Pittsburgh Boating Accident Attorneys

Injured in a Pittsburgh Boating/Personal Watercraft Accident?

Our Chaffin Luhana Pittsburgh boat accident lawyers represents individuals who are involved in boating accidents throughout The Ohio Valley in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. If you or someone you love is seriously injured in a boat or other type of personal watercraft accident, we may be able to help you recover compensation for your injuries. To learn more, contact our Pittsburgh personal injury accident lawyers, today.

Boating Accidents in Pittsburgh

A good time on the Ohio River or any body of water can quickly turn grim if you are involved in an accident on a boat or some other watercraft. According to the National Association of Rescue Divers (NARD), most boating accidents happen at the end of the day when the weather turns foul and drinking, a major cause of boating accidents, has increased to the point where having one too many drinks impairs ability and judgment.
According to NARD, the six major causes of boating accidents include:

• Capsizing
• Overloading or improper loading
• Man overboard
• Improper forward watch
• Ignoring weather
• Unsafe fuel practices

According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, “Recreational Boating Statistics 2011,”[1] other causes of watercraft accidents include:

• Grounding, capsizing, sinking or flooding/swamping
• Slip and falls on a boat deck or overboard a vessel
• Persons ejected from a vessel
• Fires or explosions
• Water-skiing or other mishap involving a towable device
• Collision with another vessel, object, or submerged object (most common cause of jet ski accidents)
• Carbon monoxide exposure
• Electrocution due to stray current
• Swimming casualties from a vessel that is not anchored, moored, or docked

Defective Boat Parts

The potential defects of boat and watercraft parts are innumerable. Accidents on Jet Skis or other personal watercraft tend to be more serious or fatal than accidents on other types of water vessels.
Jet ski defects that have led to serious accidents or wrongful death have included:

• Defective throttle levers and shifter controller assemblies
• Lack of propeller guards
• Lack of an automatic turnoff
• Incomplete warning instructions

Other watercraft (motorboats and sailboats) device defects that have resulted in serious accidents or injuries have included:

• Cracked hull or other hull defects
• Weaknesses in the mast or masts
• Defective winches or other hardware
• Weakened or cracked fuel lines
• Defective lines for towing and anchoring the craft
• Worn or cracked wires
• Defective lights
• Electronics systems defects such as bilge pump, radar, sounder, GPS system or radio
• Steering problems on motorboats
• Problems with the integrity of the craft
• Defects in the engine
• Outboard motor defects
• Sudden turns to port or starboard

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA

If you have been injured in a boating accident on the waterways in the Ohio Valley and the accident was caused by negligence or defects in the boat or water craft, you should contact our experienced Pittsburgh boat accident attorney who helps clients in this geographic area. At Chaffin Luhana, we represent injured persons and their families in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.

Watercraft Injury Law Firm in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Chaffin & Luhana LLP
615 Iron City Dr,
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
Phone:(412)-345-8144