Both Missouri and Kansas offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy the water through boating, tubing, and waterskiing. Missouri boasts lakes such as Truman Lake, Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo, Longview Lake, Pomme de Terre Lake, Lake Jacomo, and many others. In Kansas, there are Clinton Lake, Kanopolis Lake, Perry Lake, Tuttle Creek Lake, Milford Lake, Wilson Lake among others. Most water enthusiasts enjoy the sunshine and waters without any incident. Unfortunately, boating accidents are always a possibility and can result in catastrophic injuries, property damage, or even death.
Types of Boating Accidents
Boating accidents are not limited to simply boats, but also include accidents involving water skis, tubes, or even jet skis. Some of the most common types of boating accidents occur as follows:
- One boat or water vessel hit another (i.e. boat hitting a jet ski, boat hitting a boat, etc.)
- One Vessel Runs into Another Vessel’s Wake
- You or your boat hit an object in the water (trees, rocks and fence posts may be concealed underwater)
- Water skier or Tuber Hits another boating vessel or object
- Failure to Maintain Property Safety Equipment
Common Causes of Injuries in Boating Accidents:
- The driver of the boat was driving too fast for conditions
- Driver failed to pay attention
- The driver was operating the boat in a dangerous or reckless manner
- The boat driver drives carelessly while pulling skiers or passengers on water tubes.
- The watercraft operator is inexperienced
- Equipment failure
Missouri Boating Accidents
In Missouri, there were 182 boating crashes, with 111 people injured and 16 people killed in 2016. Additionally, 31 people were killed in accidental drownings that same year in Missouri. Impairment due to alcohol or drugs was a contributing circumstance to 24 of those boating crashes, which resulted in the deaths of three people. In fact, according to the United States Coast Guard, alcohol is the primary and leading cause of fatal boating accidents throughout the United States and listed in almost one-fifth of all boating accidents as the cause of death.
Kansas Boating Accidents
Missouri has substantially more waterways than Kansas, and therefore has more opportunity for recreational boating and more boating-related accidents. However, in Kansas, there were still 13 people injured and two deaths in 2018 resulting from 22 boating accidents. Any lake or waterway can be the location of a serious accident involving boats, tubes, water skis, or jet skis.
What to do After a Boating Accident
If you have been involved in any type of boating, tubing, water skiing, or other water-related accident, immediately stop and assess any possible injuries. Seek medical attention even if you think your injuries are minor. Oftentimes, certain injuries do not present themselves completely until hours or even days later. Contact the police and emergency medical personnel, if necessary. As with any type of accident, make sure to take photographs if possible, assess the property damage, and obtain all witness contact information. It is also important to know whether the person who caused the injury or accident is intoxicated or driving their boat or water vessel while impaired. Keep detailed records regarding any medical bills, accident-related expenses, or even a diary of your pain and suffering if you were severely injured.
Personal Injuries in Boating Accidents
Many people enjoy recreational activities on the water in the Midwest. With the Lake of the Ozarks and many other smaller waterways, rivers, and lakes, our area of the country contains many opportunities to enjoy the water. However, if you suffered any injuries or property damage after a boating accident, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys at Griggs Injury Law at (816) 474-0202 to help you recover a fair and reasonable sum for your injuries and damages and to document your strong personal injury case.
