Salt Lake City Boat Accident Lawyer
With Personal Injury Law Offices in Sandy, Utah
Do you need legal help?
Contact us today for a free legal consultation.
Client Testimonials
Brad is fantastic! So pleased with all the help he has been giving me in such a stressful hard time with my accident. He definitely treats his clients like family and wants what is best for them. Would recommend him to anyone.
Ashley Richey
I contacted Brad a couple of times with some questions regarding our accident and what our rights were. He gave us valuable and helpful suggestions and was so friendly and knowledgeable.
Aimee Ballif
Went above and beyond to not only help me with my case but to reassure me as I was struggling with my anxiety. He was very kind and supportive and wasn't afraid to offer as much help as possible. One of the best you'll meet here and I highly recommend!
Linzie Builds
ABOUT BRAD DEBRY
7 Mistakes That Ruin Personal Injury Cases
Enter your information below to receive your free book and learn what you should and shouldn't do after an injury.
Some boat accidents are unavoidable, but others result from negligence or other misconduct such as drug use and drunkenness. In such a case, you will need a trained and certified personal injury lawyer to walk you through the legal process. An experienced lawyer will help you acquire full compensation for your pain and suffering.
Boating accidents are among the numerous practice areas Brad DeBry specializes in at Brad DeBry Law Firm. He understands the ins and outs of the state, federal, and maritime laws and regulations governing all boats in the waterways. You can trust Brad DeBry to handle your case successfully and professionally.
With Personal Injury Law Offices in Sandy, Utah
When summer arrives, many people in Salt Lake City turn to thoughts of boating. There’s nothing like relaxing with friends and loved ones out on the water. But when you’re seriously injured by a boat accident due to the negligence or carelessness of someone else, you deserve compensation.
If you’re reading this, you may have been seriously injured in a boat accident. You’re probably still dealing with your injuries, and you may be in pain. You may have missed work and may need to miss more, causing financial strain. You are probably looking for the right person to help with your boat accident claim.
We are here to help. Our firm offers free legal consultations. Call our Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer today.
Don’t worry about whether or not you have enough money to pay upfront for answers to your questions. Give us a call as soon as you’re able and schedule a free legal consultation.
The information below will help you get a better idea of what’s involved in a boat accident claim. We’ll start by going over the many ways you can accidentally damage your claim. Then, we’ll use a client story to give you additional information you’ll want to know. Please read it through to learn as much as possible.
Common Boat Accident Claim Mistakes
Many people are unaware of how their boat accident claim is vulnerable to damage. Please read through the items below to prevent yourself from making the same mistakes.
Using Pain as Your Gauge of Whether or Not to See a Doctor
When people experience a traumatic event, it’s natural for the “fight of flight” response to kick in. When this happens, the body is flooded with stress hormones that dull pain and provide a burst of energy and strength.
Though such “gifts” were beneficial in the days when fleeing from large predators was often necessary, these days the abundant flow of adrenaline and cortisol are more hindrance than help. It’s vital to seek out medical attention after a boating accident, even if you’re not feeling all that much pain.
In addition to making sure you don’t have internal injuries of which you are unaware, going to the emergency room will help protect a personal injury claim. Your exam will generate a medical record of your injuries with a date and time. The sooner you get to the doctor, the closer the date and time will coincide with that of the accident, providing evidence for your boat accident claim.
Unfortunately, such proof is important to keep the insurance company from trying to devalue or even dismiss your claim. If you skip a doctor’s exam and show up days later because you’re really hurting, the gap between your accident and exam will only help the insurance company and hurt your claim. They will very likely suggest you could have been injured in another place at another time, since you didn’t get to a doctor right after the accident.
Don’t give the insurance company the opportunity to pay you less than you deserve. Call our Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer as soon as you can.
Make Sure You Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment Plan
When you leave your doctor’s care after the accident, you will be sent home with a treatment plan. It’s critical that you follow these instructions.
Like getting a medical exam, following your doctor’s treatment plan will protect your health and your claim. The plan is your doctor’s best suggestions on how to help you recover.
There are many forms a treatment plan can take. It may include medications or therapies, such as physical therapy, stretching, or counseling, for example. It’s important to diligently adhere to whatever your doctor recommends you do to help with your recovery. If you don’t, the insurance company can once again try to devalue your claim.
Following your treatment plan also means not doing activities you’re not ready to resume. If you’re recovering from a severe concussion or traumatic brain injury, for example, the last place you should be is spinning around on amusement park rides. It’s dangerous to your recovery, and if the insurance company catches wind of it, it’s dangerous to your claim.
If you’re wondering whether insurance adjusters will actually follow you around or hide in your bushes to catch you violating your treatment plan, remember that these days, they don’t have to. One awesome motion shot of you on social media on the tilt-a-whirl will do the trick nicely.
Don’t risk your health or your boat accident claim. Follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
Don’t Allow the Insurance Company to Record Your Statement
After you’ve been injured in a boat accident, you can expect a call from the insurance company. While this is standard procedure for them, speaking to them is not going to help your claim. The very understanding adjuster on the other end of the call may lead you to believe that speaking with them will speed things up and ensure every detail is included.
The insurance company is the only entity to benefit when you provide a recorded statement. They’re not looking to help you process your claim. They’re looking for ways to deflect responsibility for compensating you for your injuries. The less culpability their client has, the less they will be required to pay you.
Many people believe they are required to speak to the insurance company. While they won’t say that outright, they’re not going to dissuade you from believing it, if you somehow get that impression. The truth is, you are not required to speak to the insurance company. It’s okay to politely decline the call. Better yet, pass this one on to your Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer.
Waiting to Look into Finding an Attorney
There are a few reasons people drag their feet on finding a lawyer to handle an accident claim. One is simply feeling overwhelmed. When faced with a severe injury, they may just not be capable of thinking about a claim yet.
This is understandable; however, if you have any reason to believe your injuries were caused by carelessness or negligence, it’s important to call an attorney as soon as you are up to it.
If you are holding out because you’re hoping to handle your claim yourself to save money, it’s important to be aware that the people who handle their own accident claims statistically receive awards many times smaller than those represented by qualified attorneys.
In addition, if you take on your own case and negotiations with the insurance company fail, you won’t have the ability to take them to court. The insurance company is aware of this and may refuse to be reasonable simply because they know you can’t drag them before a jury.
Even if you’re a personal injury attorney yourself, you’re not at your best when injured and in pain. Surgeons don’t operate on themselves. It’s okay to turn to another attorney for help when you’ve been seriously injured.
Another potential reason people drag their feet on finding a lawyer is they assume they have plenty of time.
Even if the state’s statute of limitations gives you more than a year to file, however, remember that evidence isn’t likely to hang around that long.
Accident scenes get cleaned up, and if your accident took place on the water, as most boat accidents do, you may be hard-pressed to even find the exact location of your accident.
The sooner you get started, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to recover evidence; even if you need a diver to do so. This may seem like an extreme example, but there are instances in which a second look may be warranted. The less time that passes, the more likely it is that evidence— even evidence at the bottom of a lake— can be found.
On a less dramatic note, paperwork and other “standard” types of evidence can get lost with the passage of time. In addition, witnesses may change contact information, making them all but impossible to find. But even if you locate witnesses, people’s memories often fade with time, so you’ll want to reach them as soon as you can.
The more time you give your lawyer to build your claim, the stronger your case will be. Don’t do the insurance company a favor by giving evidence time to disappear and taking prep time from your attorney. Hire a qualified Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer as soon as you are able.
Not Being Selective in Your Boat Accident Attorney
We’ve already mentioned that taking on your own claim is not the greatest plan when you’re injured, even if you’re an attorney yourself. But make sure when you do search for a lawyer that you take the time to find one best qualified to bring you the compensation you deserve.
Many people mistakenly believe all lawyers are equally effective for all cases. But we don’t select doctors this way. Would you hire a heart surgeon if you needed brain surgery? Probably not.
Each specialization within the law is called a “practice area.” When searching for the best attorney for your claim, make sure you find a personal injury trial attorney with experience winning boat accident claims both in and out of court.
Your case may not go all the way to court; many are resolved via settlement. Having a skilled trial attorney in your corner, however, can make an insurance company rethink the wisdom of pushing your claim into court.
When you hire someone capable of winning in court, you’re ready to get results either way.
Salt Lake City Boat Accident Client Story
We are sharing the story that follows to help you know what to expect in a boat accident claim. Though we’ve changed names and details to protect our client’s privacy, the value of the information remains. Please read it through and give us a call to set up a free legal consultation. Every case is different; we’d love to answer the questions you have about yours.
On a warm day in early June not too long ago, Ben Turner helped his wife with the final preparations for their daughter Natalie’s high school graduation party. Their small lake house was shining like a new penny. Decorations were hung and food was warming on burners.
Ben’s last chore was to gas up their water toys: a gently used pontoon boat and old, but reliable, jet skis.
With 23 minutes to spare before the guests arrived, Cindy sighed with relief. “We did it,” she said.
As they surveyed their work, Ben suddenly jumped off the deck and run back into the house. “Forgot the ‘guest of honor!’” He yelled over his shoulder as he disappears through the slider.
“What are you talking—” Cindy stopped mid-sentence as Ben emerged with a life-size foam board print of Bigfoot standing beside his daughter.
“WHERE did you get that?” She asked, as she doubled over laughing.
“Our trip to Idyllwild last summer. Remember the “Idyllbeast” in the parade? He posed with Natalie. I got it blown up and printed in town.” Ben was clearly very proud of his ‘party guest.’
“Well, it’s going to take a lot to top that,” said Cindy with another giggle. Her husband’s childlike joy in the little things was endearing; he was definitely a “keeper.”
The party went off without a hitch and Big Foot was a big success. Ben took his guests on two pontoon tours around the lake, and Natalie even took a boat load out for a spin. He’d taught her to pilot the boat when she was sixteen and she was a natural.
As evening drew near and friends and loved ones began to trickle back home with full bellies and slices of Cindy’s pistachio cake, Natalie asked if she and her boyfriend could take out a jet ski, promising to be careful and come back safe and sound.
Ben made a big show of thinking about it while he gave the young man the stink-eye. “Daaaaaad,” Natalie laughed, rolling her eyes. “We’re just going to be on the jet ski. We won’t even be able to talk, really, let alone anything you’d worry about.”
Ben tossed her the keys. “Stay off the island,” he admonished as they waved and took off. “And watch out for the sandbar!” He called after them.
Twenty-five minutes later, Ben’s phone chimed with a text. He read it and exhaled loudly. Natalie and Chris are grounded on the sandbar.
“I’ll be back in a few.” Ben said goodbye to the last of his guests and jumped on the second jet ski to help dislodge the heavy craft from the sand. He blew a kiss to Cindy and said, “Keep your phone on. If I get stuck, you’ll have to come get all of us in the boat.”
Cindy waved that she’d heard and began cleaning up.
Ben landed at the sandbar five minutes later; working together, the three of them were able to get the jet skis free.
He told the kids to follow him back to avoid running aground again; the sandbar stretched for at least 40 yards to the south and was very, very close to the surface. So close in fact that the neighbors left a volleyball net set up on it in the summers for all to enjoy. It was both a blessing and a curse, however, as it frequently grounded unwary jet skiers and boaters.
Halfway back to the house, a speedboat flew between them, heading straight for the sandbar. Natalie saw her father idle his jet ski and did the same. The three of them waved, trying to warn the boat pilot and passenger of the danger ahead.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work. The driver was steering erratically and didn’t seem to be aware of his surroundings. Possibly drunk, Ben thought, bracing himself for the boat to crash.
At the last minute, however, the passenger realized the danger and yanked the wheel hard right.
The boat spun and crashed right into Ben, throwing him and his jet ski 20 feet across the water.
Natalie jumped into the speed boat and helped Chris lift Ben into it. They brought her father to shore as the damaged jet ski sank behind them, forgotten.
Ben suffered four broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a traumatic brain injury. He was very lucky to be alive.
The doctors told him he could expect to spend up to a month in the hospital, followed by another in rehab. Cindy all but moved into his hospital room, and Natalie visited daily. Together, they kept him company and helped with his recovery. Their biggest concern was the brain injury.
Ben’s motor skills had been damaged, but he was making progress recovering those. A week after the accident Natalie arrived to find her dad traversing the halls with a walker, Cindy by his side.
Ben’s speech, reading, and writing skills also returned quickly. His memory, however, was another issue. His long-term recall was there, for the most part, but his short-term memory was in and out. He was also very anxious and though he could talk, for the most part, he didn’t.
The doctor reassured Cindy that as the brain recovered function, dramatic mood swings weren’t unusual.
“But he’s not having mood swings. He’s like a robot!” she told the doctor, feeling the grip of anxiety herself.
The doctor again told her that with time, they hoped for both the anxiety to ease and for Ben’s happy-go-lucky personality to return.
While getting her husband back was her main concern, Cindy also worried about their financial future. Her job was going well, but his job covered two-thirds of the family finances… more than that, if you included health insurance and retirement contributions.
When Natalie arrived for a visit ten days into Ben’s recovery, she showed her mom our website and suggested Cindy call to schedule a free legal consultation. Cindy made the call, telling us she needed to find out how much it would cost to hire us for a boat accident claim, how much Ben’s claim was worth, and how long it would take.
How much does it cost to hire a Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer?
We met Ben and Cindy the next day at the hospital. Ben understood why we were there and thanked us for coming, before bluntly asking, “How much do you charge?”
Cindy smiled an apology for his abruptness.
“No problem at all,” our lawyer responded. “We’ve handled many boat accident claims. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for them to involve traumatic brain injuries.”
“To answer your question, Ben, there is no upfront charge to hire us. We work on a contingency fee model. We cover all investigatory expenses and if necessary, litigation expenses. In the end, we only get compensation if we bring you a successful resolution to your claim.
“Okay, then you can stay,” Ben answered. Everyone laughed but him, though he did cock his head and manage a smile.
How much is my boat injury claim worth?
“What is Ben’s claim worth?” Cindy asked, ready to take notes in case her husband forgot what they’d discussed during the meeting.
We explained that it’s not fair to the injured person to toss out a dollar amount before doing an accident investigation and truly understanding the damages.
“You need to be wary of any attorney you speak to who doesn’t tell you the same thing,” our lawyer cautioned. “We can’t give you a quote you can count on without knowing the details of what happened, gathering evidence, and speaking to witnesses.
“In addition, we’ll need to have an accurate understanding of your economic and non-economic damages. To do that, we’ll need you to reach maximum medical recovery, Ben. That means recovering back to your normal degree of health.”
“What if I can’t get there?” Ben asked, clearly anxious at the thought. Cindy took his hand.
“Then maximum medical improvement will be when you’ve reached the highest level of recovery possible given your injuries. It will be your ‘new normal.’
“Your job, Ben, is to focus your energy on recovery. Follow the doctor’s treatment plan. Get as much rest as you can and do your physical therapy, occupational therapy, whatever is recommended to help you heal,” said the lawyer, adding, “When you reach maximum medical improvement, we’ll know your damages and can then give you an accurate idea of what your claim is worth.”
How long will my boat accident claim take?
“How long does a claim like this take?” Cindy asked.
“Why? Do you have another appointment?” Ben asked, without any trace of sarcasm. He smiled at his wife and reached for her hand, appearing genuinely curious.
Cindy took his hand and smiled back. “I’m not going anywhere, honey,” she said.
“When it comes to your claim’s timeframe, Ben, this is also not something we can tell you upfront. What we can tell you is what your timeline will depend on. First is how long it takes you to reach maximum medical improvement. Once you’re there, we’ll send a demand letter to the insurance provider.
“From there, your claim timeline will depend on how the insurance company responds. If they agree to a fair and reasonable settlement, we’ll be set to wrap up your claim.
“If they refuse to negotiate, we’ll drag them into court,” continued the lawyer. “But please don’t worry about this possibility. The insurance company knows who we are, and it’s possible they’ll settle just to avoid taking us on in front of a jury.
“But should it come to a trial, we’ve got a long history of winning boat accident claims, both in and out of the courtroom. Either way, we’ll be up to the task. That’s why no matter whom you hire, we recommend you find a personal injury trial lawyer with experience winning boat accident claims.”
“Well, isn’t that you?” Ben asked innocently, setting off another ripple of laughter that surprised him. He smiled.
“Yes,” our lawyer answered, smiling. “Yes, it is.”
Ben retained us that day, and today we are happy to say we got him eight times the insurance company’s initial offer.
Call Our Salt Lake City Boat Accident Lawyer Today
We hope you have a better understanding of your boat accident claim after reading this page. Every claim is unique however, so please call Salt Lake City boat accident lawyer Brad DeBry to schedule your free legal consultation. Don’t add the burden of handling your own claim to your plate— you’ve got enough to deal with just focusing on recovery. Call today and let us help.
Client Reviews
