Head Trauma and Boating Accidents – Some Important Facts! - Personal Injury & Auto Accident Attorneys in Pearland, TX

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Boating is a popular summertime recreation enjoyed by people of all ages.

It’s also an activity that results in a high number of accidents that cause injuries, many of which are serious head traumas and often need lawyers who help clients suffering from serious brain injuries.

The idea that accidents happening on water are less severe than those on land is a dangerous myth, especially concerning traumatic brain injury.

Injury lawyers stress that preventing them involves being well-informed on how they are likely to happen and careful boating practices.

Boating Head Traumas and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Though boating is a recreational activity enjoyed by many people in various ways, there are quite a number of accidents each year.

Personal injury attorneys note that more than 50% of these accidents result in injuries, some of them serious or fatal.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division, 2018 saw a total of 4,145 reported boating accidents that resulted in 2,511 injuries and 633 fatalities, a percentage of nearly 1 in 7 accidents resulting in a fatality.¹

Overall injury numbers include 619 overall head injuries that include 243 concussions and similar injuries and 69 broken bones.

TBIs Common In Boating Accidents

The investigations of personal injury lawyers find that the most prevalent issues in many boating accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities are speed and impacts.

Many involve boaters being thrown out of boats and hitting the water or being tossed around on their boats, resulting in impacts of various types.

Any event in which a person either hits his or her head or has their brain jostled within the skull can cause a traumatic brain injury or TBI.

While concussions are most common and can vary from minor to major, other serious injuries like fractures have occurred.

Additionally, personal injury attorneys report that TBI in boating accidents can result from:

Oxygen deprivation when an injured person is under water for long periods after an accident.
Carbon monoxide poisoning from an idling boat.

Boating TBIs Can Cause Permanent Effects

Beyond the fatal injuries possible in a boating accident, lawyers who handle personal injury claims also stress the lasting effects of certain brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injury of any type can lead to lingering problems such as:

Headaches
Vision or hearing problems
Cognitive issues
Depression and anxiety
Physical and mental disabilities
Other Issues

Personal injury lawyers see cases where the injured are permanently to the extent that they are no longer able to care for themselves or work and are unable to maintain a normal life.

The Tragedy of Boating Accidents and TBI

As fun as it can be in its many forms, boating is also a dangerous recreation that demands caution to prevent serious or deadly accidents.

Experienced personal injury attorneys warn that whether you are kayaking, riding a wave runner, or riding in a regular boat, accidents happen and many can result in head trauma.

Anyone enjoying boating should take the necessary training courses ahead of time to learn the rules of the waterways and safe boating practices to reduce the chance of an accident.

Should an accident occur, anyone injured with a head trauma should seek the assistance of an personal injury lawyer experienced in these types of accidents for accomplished legal support!