California’s beautiful weather makes water celebrations popular, especially during the holidays. These celebrations often results in the dangerous mix of alcohol and boating activities. In turn, this can lead to negligence and maritime accidents. Depending on the vessel, your personal injury claims experience may be different.
Key points that may affect injury claims
Accidents involving jet skis and boats both fall under the category of maritime or watercraft incidents. However, certain contributing factors may affect the claims process for each. These include:
- Watercraft type: Jet skis and boats have different regulations and safety requirements, which can affect who is responsible and how the claim is handled.
- Operator Experience: Experience and licensing of the vessel operator matters. Jet skis usually have less experienced drivers, which can impact how the accident happened and the claim process.
- Insurance Coverage: Jet ski insurance is less common and might have different limits compared to boat insurance. This can affect how much you can claim.
- Liability: In boat accidents, more people might be responsible, like the boat owner, driver, and maintenance crew. Jet ski accidents usually involve fewer people.
- Evidence collection: Boat accidents might have more witnesses and better technology to record what happened, making it easier to gather evidence compared to jet ski accidents.
Operating water vessels legally
Whether it’s a jet ski or a boat, it’s important that you operate the watercraft legally. This can greatly affect how much you are at fault and the compensation you might receive. In California, anyone aged 16 and older must have a California Boater Card to operate any motorized vessel with 15 horsepower or more.
Setting a course for your medical and legal recovery
After a jet ski collision or a yacht accident, your main focus should be getting better and protecting your legal rights. Different types of watercraft can lead to different legal situations and compensation options. Working with a maritime law attorney can help you understand the rules that apply to your case, so you can concentrate on healing without worrying about your injury claims.
