Boating Accidents Attorney: Filing A Report
Before you start looking for a boating accidents attorney
, you'll need to make sure any incidents that happen out on the water are properly reported to the authorities. Federal laws state that watercraft operators must file an incident report to the state within the first ten days if there is more than a certain amount of property damage and within 48 hours if someone was seriously injured, killed, or winds up missing. There will be a time for pointing fingers and filing lawsuits, but first you need to make sure you comply with the law.Going Online
Like almost everything these days, you can find what you need to file an incident report online. Most states will have an official safety website for watercraft owners. Go there or to the motor vehicles department's website to find the form you need. If you can't find it through surfing alone, look for a contact number. You can call this number and get the answers you need. There may even be an email address you can use, although you can't necessarily count on them getting back to you in time. Use the phone number if you can.
The Form
Once you've found the form, download it and print it. Some states may allow you to file the report electronically, but most will want you to either mail it in or bring it in person. Be detailed, but if you are thinking about hiring a boating accidents attorney, you need to be careful at this juncture. Remember, the opposing lawyers are going to look carefully at anything you have said or written about the incident in question. Fill in the information required by the report, but don't go above and beyond. The more you say, the more words are out there to impugn your side of the story. Even if you don't see how something you've written could possible come back to haunt you, remember that lawyers see things in a different light than most people.
Tips
If the incident in question was or is an emergency situation, dispense with all of the form finding and simply call 911. In a state of emergency, your primary responsibility is to make sure any injured parties-including yourself-get the medical attention they need. Everything else is secondary. If it is a non-emergency situation, make sure you get and keep the contact information of the individual who was responsible for the incident. If you're going to hire a boating accidents attorney to file suit, you'll need that information to move forward with litigation.
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