boating accidentAs disorienting and stressful as a car accident can be, a boating accident can be even worse. Leaving aside the fact that boats, by at large, are not designed to protect passengers or crew in the event of a collision, the fact that a boat accident could take place in open water turns the prospect of injury or unconsciousness into a potentially life-threatening situation.

Anyone involved in a boat accident should be prepared to deal with the crucial and time-sensitive first priorities. First aid, rescuing anyone in or near the water and seeing to the safety of passengers and crew must come first. Once those involved are safe, there are some things the boat’s master must immediately address.

Remain Silent 

If you are in nominal command of a boat at sea, on a lake or river, under no circumstances should you make any statement at an accident scene to witnesses, other people involved, the Coast Guard or the police. An accident could expose you to both civil and criminal liability, and making a statement could inadvertently implicate you as the cause of the collision.

At your earliest convenience, you should consult a qualified attorney and let them do the talking. Until then, keep your mouth shut.

Consent to No Search 

Fourth Amendment rights is something many civilians might not be clear about. Your Henderson Personal Injury Attorney will remind you both the police and the Coast Guard needs a warrant to search you or your property even if they have probable cause. However, if you consent to a search, you waive all your rights. Don’t be deceived. Assert your Fourth Amendment rights and consent to no search of your vessel or your person until you have a chance to speak to your attorney.

Document Everything 

The greatest thing that has ever happened to civil litigation is the mobile television station you are carrying around in your pocket. Take pictures of everything. Take special care to fully photograph any other vessels at the scene, including their identification. Get a record of weather conditions and any navigational hazards. Take pictures of every document and every witness. If you can, get statements from others at the scene on video.

Four months after the accident, when you are the only person on Earth who can reconstruct the scene in photographs, the attorney you retained from the Dobberstein Law Group and you both will be thankful you remembered this advice.

As always, if you are in any kind of accident on the water in Nevada, you should consider speaking to Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorneys at your earliest convenience.

Dobberstein Law Group will be able to advise you on your best options for defending yourself or pursuing recovery of damages for your injuries.