Keeping Safe On Water: What To Do When Your Boat Encounters An Accident
Although rare, boat accidents do happen. A boat can collide with another vessel or hit a hard place and cause an accident. In such times, ensure everyone is accounted for. You must carry the required gear before getting on board to save people who cannot swim. The other thing is to contact an expert attorney in maritime law. You should also consider taking note of the events as they happened to compile a good police statement. Here is what you need to do after an accident occurs in the water.
Keep Safe
Ensuring everyone on board is safe is your prime role. If some people are missing, looking for them is not difficult as they must have their floating gear. Let everyone stay in one place, preferably where the accident occurred. After ensuring everyone is fine, you can make a call or have someone call for help as you look for missing persons. If someone is injured, ensure to tie the open wound with a cloth and keep the injury off the water. Try and calm victims down as some may panic and worsen the situation. Everyone can try floating on the boat’s debris as help comes on its way. If the place has poor connectivity, you can ask for help from a boat passing and alert a rescue team as they get to a location with better communication signals.
Make Your Personal Statement
If you still have your phone with you, you can take pictures of the scene. Also, collect details of the other boats, including their insurance company, driver’s name, and the boat registry. Try and identify your location using your phone and take a screenshot. Such information is helpful to your Naylor Law lawyer for compensation purposes. You can also record a statement from an eyewitness and take their contacts if needed to testify in court.
Report To The Police
After everyone is onshore and safe, it’s time you make a statement to the nearest police station. You may also make a statement with the police on-site if they arrive on time. The police will also take pictures and identify the driver at fault. One of the prime documents needed for compensation is the police statement. It gives details on the time, nature of the accident, and the extent of the damage. The police will also ask for eyewitnesses and information from people on board.
Call Your Lawyer
You can call your lawyer immediately after reporting a statement. Your lawyer can advise you on which steps to follow next. After sending all the evidence to your lawyer, the compensation journey begins. It is also wise to note that you should not speak to a representative of the other driver’s insurance company until your lawyer is present. Such lawyers or representatives may take your words against you in an attempt to evade compensating you for the damage caused. In some cases, your lawyer may present themselves on the scene to assess the nature of the damage, including personal injuries.
If your boat encounters an accident, the initial and crucial thing is to ensure your team is accounted for. Ensure everyone wears floating gear. Also, secure wounds with a piece of cloth and call for help from vessels passing by or use a phone to call for help. Make your account of the events by taking pictures of the incident and recording statements from witnesses and passengers. You will also need to make a statement to the police. Remember to keep off from the other party’s insurance representative. Also, be sure to call your lawyer and explain everything in detail to get compensated.
