We Represent Passengers, Swimmers and other victims of Boating Accidents and Mishaps in Georgia

Georgia’s warm climate, Atlantic coast and network of rivers and lakes offer enticing opportunities for people who love sailing and boating.  But when a day on a boat goes wrong, the results can be catastrophic.  Boats do not come equipped with seat belts or other safety restraints, which can mean serious injuries in a crash.  People who are ejected into deep water run the risk of drowning, even if they can swim.  And the holiday atmosphere around recreational boating means some people refuse to take safety seriously, exposing everyone around them to accidents caused by alcohol, inexperience or bad decisions.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, boating accidents in our state caused 62 drownings and 11 fatalities of other kinds in 2008, along with 86 injuries.  The department does not offer a breakdown of the causes, but it does note that there were 169 people charged with boating while intoxicated (BUI) in the same year.  Drunk boating may not always get the same attention that drunk driving does -- but it can be just as deadly.  Just like drivers, boat operators have a legal responsibility to take reasonable care in public waterways, and that includes staying sober as well as operating their vessels with care.

The department does not track statistics on commercial boating accidents. But commercial fishing and shipping, and oil platform work, are very dangerous because they expose their workers to turbulent seas and accidents with heavy equipment. These workers are considered maritime workers under federal law, so they cannot collect workers’ compensation after an injury.  Instead, injured workers and bereaved families must file a Georgia maritime accident lawsuit under the Jones Act to collect money to pay medical costs, make ends meet while they recover and compensate them for a disability or death.  If this is your family’s situation, or if you have been penalized at work for reporting an accident, you should call a Georgia Jones Act attorney right away.

Boating accidents can cause very serious injuries, including wrongful deaths, brain damage from oxygen deprivation, spinal injuries, burn injuries, amputation injuries and severe tissue damage.  Victims of boating accidents in Georgia caused by someone else’s carelessness have the right to hold that person legally responsible for the results. Like victims of car wrecks in Georgia, boating accident victims should be able to make an insurance claim to cover their injuries and medical bills -- but just like auto insurance companies, boating insurance providers do not always want to pay what they legally owe.  A Georgia boating accident lawsuit can force these insurers to meet their legal obligations, allowing victims to collect the money they need to pay past and future medical bills and other accident-related expenses, as well as compensation for an injury, wrongful death or permanent disability.

Atlanta boating accident lawyer Charles Scholle represents victims of sailing, boating and shipping accidents throughout the state of Georgia, including accidents on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts as well as rivers and lakes including Lake Oconee, Lake Lanier, Lake Allatoona, Carter’s Lake, Lake Seminole, Lake Blackshear, Lake Hartwell, Richard B. Russell Lake, Walter F. George Lake, West Point Lake and Clarks Hill Lake (J. Strom Thurmond Lake).  Since 1995, he has represented victims of all types of serious accidents in Georgia, helping to get them the financial compensation they need to get medical care, support their families and move on after a serious accident.  Thanks to that experience, he has the skills and the resources necessary to fully prosecute even the most serious boating accident claims, including cases of complex, lifelong injuries.  He also understands that injured clients are dealing with a lot when they come to him, which is why he tries to lift the legal and bureaucratic burdens of the case and allow clients to focus on getting better.

If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt in a boat accident in Georgia, the Law Offices of P. Charles Scholle can help. From his main office in Gwinnett County, he maintains offices near the Buckhead and Perimeter, and he represents injured people throughout Metro Atlanta and the State of Georgia. To set up a free, confidential consultation on your case, please contact us online, send an email or call locally to 770-717-5100 or toll-free anytime to 1-866-972-5287.