Dangers of Jet Skis

While jet skis can be a fun and thrilling way to enjoy the weekend, they can also present inherent dangers. Whether you are riding a jet ski on Lake LBJ, down in South Padre, San Antonio, Galveston, Port Aransas, Rockport or any other of the hundreds of Texas lakes, bays, or waterways, please use caution.

A jet ski or other watercraft in the hands of an inexperienced operator can present significant dangers with catastrophic results. Jet ski accidents occur for a number of reasons. While you can’t prevent all accidents, the more you know can lessen the chances of a severe jet ski accident from happening. If you or a loved one lives in San Antonio and has been involved in a boating and jet ski accident, contact a San Antonio jet ski injury attorney.

There are more than a few ways that jet ski accidents can happen. First of all, if you are a passenger on a jet ski, the driver of the personal watercraft may drive erratically and take dangerous risks driving at high speeds or attempt to spray or splash another boat or swimmers. Refrain from riding with these types of personal watercraft drivers. If you are operating the personal watercraft, do not attempt any of these maneuvers because they increase the likelihood of an accident occurring. Often in these situations, passengers on a jet ski can be thrown from the jet ski and injured.

Second, other boat operators or jet ski drivers you are sharing the waterways with may be careless and cause a jet ski accident. Finally, In some cases, the design of the jet ski itself may create problems or cause malfunctions that lead to injury. If you or a loved one lives in San Antonio and is ever in a jet ski accident caused by another, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney to find out what legal relief you may be entitled to receive.

Jet skis, also known as personal watercrafts, “wet bikes,” and wave runners, have become very popular. Roughly 11 percent of all registered boats in the U.S. are personal watercrafts. As more people ride jet skis, the risk of accidents increases. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, personal watercrafts were involved in 30 percent of all reported boating accidents and 36 percent of all boating injuries.

There is an exhaustive list of the dangers of jet skis and reasons why these accidents happen. Some reasons are due to:

• Operating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
• Dangerous waters,
• Weather conditions,
• Inattention of the operator,
• Inexperience of the operator,
• Failure to look for other boaters,
• Excessive speed,
• Machinery failure,
• Failure to follow the rules of the waterways,
• And the forces of waves or wakes.

As listed, a majority of these accidents are due to lack of experience of the driver. In some states, the minimum driving age of a personal watercraft is 12. Raising the driving age and increasing driver attentiveness can decrease the risks involved in riding a personal watercraft. Even with these precautions, these type of accidents may still happen, so it is important to know what you should do if you fall victim to one of these accidents.

When you are seeking to impose legal responsibility for damages on either a jet ski operator or a person whose negligent maintenance caused an accident, you will need to prove that the other party was negligent. You can do this in one of two ways.

Under common law negligence principles, a competent attorney can show that a reasonable driver would have been more careful and that no reasonable person would have behaved as carelessly as the driver in question. Second, a person is automatically considered negligent if he or she violates a safety law in a way that leads to harm.

If you have been injured due to the dangers of jet skis, due to the negligence of others, call the law offices of Carabin Shaw today. Our lawyers know how to prove negligence and will fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve for your accident.

The attorneys of our San Antonio location are available day and night and offer a free consultation. Let our attorneys fight for you legal right to just compensation by calling 210-222-2288, or toll free at 800-862-1260.