According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there are nearly 12 million registered boats in the United States, with 95 percent of them being less than 26 feet in length. California has about one million registered recreational vessels.

Collisions with other boats, or other type of water craft, is the most common cause of injury or death in boating accidents. Other causes of injury are slip and falls, reckless driving, drunk driving, boat malfunctions and inexperienced water craft operators. It is a general rule of law that the owner and operator of a boat have a duty to exercise the highest degree of care in order to prevent injuries and death to others.

These same boats account for as many as 80 percent of the underwater impact injuries in which people in the water are struck by a boat or its propeller. The majority of these accidents are the result of operator error, making them one of the most preventable of all types of boating accidents. While boat or propeller strike accidents are relatively few in number, as compared to other types of boating accidents, some of them are severe and have tragic consequences...

Operator inexperience, incompetence, negligence and intoxication are significant contributing factors in reported boat and propeller strikes, as well as in all other types of boating accidents. In almost all cases, the victim is in the water -- a swimmer, scuba diver, fallen water skier or the operator or a passenger.

Many boating case involve complicated areas of law ranging from diversity jurisdiction to state and federal conflict of law issues. Having experienced counsel represent your legal interest is a must.

Every year, the U.S. Coast Guard compiles statistics on reported recreational boating accidents. These statistics are derived from accident reports that are filed by the owners / operators of recreational vessels involved in accidents. The fifty states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia submit accident report data to the Coast Guard for inclusion in the annual Boating Statistics publication.

We've handled numerous boat and jet ski accident cases. In one jet ski case, we obtained a million dollar plus gross verdict after the defendant's initial offer of only $1. Chances are, we can help you too!