The recent death of the son of a former San Francisco 49ers CEO in a boating accident underscores the potential for serious – even fatal – injuries while enjoying time of the water. According to news sources, the death was the result of a collision between and boat a dinghy off the coast of Santa Catalina Island.
Further, CBS San Francisco reveals that a child suffered personal injuries during a boating accident in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, near Antioch.
Boating has become increasingly popular in and around San Francisco, with many people enjoying the Bay and other nearby water ways, whether fishing, sightseeing, sailing or enjoying water sports. Unfortunately, inexperienced and reckless boaters often create hazards as they are unaware of all of the potential dangers.
Boating accidents include collisions, capsizing, people falling overboard, manufacturing defects, and watercraft accidents such as Jet Ski injuries. On-board slips and falls may also lead to injuries.
Factors that may affect the safety of boating include the size and location of the boat, the number of people on the boat, weather conditions and the experience of the driver. Further just as with car accidents, drinking may lead to “drunk boating”, creating hazards for passengers and other boats on the water way.
The dangers associated with boating are compounded by the possibility of the victim being underwater, depriving the brain of oxygen and leading to potential brain damage, catastrophic injuries or a wrongful death.
For more information or if you, or someone you love has been injured in a boating accident, please contact the dedicated San Francisco personal injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.