Boating accidents can cause serious injury and result in permanent disability. At Quinn Thiele Mineault Grodzki LLP, Ottawa Injury Lawyers, we have handled cases with horrifying injuries caused by boating accidents and have obtained compensation for injury victims and their families. In many cases boating accidents are caused by someone else’s negligence: inattention, speeding, drunk boating, drugs and boating, texting, inexperience, reckless behaviour, equipment defects and careless driving. Proving negligence can be difficult in boating accidents and often experts are needed to provide opinions on the negligence of boat drivers and owners.
Injury cases involving boats are very complicated because often evidence is based on witnesses and physical evidence. Physical evidence can disappear, and memories of witnesses fade over time. Both the driver of the boat and owner of the boat can be held liable for injuries sustained in a boating accident. , due to the nature of boating accidents and common insurance issues that arise. In Ontario, the driver or owner of a boat or other personal watercraft may be held liable for an accident, just as the driver or owner of a car is liable for an accident.
If you have been injured in a boating accident or watercraft accident, you should consult a personal injury lawyer familiar with Ontario law in respect of boating accidents. While in some respects in Ontario boats are treated similarly to cars, boating accidents involve different laws.
In Ontario, the operator of a boat and its owner has a duty to exercise care to prevent injuries to passengers and other boaters.
In Ontario, the Marine Liability Act (MLA) is the main legislation dealing with the liability of boat / ship owners and operators in Canada. Whether you are entitled to compensation in a boating accident will depend on the facts of your case.
In Ontario, having liability insurance for boats is not mandatory. Your injury lawyer will investigate whether insurance coverage is available and if not conduct searches to determine of the person responsible for the accident has assets from which they could pay you compensation.
Boating accidents often cause serious injuries and involve complex legal principles and legislation. Let one of our experiences boating accident lawyers help you navigate through the complicated process of seeking compensation for injuries sustained in boating accidents.