The personal injury lawyers at Davis Law Group in Seattle have decades of experience handling boating accident lawsuits, warns that there is a ‘summer surge’ of 911 calls regarding boating accidents between July 4th and Labor Day.
According to the US Coast Guard, in 2011 there were fourteen accidents, eleven injuries and seven deaths in boating accidents in Washington State. The Seattle Police Department reports that each year there is a 20 percent increase boat-related emergency calls during the ‘summer surge’.
“As a boat owner myself, I am a big advocate of boating/water safety,” said attorney Chris Davis. “And as an attorney I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing injuries that can be inflicted by a boating accident. Even the slightest lapse in judgment can result in serious injuries or death.”
In recent years Davis Law Group has represented a number of boating accident victims that suffered serious harms such as head injuries due to collisions, extreme damage or loss of limb from a boat propellor; or even death. Accidents are frequently caused by operator inattention or inexperience; congested waters; and boating under the influence of alcohol; overloading.
“I want to urge boaters on Lake Union, Lake Sammamish, Lake Chelan and all other recreational boating areas in Washington State to be safe this summer,” said Davis. “And take extra care while enjoying Seafair on Lake Washington this year.”
In 2005, a law was passed requiring Washington State boat operators to take a boater safety education course in order to legally operate a boat. Boaters can take an education course in a classroom, online or at home. In order to qualify for a Boater Education Card, you must take a course that is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
Davis, who serves as the principal attorney and founder of the Davis Law Group in downtown Seattle, has authored a series of legal guides that he makes available to accident victims as part of the Washington Accident Books series. In conjunction with the arrival of the ‘summer surge,’ Mr. Davis is offering his book, Washington Injury Law: A Reference Guide for Accident Victims, for free to boating accident victims in Washington State.
Statute Of Limitations