoreGroom Paralyzed in Boating Accident Walks Down the Aisle
A man who was left paralyzed following a 2011 recreational boating accident was able to walk down the aisle at his wedding last month thanks to rehabilitation and a mechanical exoskeleton. The man was paralyzed from the chest down during a trip in July of 2011 when he slipped while attempting to jump off a…
Read MoreDrunk Boater Hits Rock, Sinks Vessel in Boston Harbor
On average, alcohol use is a factor in almost a third of all recreational boating fatalities in the U.S., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Thankfully, a recreational boating accident that occurred in Boston Harbor in late September did not result in any fatalities. Still, it did leave a vessel sunk in the harbor and…
Read MoreLarger Boat Crashes Into Smaller Boat, Claims Woman’s Life
Like big rigs and small cars sharing the highway, larger vessels and small watercraft often share the same waterways. In both cases, the larger and smaller vehicles have to be extra careful around one another, because due to their size difference, a collision between the two will many times prove fatal. Unfortunately, a recreational boating…
Read MoreIs 90 Too Old to Operate a Boat?
While we are often quick to take the car keys away from elderly drivers, what about the keys to the boat? The factors that can cause seniors to be a danger to those on the road also apply to their fellow boaters. According to American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the risks that elderly drivers…
Read MoreIs It Safe for Pleasure Boats and Towboats to Share the Water?
At 24 percent, two or more vessels colliding with each other ranked as the most common type of boating accident in Ohio in 2013, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A recent Ohio River boating wreck involving a pleasure boat and a towboat has unfortunately added to Ohio’s 2014 death toll in the…
Read MoreCan Life Jackets Save Lives?
Can Life Jackets Save Lives? It seems like a ridiculous question to ask, but according to Laurel Anders, Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, “Almost 80 percent of all boating fatalities happen to boaters not wearing a life jacket.” Why Don’t People Wear Life Jackets? Many people don’t wear life jackets because they…
Read MoreMan Falls from Sailboat and Drowns in Lake Ontario
Time and time again, we hear reports of experienced boaters succumbing to drowning accidents. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time, and we must do our best to follow safety guidelines and train properly for any given boating situation. No one is immune to the power of the water. Last month, a 49-year-old Erie…
Read MoreHow Safe Are Marina Refueling Stations?
We all love a day out on the boat. One of the things we must attend to before heading out on the water is getting the boat properly fueled up and ready to go. Refueling a boat is not something to take lightly. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye if you are…
Read MoreLong Island Man Charged After Deadly Boating Accident
Boating while drinking is never a smart idea and can lead to tragic consequences. Even when a boat’s captain refrains from having a drink, a boat trip full of drunk passengers can end in tragedy just as easily—the better move is not to have alcohol onboard at all. In a horrific boating accident earlier this…
Read MoreConnecticut Man Arrested After Drunk Boating Accident
Connecticut Man Arrested After Drunk Boating Accident Here at Latti & Anderson LLP, we have said it before, and we will keep saying it until people start to understand: drinking while boating is stupid and dangerous. Doing so not only puts boaters’ own lives at risk, it risks the lives of anyone else around them.…
Read MoreWater Jetpack Safety a Concern in Maryland
Having fun on the water is one of the great American pastimes. We all love the feel of spray in our faces and wind in our hair. Over the years, we’ve fallen in love with sailboats, speedboats, water skis, kiteboards, inner tubes and Jet Skis. This summer there is a new contraption to add to…
Read MoreFatalities and Injuries in Michigan Boating Accident
When we head out on a boat, we must always remember that we share the water with other boaters. Many boaters seem to think that regular rules no longer apply the moment they leave the dock. The regular rules do still apply: be safe, be courteous, be aware. Common sense should never get left on…
Read MoreRemember These Safety Tips Next Time You Go Out on Your Boat
It’s the height of summer, and if you are one of millions of Americans who plans to take a boat out for some fun in the sun, it is important to keep a few safety tips in mind. Every passenger should wear a life jacket at all times—especially children. Last year, 84 percent of fatal boating…
Read MoreDrunk Boaters Inadvertently Cause Airport Security Scare
A fishing boat entered the restricted waterway around New York’s La Guardia Airport and ran into a light pole on one of the runway extensions. The Port Authority Police Department could see the stranded craft via surveillance cameras, but could not respond because their patrol boats had been docked for the night. The NYPD Harbor…
Read MoreNew Boating Safety Law Passes in New York
A new state law passed in New York requires boaters to take a safe-boating course. It applies to anyone born after May 1996 — which means that this year, every 18-year-old (or younger) boater must be certified. Violations can result in fines of up to $250. Officials say it is not just the requirement, but…
Read MoreCan Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard?
Can Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard? A pair of harbormaster boats were the first to arrive on the scene when a small boat’s mast struck high-tension power lines over the Weweantic River in Massachusetts last month. There were only two people onboard, and both escaped injury. “It’s short of a miracle…
Read MoreCaptain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks
Captain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks According to a report in Professional Mariner magazine, the captain of a catamaran that capsized has been charged with operating without a license. There were 30 passengers onboard when the custom-built boat sank near downtown Miami. Prior to sinking, the catamaran began to take on water as…
Read MoreFirm Secures $307,500 Settlement for Boating Accident Victim
Our firm was able to secure a $307,500 settlement for a woman who was injured in a boating accident caused by the driver hitting multiple wakes at full speed. Prior to the incident, the woman, her best friend and several other passengers were riding in a vessel being operated by the defendant. They were returning…
Read MoreCoast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground
Coast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued two people Saturday near Mosquito Lagoon after their boat ran aground. Rescued were Dawn MaCain, 32, and James MaCain, 33, from Brevard County. The couple were rescued by a Coast Guard rescue boat crew from Station Cape Canaveral, Fla., and…
Read MoreCoast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys
Coast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard units are actively searching for a vessel and four people after receiving a call Sunday stating that they were in distress. Coast Guard Sector Key West search-and-rescue coordinators received the initial call at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The boater…
Read MoreWrong Turn, Lack of Awareness Leads to Ferry Accident
According to Professional Mariner, while an inexperienced second mate was steering a ferry, a wrong turn led to a collision with a yacht. The accident happened at about 1:38 p.m. on September 13, 2013 near the intersection of the Harney and Upright channels in the San Juan Islands. [ubermenu-map address=”Harney Channel, Eastsound, WA” zoom=”14″ width=”375px”…
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