Boating Safety Protects You From Needing to Contact a Law Firm
Heading out on the water is fun, refreshing, and freeing, but just as you abide by road safety in your car, you should abide by boat safety guidelines while aboard a vessel. Whether you’re planning on taking a long trip on a large watercraft, or you’re simply taking a small fishing boat out for the afternoon, following these tips will help you to avoid an accident. Remember, if someone causes an accident due to neglecting these tips and common sense safety practices, you are well within your right to contact a law firm and pursue legal recourse.
Make a Checklist
An important part of boating is being prepared, and this includes checking the boat for fire safety equipment, fuel, and possible leaks before setting off. Create a checklist for yourself which includes everything from life jackets to emergency oars. Check it over each time you’re about to board your boat so that you know you are fully prepared for any trip you plan to take that day. You are liable if you set out on an unsafe boat. Anyone hurt because of your negligence can and will contact a law firm and file a lawsuit.
Follow the Weather
Weather affects the water you sail on, and it can change in a matter of moments. The best boaters will tell you that checking the weather before setting off is an important part of boat safety. Once you set off into the water, especially the ocean, which can become unpredictable and choppy, you can’t always reroute your course in time.
Knowing what to expect will prepare you for impending weather conditions or help you decide to cancel and reschedule a boating trip altogether.
Log a Float Plan
You wouldn’t go camping deep in the woods without telling somebody where you plan to be, especially if cell signal is limited. A float plan gives your loved ones or, at the very least, the marina an idea of where you plan to go and when to expect you back. This makes it easier to track your vessel should it go missing, or if something were to happen and you don’t make it back in time. The plan should also include information about each passenger on board, the registration information for the boat as well as the types of communication equipment on board.
Avoiding the Need for a Law Firm
At Tolbert Beadle LLC, our law firm sees plenty of cases where an injury or death could have been avoided if safety measures had been properly followed. Wrongful death suits and injury claims involving boating often have to do with a lack of safety precaution being implemented. To avoid the need to contact a law firm, make sure that everybody on board is wearing a lifejacket, that there is no alcohol permitted to those operating the watercraft, and that all passengers know how to swim.
For more information on cases involving boats or to speak to an attorney from Tolbert Beadle law firm, contact us today.
