What Should I Do if I Was Injured on a Boat in St. John?

 Posted on May 14, 2020 in Defective Products

Part of the thrill of a vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands is the excitement you feel when out on a boat with your friends and family. However, if you or a loved one are injured on a boat trip, legal proceedings can get complicated. If you believe that such an injury was caused by a defective boat part, you may have to untangle some complicated legal proceedings in order to find fault with the manufacturer or the company you rented the boat from. Do not risk taking your case to court alone. Get the help you need from a trusted personal injury attorney.

Injuries Due to Defective Boat Parts

The types of accidents that can happen due to defective boat parts can vary depending on the situation. Faulty equipment might lead to flooding, capsizing, loss of control, or a crash due to navigation or electrical issues. Assuming that you are renting a boat while on vacation, you and your attorney would have to decide whether to pursue legal action against the boat's owner, the manufacturer, or a combination of both. Lawsuits due to defective parts can get complicated, because it is the owner's responsibility to ensure that the boat is in good working order before letting you take it into the water. If you can prove that the necessary precautions were taken, but there was still a malfunction, the manufacturer may be held liable under U.S. law.

Legal Action Against the Boat Manufacturer

There are several reasons to file a lawsuit against a boat manufacturer if you suspect that an accident was due to defective design or assembly. Medical expenses you paid because of any resulting injuries take priority, but you can also receive compensation for any wages that you lost because of time away from work during the recovery process. You and your attorney can also push to get the manufacturer to cover less tangible costs, such as emotional trauma or, in a wrongful death case, loss of companionship.

Contact a U.S. Virgin Islands Boat Injury Attorney

Hunting for the cause of a boat accident can be an enormous task, but at Colianni & Colianni, we have the experience necessary to investigate and determine if an equipment manufacturer can be held liable. No one deserves to suffer because of defective boat components, and we will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve to help you recover from your losses. To learn more about how one of our St. Thomas personal injury attorneys can help you, call 340-719-1766 to schedule a free consultation.

SOURCES:

https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2301&context=vlr

https://law.justia.com/codes/virgin-islands/2019/title-5/subtitle-1/part-vi/chapter-99/1451/

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/products_liability