In 2019, there were over 4,000 boating accidents in the United States.
If you’re involved in one of those accidents in the future, what are you supposed to do? The steps to take are a little bit different than if you’re in a car accident.
If you’re in a boating accident, keep reading to find out what you should do next!
1. Make Sure Everyone is Safe
First, you should make sure that everyone is safe. Some people might feel okay at the moment because of all the adrenaline rushing through them, but they still could have serious injuries.
Check yourself as well. If anyone has serious injuries, make sure they seek medical attention right away. While you wait for help to come, you can also try using a first aid kit. If you don’t have one, try asking the other boating party for one.
If someone has fallen in the water after the accident, don’t jump in after them. Throw something out to them to help save them instead.
2. Gather Information
Next, you should gather information about the accident. This will help you file a claim later.
You’ll need the name, phone number, and address of the person who is on the other boat. You should also get the information of any of their passengers as well.
If there are any eyewitnesses from other boats on the water, try and get their information too so they can attest to what happened.
3. Report the Accident
Next, you should call the Coast Guard and report a boat accident. They can be really helpful especially if you have someone who needs medical care.
Most states require you to report the boating accident anyway. Reporting the boating accident is also helpful because it can make sure that you have an official report filed.
This document will be very helpful later when you try and file a claim. When the Coast Guard does come, make sure you don’t admit any guilt or apologize even if the accident was your fault.
4. File a Claim
Next, you’ll need to file a claim with your insurance. Even if you weren’t at fault in the accident, you’ll need to let your insurance know.
After you’ve told them, you can start filing a claim against the other boating party if they were at fault. To do this, you might want to hire a lawyer to help you. If you aren’t sure which lawyer to hire, check them out!
Learn More About What to Do After a Boating Accident
These are only a few of the key things to do after a boating accident, but the important one is making sure everyone is safe.
We know that being in any kind of accident can be scary, but we’re here to help you out!
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