Usually, victims can claim their medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost income after a jet ski accident. However, if you require ongoing care or suffer a disability, you can seek future losses for your medical bills and in-home aid.
A personal injury lawyer can review your situation to prove legal liability and prove your losses.
Your Potential Jet Ski Accident Damages Depend on Your Injuries
After a jet ski accident, the damages you can claim will depend on the severity of your injuries and how they affect your life. The first thing a jet ski accident lawyer will do when determining potential damages is get an idea of how severe your wounds are.
If you suffered broken bones or internal bleeding in a personal watercraft accident, for example, you may require intensive medical care. The cost of surgeries and hospital stays can quickly add up, so you want to ensure your claim covers them.
Other damages may also apply, and you will want to make sure that you account for them when you file an insurance claim or injury lawsuit.
Medical Expenses
Medical costs for a jet ski accident can include current and future bills. For example, you can seek awards for:
- Hospital expenses
- Diagnostic testing
- Emergency room care
- Medications
- Medical equipment
- Doctor’s appointments
- Specialists
- Rehabilitative therapy
We can also seek awards for any home modifications and in-home aid you require if you have to adjust your lifestyle after healing from your injuries.
Pain and Suffering
Your physical pain and emotional turmoil may also warrant compensation after a jet ski accident. It can be difficult to put a figure on this type of non-economic loss, but a lawyer can help.
Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity
Your jet ski accident injuries may also keep you out of work, getting in the way of contributing essential income to your family. A boating and watercraft accident lawyer can seek lost income to cover this.
Still, depending on what your maximum medical improvement (MMI) looks like, you may not be able to earn your previous income or return to work. In this case, a lawyer can seek reduced earning capacity to cover this difference.
Wrongful Death Damages
An accident involving a personal watercraft can be just as severe as one on the road. If your loved one’s injuries prove fatal, a jet ski attorney can seek awards on behalf of certain family members.
They can pursue recovery for:
- Your loved one’s funeral and burial expenses
- Burial or cremation services
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering
- Your loved one’s accident-related medical expenses
Nothing can bring back a loved one, but surviving family members should not have to struggle financially in their absence. A wrongful death lawyer can seek fair compensation that can go a long way to help them honor their loved one’s memory and cope in their absence.
A personal injury attorney can also seek compensation for property damage you may have sustained. If you must repair or replace your personal watercraft, they could seek financial recovery for these expenses from the at-fault party.
For a free legal consultation, call 404-214-2001
Jet Ski Accidents Can Result in Costly Injuries
Jet ski accidents usually result in severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Other common jet ski injuries include upper extremity injuries, such as wrist fractures, and lower extremity injuries, such as pelvic fractures.
Many bodily injuries require orthopedic surgery, which is expensive. Recovering from such a procedure can also be long and costly.
This is why it is important that injured riders seek medical care after a jet ski accident. You will want to reach your maximum medical improvement (MMI) and have documentation of your financial losses and non-economic damages. This will help your lawyer establish the negligence and liability of another party. You also want to protect yourself from an insurer who may undervalue or deny your claim if you delay or forgo treatment.
How a Jet Ski Accident Lawyer Can Prove Liability in Your Case
When our legal team investigates your accident, we will gather evidence of another party’s negligence to show how they were responsible for the jet ski accident. Specifically, we will look to illustrate four essential elements that negligence cases require:
- Duty of care. Another party owed you a basic duty of care to keep you reasonably safe on the water.
- Breach of duty of care. That party breached this duty of care through some action or inaction.
- Causation. The negligent party’s breach directly or indirectly caused your accident.
- Damages. You suffered injuries and compensatory losses because of the accident. These losses can include financial ones, such as the costs of medical treatment and physical therapy, and loss of income, and non-financial losses, such as mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life.
This may seem straightforward, but jet ski accident cases can quickly become complicated, especially if the accident involves multiple parties.
Potentially Liable Parties in a Jet Ski Accident
Various parties may bear liability in your jet ski accident case. For example, you may have suffered injuries due to:
- A boat operator who violated a law or regulation on the water
- A boat owner
- A boat rental company
- An event host
Even other boat passengers could bear liability for your losses. We will get to the bottom of who caused or contributed to your accident and work to hold them accountable.
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You Have a Limited Time to Take Legal Action in a Jet Ski Accident Case
You do not have long to take legal action after a jet ski accident. Per O.C.G.A § 9-3-33, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia. That does not leave much time for our lawyers to investigate and negotiate with insurers. We can work to streamline your case as much as possible, but it all starts with you.
Be aware that if you miss this deadline, you risk losing your right to seek compensation through legal action. You would have no recourse if an insurer undervalues or denies your claim. We encourage you to get started right away in taking action against the parties liable for the jet ski accident. We will guide you through the entire process.
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Call Kaine Law for Help With Your Jet Ski Accident Case
Our attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency for parties seeking financial compensation for personal injuries. This means we never charge you upfront fees. Call us today to explore your legal options after a jet ski accident.
Call or text 404-214-2001 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
