Dallas Boat Overcrowding Attorneys
If you were severely hurt due to the overcrowding of a boat or vessel, you might be entitled to compensation. Having a fun day out on the water can quickly turn tragic if you carry too many people in a boat. Not only is boat overcrowding uncomfortable, but it’s also unsafe. Serious and potentially fatal injuries can happen if capacity limits are ignored.
There is ample opportunity for boating in the Dallas area’s many lakes and waterways, including Lake Lewisville and Lake Ray Roberts. Which also means ample opportunity for injury and accidents. You should consider pursuing legal action if you have sustained an injury due to overcrowding. This is to ensure that you are not only taken care of financially but also that it doesn’t happen again.
At The Benton Law Firm, we have been serving the people of Dallas for years. Our firm is dedicated to helping them recover damages after serious accidents. We have seen negligent acts uproot families, cause pain, and overturn finances. If you are experiencing something similar, you probably feel frustrated and confused about what to do next. Fortunately, you do have options. For more information and a free consultation of your case, call The Benton Law Firm at (214) 777-7777 or email us today.
Why You Need an Attorney
If you want to pursue legal action regarding your injury, it’s important to approach it carefully. Examine all of your options before making a hasty decision. Even though it may seem easier initially, trying to represent yourself in your injury case is not recommended. There are so many aspects of the law that are not immediately apparent. That may put you in a situation where you’re in over your head.
Personal injury cases are usually only successful when you have the help of an experienced attorney. Your lawyer will be able to help you manage the details of your case. They will keep track of dates and deadlines, negotiate with lawyers and insurance representatives, represent you in court, collect evidence, and consult experts. Trying to manage all of this by yourself while also trying to recover from an injury will not help you in the long run.
In fact, adding so many extra responsibilities may worsen your recovery, take up more of your time, and generally leave you in a worse state than when you started. An attorney is an invaluable resource when trying to win back money through your claim.
Don’t make the mistake of losing the opportunity to collect compensation because you took on too much. Working with a trusted, knowledgeable attorney gives you a better chance of winning your case than you would have taken it on alone.
Why Choose Us?
At The Benton Law Firm, we know that you’re going through a difficult time. Trying to get your life back on track after a severe accident or even death is hard, often with no clear end in sight. That’s why we’re committed to helping people just like you win their cases and move on with the rest of their lives. Our firm has been assisting Dallas-area families for years. We’ve secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts and gotten much-deserved justice for those hurt.
Attorney Jeff Benton is a dedicated and trustworthy personal injury lawyer with knowledge and drive. His respect and passion for his clients even led him to take and win cases that other lawyers have dropped. A multitude of former clients will attest to his ability and readiness to fight for those he represents, as will D Magazine, who named him one of Dallas’ best lawyers of 2018, and the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, who honored him with the John Howie award for his pursuit of justice, no matter the circumstance.
The Benton Law Firm is highly regarded in Dallas, but that doesn’t mean you can’t afford to hire us to handle your case. We don’t charge our clients anything until we win the case. This means you won’t have to worry about how to pay for quality representation. If you would like to learn more about how The Benton Law Firm will handle your case, call us today at (214) 777-7777, or send us a message at any time of the day.
Boat Overcrowding Cases We Handle
Overcrowding a boat or vessel is one of the many ways the owner or operator can be liable for negligence. Boats at capacity are at a greater risk of capsizing, which is extremely dangerous and may even lead to death.
Even without sinking, overcrowded boats are dangerous to the people aboard them. Too many people in a small space–especially a small space that no one can leave out in the open water–is a recipe for disaster. The following are some examples of problems overcrowded boats could create, and instances in which you would have a claim for negligence:
- Capsizing (sinking)
- An overcrowded or overloaded boat may be too heavy or too easily rocked.
- Heatstroke
- Too many people close to each other could cause excessive heat on the vessel, especially in the hot Texas sun.
- Falling overboard
- People can easily be shoved or knocked overboard if there is not enough room in the vessel.
- Lack of safety equipment
With more than the safe and approved number of people on a boat, there may not be enough lifevests or lifeboats to accommodate everyone in an emergency.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to The Benton Law Firm at (214) 777-7777 for a free consultation. We believe that you should not have to suffer even more than you already have because of the negligent acts of another person. Let us help you find a solution.
What counts as negligence?
Negligence is failing to do what an ordinary, competent person in the same situation would have done. When it comes to boat overcrowding, a boat operator who decides to allow more people onboard than is safe for everyone is not acting in a way that a reasonable person in the same situation would act.
If it is a commercial vessel, they might allow more people onboard than they should for financial gain. Although, of course, there are many reasons why a rule can be ignored. Regardless, it is considered negligence for a boat or vessel operator to ignore safety regulations.
How long do I have to file a claim?
If you or someone you love has been injured because a boat or vessel was overcrowded, it is a personal injury case, and you have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. In some cases, the statute of limitations will begin when you are aware of or should be aware of your injuries. This may be because the injuries were not immediately apparent when they were incurred but became noticeable later.
Either way, the statute of limitations is in place to ensure that evidence can still be procured and that people can’t hang threats of lawsuits over other people’s heads indefinitely. However, it can hinder real victims of negligence if they wait too long to take action. To ensure you can file a lawsuit, it’s important to research personal injury claims as soon as possible.
How do I prove negligence due to boat overcrowding?
The negligent act has to have directly caused the accident that injured you for you to have a claim against them. If the operator let too many people board the boat and you were injured, you’ll have to collect evidence, for example, photographs, and talk to eyewitnesses about what happened.
Your attorney will thoroughly investigate the capacity limits and any previous citations for overcrowding and build the strongest possible case on your behalf. They will negotiate a settlement with the boating company or (more likely) the company’s insurance representatives. If the company does not agree to a settlement amount that is fair, your lawyer will file a lawsuit to prove your claims in court and secure damages.
Contact Us
Being injured due to boat overcrowding is both unexpected and terrible. You shouldn’t have to continue to suffer long after the accident. Don’t just accept the burdens of your accident–whether they be medical bills or physical and emotional pain–but take action to ensure that you and your family are taken care of.
At The Benton Law Firm, we believe you deserve compensation for what you’ve been through. We can help you win. If you have been injured and would like more information on collecting compensation, call us today at (214) 777-7777, or fill out our contact form for a free consultation of your case.