After a serious boat accident, the impact often goes beyond the scene of the wreck. Between medical appointments, insurance paperwork, and unanticipated bills, the weeks that follow can feel overwhelming. Talk to a Annapolis boat accident lawyer to help you regain a sense of control during a difficult time.
At Burnett Injury Group, we are a driven team with experience investigating complicated claims and negotiating with insurance companies. We deliver personalized services to help you through every phase of the personal injury claims process and will confidently take your case to trial if needed.
Damages for boating accidents include economic and non-economic compensation with special considerations if your claim falls under federal maritime law. Economic damages compensate for the financial impact of an accident while non-economic damages reflect the emotional effect of an injury. These include:
An Annapolis attorney handling boat crash cases can carefully consider state laws and the specifics of your situation to ensure you are maximizing your overall award of compensation.
You may seek compensation in a personal injury claim pursuant to Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code § 11-109 when another party’s negligence caused your harm. However, when you are injured on the water, your ability to recover damages depends on your location and activity. Maryland follows a doctrine of strict contributory negligence. Under this rule, you are barred from recovering damages if you contributed even slightly to the accident. In contrast, federal maritime law follows a doctrine of comparative negligence that merely reduces your damages by your percentage of fault.
Boating on a landlocked lake that does not cross state lines or connect to the ocean falls under the state’s contributory negligence rule. However, federal maritime law may apply if your accident involved commercial activity on navigable waters such as Chesapeake Bay or Ego Alley. A skilled boat accident attorney who knows how to navigate these laws in Annapolis can help you build a strong claim for recovery.
Boat collision victims must comply with statutory filing deadlines. Under Md. Code, Crt. Jud. Pro. § 5-101, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years or else the claim may be permanently barred. The clock usually starts running from the date the injury occurred with limited exceptions. A skilled boat crash lawyer in Annapolis will act quickly to avoid the risk of missed deadlines and build a strong case for compensation. Maritime law often applies to boat accidents and can complicate what may otherwise seem straightforward, necessitating the need for a lawyer.
The aftermath of a vessel crash can be physically and emotionally distressing. You want to get better so you can return to your routine, but hospital stays, financial pressures, and legal principles have become your new focus.
A boat accident can change your life in an instant, but you do not have to face this hardship alone. An Annapolis boat accident lawyer at Burnett Injury Group will fight to pursue justice so you can return to what brings your life purpose. Call us today to learn more about how we can help you with this complex legal case.