Boating Accidents in New York City

Boating is a popular activity in New York City and Long Island, and of the statewide total of 467,828 registered vessels, 122,283—more than a quarter—are registered in these areas. Suffolk and Nassau Counties have particularly high concentrations of watercrafts as well, but there are also more than 22,000 registered in the Five Boroughs, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The number of fatal boating accidents in New York was steadily falling from 1980 to the mid-2000s, but there has been a sharp increase in the statistic since then. There was a total of 226 accidents in 2011, a figure which includes 190 injuries and 26 fatalities.

In 2011, boating accidents such as collisions, capsizing, passengers falling overboard, and striking submerged objects were found to be caused by a series of common causes.

• Natural factors such as hazardous weather conditions and large submerged
• Irresponsible boat operators
• Inadequate lookouts
• Inattention
• Inappropriate alcohol use
• Rough or rowdy passenger behavior

The most dangerous boats were found by state authorities to be open motorboats, which typically are able to drive at high speeds. Immediately following were cabin motorboats and personal jet skis.

Anyone who steps aboard a watercraft is liable to suffer injury or death in a boating accident, but the most common types of vessels reported in the statewide accident statistics were open motorboats, followed by cabin motorboats and personal watercrafts (jet skis).

While some accidents on the water are nobody’s fault or are caused by the victim’s own careless or reckless actions, many can be directly attributed to the negligence of another party. In the event that somebody else is at fault for causing your accident, you may be entitled to recover financial compensation for everything from your medical bills and lost income to the pain, suffering and emotional distress you have suffered. A New York City boat accident attorney from Greenberg & Stein, P.C. can meet with you for a free consultation to discuss the situation and determine if you have grounds to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

As mentioned above, many of the leading causes of boat accidents have to do with mistakes or wrongful actions on the part of the boat operator. For example, while everyone knows that it is illegal to drink and drive, many people assume that it is okay to consume alcohol before piloting a watercraft, or even while they are on the water. Boating while intoxicated is a crime and it can dramatically increase the risks of causing an accident. Reckless operation may cause injury to the operator or passengers, such as if the vessel strikes another boat, if the operator of a speedboat accelerates too quickly, or if the vessel cuts across the path of another and leaves a wake with a breaking wash.

You can file a claim for financial compensation for an injury suffered on a jet ski, motorboat, sailboat or yacht that is owned and operated by a private individual. Whether the accident occurred on the Hudson or East River, in New York Harbor, on Long Island Sound or anywhere else, we encourage you to contact us now for your free case evaluation. We have more than 50 years of combined litigation experience, and we are ready to fight for your right to a fair insurance settlement or jury verdict!