The rules on the water are different from the rules of the land. When something goes wrong on the water, whether it is your fault or someone else’s, it’s time to contact a maritime lawyer to get the best advice, knowledge, expertise, and advocacy that you can. Here are a few of the common reasons why you might need a good maritime lawyer on your side:
- You crash into a dock: Docking a boat is never easy. When you crash into a dock it can cause a significant amount of damage. And even if the damage is slight, the dock owner may want you to pay more money than the actual value of the damage. That’s why it’s important to have a good maritime lawyerto defend your rights and decide what is a fair amount to pay for damages.
- Someone crashes into your boat: Not every boat operator follows maritime rules, and if you add alcohol, bad weather conditions, or any other hazard, crashes can occur very easily. Damages to your boat and physical injuries, even deaths, can occur. A good maritime lawyercan help you pursue fair compensation for any damage you, your boat, and any other passengers may have experienced during a crash.
- You crash into someone else’s boat: Even in the best of conditions, crashes can still happen out on the water.Glare, windy conditions, fog, and many other hazards can make it hard to see what is around you on the water.
- Someone else’s boat damages your dock: The structure of the dock can wear out over time, often without you noticing. Even small shocks to your dock can weaken it. Any sort of crash can cause damage once the structure is weakened. However, even a very sturdy dock can sustain damage with a large enough impact.
- Your boat spills waste or other pollution into the water:You can receive some pretty hefty fines if your boat accidentally spills waste or other pollution into a body of water. A maritime lawyer can help advocate for you.
- You are injured or injure someone else while on open water: Boating is a hazardous activity. Bodily injury can happen because of neglect, carelessness, weather conditions, alcohol and drugs, not following proper safety procedures and a variety of other circumstances. Having a good maritime lawyeron your side will help you get the compensation you deserve and keep you from overzealous litigation.
If you are looking for a maritime lawyer who can help you win your case or protect you from overzealous litigation, call Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris today. We have recovered over $720 million dollars in maritime cases. We offer 0% interest loans to our clients, without repayment until the case is settled or won.
Source
https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/do-i-need-a-maritime-lawyer.rl
