When summer comes to Northern Ohio, you can bet the lakes and rivers will be full of recreational watercraft of all types — jet skis, sailboats, party barges and speedboats.
While that may sound like a perfect way to while away a summer’s day (and it certainly can be), accidents on the water can lead to horrific collisions and bodily injuries that are not always survivable. Even when victims survive, they can be left maimed and disfigured.
What makes boating accidents so dangerous?
In a word, propellers. When boats collide, those aboard are often tossed from the craft into the water, where they can come into contact with the spinning propellers of the boats involved. A propeller strike to the face, neck or head can be fatal in minutes due to blood loss. Those who survive can be left with cognitive disabilities that make round-the-clock care necessary.
Limbs can also be lacerated to the point where surgical amputations are the only way to save a life. Sepsis can set in from open wounds being exposed to the bacteria present in the lake or river waters, leading to less than positive outcomes for the injured victims.
Facing an uncertain future after a traumatic amputation?
If you were severely injured in a boating accident here on Ohio waters, you may have the right to seek civil justice by filing a claim for damages against any at-fault parties who caused or contributed to the accident that injured you.
By learning more about how Ohio’s personal injury laws work, you may be able to pursue a settlement or civil judgment from the insurance company representing the party or parties who caused your accident.