Boating laws are designed to keep everyone on the water as safe as possible, particularly as the summer holidays come roaring in. It’s these laws that allow you to hold someone responsible for reckless boating. What is considered reckless boating, though? New York defines “reckless boating” as behavior that deliberately endangers the people around you.
You can work with a boating accident attorney at the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP in New York to hold negligent boaters responsible for dangerous accidents. Before you kick off your case, you can book a free case evaluation with our staff to discuss whether or not a boater’s behavior counts as “reckless.” Our team can define a negligent boater’s behavior and help you act accordingly.
What Constitutes Reckless Boating in New York?
The state of New York describes the reckless operation of a boat as any behavior that either violates waterway laws or endangers the people on and around the waterways. Boaters who engage in reckless boating without violating waterway laws can still face criminal charges if their behavior harms or otherwise endangers someone around them.
Some examples of reckless boating in New York may include the following:
- Wake jumping with the intent to intimidate another vessel
- Following another vessel too closely
- Operating a vehicle too closely to swimmers or swim-only areas
- Weaving through congestion
- Charging another boat
- Operating an overloaded vessel
New York residents have the right to initiate civil action against someone engaging in reckless boating if the impacted party can prove that a boater’s behavior was unreasonable. Likewise, behavior that puts another person in avoidable danger opens the acting party up to a civil lawsuit.
What to Do After a Boating Accident
If you find yourself involved in a boating accident due to someone else’s reckless boating, make sure you and your loved ones get to safety as soon as possible. You should remain at the scene of the accident until law enforcement shows up, but make sure everyone gets to safety as soon as possible.
Once law enforcement arrives, start to account for your losses while working with medical professionals to treat your injuries. You can also use this moment to get a liable boater’s insurance information.
It’s also in your best interest to connect with a boating accident lawyer as soon as you can. An experienced attorney can help you overcome any bad faith behavior that an insurance adjuster tries to use to deny you an insurance settlement. You can also open a conversation about a personal injury claim should you fail to get the support you need from a liable adjuster.
To complete your claim, you need to:
- Gather enough evidence of negligence to meet the state’s burden of proof
- Outline the nature of the reckless boating that led to your accident
- Name the party liable for your losses
- Calculate the value of the losses you sustained in your accident
That’s a lot of work to add to your already-full plate. If you don’t know how the civil process in New York works, you may not feel like you have time to teach yourself the basics. That is where our team comes in. A boating lawyer in New York can take on the challenge of building your case while you focus on taking care of your health. We make it easier for you to go back to work without compromising your right to recover.
With that in mind, we encourage you to contact an attorney as soon as you can after a boating accident. Your first case consultation comes free of charge.
Holding Reckless Boaters Accountable for Their Behavior
If you’re ready to hold a reckless boater accountable for a recent accident, let Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP act on your behalf. Our personal injury lawyers in New York can step in and investigate the inappropriate behavior that led to your recent collision. By defining “reckless behavior,” we can more effectively help you hold someone financially accountable for your recovery.
You can book a case consultation with our team today for no cost at all! Contact us online or by calling (516) 358-6900 to book your first appointment.
