Salt Lake City Boat Accident Lawyer

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.