Personal Injury Blog

Morristown New Jersey Boat Accident Attorneys

Fighting to keep our waterways safe

The people of New Jersey love to get out and enjoy the waterways when the weather is nice. Unfortunately, not everyone operates their vessels safely and boats are not made with an emphasis on collision safety. Nearly a thousand deaths occur each year from the accidents caused by negligent boating. At Leonard Law, our New Jersey boat accident attorneys have a proven track record of success recovering full and fair compensation for people suffering injuries from a boating accident. Scott Leonard is an experienced boater and brings his knowledge of boating to the cases he handles.

The importance of skilled investigative attorneys in boating accidents

There are many unique challenges to boating accidents and uncovering evidence to prove fault. The water washes away much of the evidence within minutes and there are no roads to outline what would be expected to happen. Without a preponderance of evidence, you cannot win your case and recover the financial compensation you deserve. Our New Jersey boat accident attorneys have won boat accident cases since 1996, largely because of our exceptional investigative and trial skills. Some of the discovery tools critical in boat accident lawsuits include:

  • Reviewing all official reports for evidence consistent with our case theory
  • Find witnesses who were out on or near the water that day
  • Toxicology evidence of driver intoxication
  • Use of forensic experts to reconstruct the events
  • Hire maritime experts to testify about unsafe boating procedures

Common causes of boating accidents

Proving fault is one of the most challenging parts of recovering monetary compensation from a boating accident. The water is moving and most of the direct evidence disappears within minutes after the accident occurs. Being able to prove beyond a preponderance of evidence that the defendant acted negligently is the difference between recovering damages and having to bear the financial burden yourself. You need an experienced New Jersey boating accident attorney with the skills and experience to convincingly build a circumstantial personal injury case. The most common causes of boating accidents in New Jersey include:

  • Driver inexperience
  • Lack of training
  • Ignoring safety regulations
  • Boaters not knowing or following the law
  • Driving a boat while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
  • Driving a boat while distracted

Is having a license to operate a boat in New Jersey important?

Yes, you need to have a license to operate a boat in New Jersey. Operating a boat without a license can be used as evidence of negligence when an accident occurs. This issue becomes more complicated when not everyone on the boat has a license because proving who was driving at the time of the collision can be hard to prove. Circumstantial evidence is usually a key to prevailing in these lawsuits for our New Jersey boating accident attorneys.

Call today to speak with a New Jersey Board Certified Trial Lawyer about the injuries you suffered after a boating accident

At Leonard Legal Group, we believe you should not have to pay upfront costs to get information about your legal rights. Our New Jersey boat accident attorneys provide free initial consultations to injury victims. You can schedule your appointment by calling our 24-hour call center at 973-984-1414  or contact us online.