Seven of the most common jet ski injuries include whiplash, pelvic injuries, spinal cord injuries, lacerations, deep bruises, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries. These injuries are likely to occur in a jet ski accident due to the position the rider takes on the personal watercraft and the possibility of being thrown from it.
If you suffered severe injuries in a jet ski accident due to operator error or another form of negligence, someone else may be to blame. For example, a boater may have been driving in a restricted area and hit you. You can hire a personal injury lawyer to handle your case while you rest and recover from your injuries.
Jet Ski Injuries Can Be Severe and Costly
Some believe an accident involving a small personal watercraft cannot be serious or cause severe injuries. This is not the case. When traveling at excessive speeds, as jet skis can, riders can suffer equally severe injuries as motorists in car accidents.
These accident injuries can be serious and costly, especially when they require extensive medical care. You may face weeks, months, or even years of physical therapy, for example. You can seek compensation for your medical expenses and other losses from a liable party, and a lawyer can help.
Consider the following common jet ski injuries:
Whiplash
Some jet skis can travel up to 70 mph. Remember that riders are not strapped in by a seatbelt, either. You can imagine how easy it would be to get thrown off this personal watercraft. For example, if a boat approaches a jet ski too quickly, the rider may turn sharply and get thrown off.
Hitting the water at 70 mph can be traumatizing to the body. You could suffer whiplash, a neck injury resulting from rapid back-and-forth head movement, according to Mayo Clinic. If you do not seek medical treatment, it can result in chronic pain and other medical complications.
Pelvic Injuries
According to the Journal of Forensic Sciences, jet ski accidents can result in life-threatening pelvic injuries due to the high-pressure water coming off the back of a jet ski. In one specific case, a passenger on a jet ski was ejected from the personal watercraft, causing severe trauma to the pelvic region.
In a similar case studied by BMJ Case Reports, a teenage girl was a rear passenger on a jet ski and got thrown backward off the watercraft while doing low-velocity wave jumping. She suffered rectal bleeding and perineal and abdominal pain. These injuries were severe enough to send her to the emergency room and required surgery.
Spinal Cord Injuries
As with any accident that involves being thrown from a vehicle, a jet ski collision can result in spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries involve damage to the spine or the nearby nerves and bones. This kind of injury often requires surgeries, rehabilitative therapy, and medication.
Deep Bruises
While motorcyclists are often severely injured in accidents due to a lack of protection, jet skiers are even more vulnerable. Unlike motorcyclists, jet skiers do not usually even wear long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, a helmet, or knee and elbow pads. They are often in a simple bathing suit with a life jacket covering only their torso.
When an accident occurs, a jet skier’s lack of protective gear may cause their body to come into contact with another vessel or the surface of their personal watercraft, resulting in deep bruises.
Lacerations
When a rider is thrown off a jet ski, their skin can tear on various parts of the personal watercraft or a boat during an accident. Once again, this is often due to the high speeds a jet ski can travel and the lack of skin protection for the rider. Lacerations can be painful and easily lead to infections and other medical complications if left untreated.
Severe lacerations can also result in significant scarring, which is a loss our personal injury lawyers can seek recovery for through an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Fractures
According to Orthopedic Traumatology Surgery & Research, more than half of the personal injury watercraft victims in one study suffered extreme fractures that required surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injury
According to Sports Engineering, jet ski accidents can cause concussions or other head injuries, especially when riders fall off their watercraft. Remember that jet ski riders often do not wear helmets, so there is usually no protection if they hit their head.
For a free legal consultation, call 404-214-2001
You Can Seek Compensation After a Jet Ski Accident
Just as motorists must follow the rules of the road, boaters and others in the water have rules and regulations that aim to keep everyone safe. If another party violates those laws, they put everyone in the water at risk.
You can pursue compensation from a liable party to help cover the losses caused by your jet ski injuries. A lawyer from our firm can help file your insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
We can help you seek compensation for:
- Current medical expenses
- Any ongoing medical care, such as physical therapy and medications
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Disability
- In-home aid
We will leave no stone unturned when accounting for your losses. We do not want you to settle for an offer that would only leave you footing the bill down the road.
Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Take Your Jet Ski Accident Case on Contingency
One of the ways we help our clients meet the filing deadline for a lawsuit is by taking their cases on contingency. This lets us start working on your case immediately without charging you any upfront costs. We simply take a percentage of your settlement or judgment when your case concludes.
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Work With Kaine Law if You Suffer Serious Injuries in a Jet Ski Accident
Our legal team can investigate the cause of your jet ski accident, gather evidence of negligence, and build your case. Contact Kaine Law today for your free consultation.
Call or text 404-214-2001 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
