Dallas Boat Propeller Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a boat propellor accident in the Dallas area or Texas, call us to speak to a lawyer about your rights and legal options.

Boating accidents can often take a terrible toll on your health, family, and finances. An experienced and qualified boating accident lawyer can help you understand your legal options. They can help you win the compensation you need to recover lost wages and pay off escalating medical bills.

The Dallas boating accident lawyers of The Benton Law Firm are here to help. With decades of experience and a team of legal professionals dedicated to helping those in a tough position in personal injury cases, we will give you the fierce representation you need to come away victorious in your claim.

Contact the Dallas boat propeller accident lawyers of The Benton Law Firm today at (214) 777-7777 to speak with a legal team member. Or start a live chat with one of our online representatives here on our website.

Why do I need a lawyer for my boat propeller accident case?

An effective boating accident lawyer can often make a difference in your case when you are up against uncompromising insurance companies. They will have the knowledge of personal injury law (and maritime law, if and when applicable) to help you understand your legal options. Your attorney will craft a strong case that gives you the best chance of winning compensation.

Working with insurance companies can be challenging. Even the most experienced lawyers cannot guarantee compensation for your claim. However, a lawyer has the knowledge and experience to communicate with insurance companies effectively. In almost any case, insurance companies do not have your best interests in mind. They seek to get the case dismissed or the settlement amount decreased. Moreover, they can resort to questionable tactics such as monitoring your activities to establish that your injuries were less severe than you claim. Or they may try to say the specific boat propellor accident involving your claim did not cause your injuries.

An experienced injury lawyer will help you to avoid these traps. They will deal with insurance companies on your behalf, giving you the time to focus on recovery.

How can The Benton Law Firm help me?

The Benton Law Firm provides the best combination of experience and resources to bring you a dedicated personal injury legal team to handle the toughest boating accident cases. The firm was founded on the idea that in personal injury cases, those who file claims are often up against corporate lawyers or insurance companies who wish to intimidate their opposition with superior legal resources.

Jeff Benton, a founding partner, understands this and has assembled a legal team with the resources to push past corporate lawyers and insurance companies. With this team come significant results. We have won many seven-figure settlements for our clients.

This has placed The Benton Law Firm into the Multi-Million and Million Dollar Advocates Forum. It is reserved for the elite of personal injury lawyers. Named to the “Best Lawyers in Dallas” by D Magazine in 2018, Jeff Benton and his team of legal experts across Texas are ready to work with you on your boat propellor accident case.

With this team comes exceptional service. We boast a perfect 10/10 rating on the legal services website Avvo, aggregating experience, reviews, and case results. Our past clients have also provided more qualitative testimony, which you can see for yourself here.

Types of boat propeller accident cases we handle

Boating accidents can occur for many reasons. Boat propellor accidents can occur due to several factors but are most often attributable to boat operator inexperience. Some of the types of cases that personal injury attorneys often see involving boat propeller accidents include:

• Falling/tripping into the water: If there are unmarked hazards on the boat, such as a slippery surface, you could be at an elevated risk of slipping and falling into the water, striking the propeller. There is also a tripping risk on the boat’s floor, such as with the tiller or other loose objects inside the boat.
• Reckless steering or throttling: If the boat operator is inexperienced on intoxicated, they may begin to steer recklessly. That can throw people off of the boat and towards the propeller blades. Additionally, revving the throttle too intensely or unexpectedly can result in people falling off the boat, especially towards the propeller if seated in the back.
• Failure to shut off the engine: While this often happens with inexperienced boat operators, even experienced operators can forget to wear the cutoff switch lanyard. The lanyard is standard on most boats. It shuts the engine off automatically in the vent of severe turbulence or if the boat operator leaves the control area. Additionally, they may be slow to react to someone or something that causes a hazard in the water. The operator may not know how to shut off the engine in an emergency situation.
• Unsafe boating practices: Several unsafe boating practices can contribute to a propeller accident for people in the water. Letting individuals near the propeller or stern when launching the boat presents a massive safety risk, along with not checking for individuals, such as water skiers, behind the boat before applying the throttle. Similarly, reversing the engine without checking for water skiers, divers, or swimmers behind the boat can present a high risk of a propeller accident.

How do I know who is at fault in my boat propellor accident case?

Proving fault in a propeller injury case, much like any personal injury case, is a process that requires you, the plaintiff, to prove several things. Ultimately, you prove that the defendant acted negligently. That’s a term with specific legal connotations. To prove negligence and, therefore, fault, we must prove the following:

• The defendant had a legal duty to provide some layer of protection. For example, they should warn you about the presence of a propeller. This generally extends to a duty to provide something, such as a warning, or keep away safety risks.
• The defendant breached their legal duty by acting (or failing to act) a certain way.
• The specific action in the breach of duty to care caused you or your loved one to be injured or worse. In other words, there needs to be a clear cause-and-effect relationship between this action and the injuries.
• Due to this injury, you have incurred specific damages. For the purposes of a claim, these often need to be financial to prove fault and obtain compensation.

Do I receive different protections if I am a maritime worker?

You receive additional employment protections under the Jones Act as a maritime worker. Though, which specific protections apply will depend on the details of your case.

Along with the Jones Act, there is also often a legal question on boating accidents whether or not the case falls under the jurisdiction of maritime law. It can be very complicated in the United States and only apply to specific cases. You are more likely to have these things come up if you were involved in an accident off the Texas Gulf Coast or in federal waters. It is always best to speak with a lawyer about the case details to see if this applies to you.

Is it possible to file a claim against the manufacturer of the propeller or engine?

This will depend almost solely on the facts of your case. If there is a known recall or we can clearly establish that a defect in the propeller caused the accident, it is certainly a possibility. In these circumstances, it is always best to speak with a lawyer first.

Contact us today about your case

If you or someone you know has been injured in a boat propeller accident, the Dallas-area boating accident lawyers of The Benton Law Firm are here to help you with your case. Combining experience with unmatched resources, we are here to give personalized attention to your case and help you win the compensation you need to return to normal life and support your family.

It is important to note that the statute of limitations for almost all boating accident cases and personal injury cases in general in Texas is 2 years. The settlement process can take a substantial amount of time, so it is in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible about your case so we can help you understand your legal options.

Contact the Dallas boating accident lawyers of The Benton Law Firm today at (214) 777-7777 to speak with a legal team member about your case, or start a live chat with one of our online representatives.