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Tennessee Boating Accident Statistics

Maryville Attorney Serving Watercraft Injury Victims in East Tennessee

Boating in Tennessee is a popular pastime. The total number of boats registered in the state in 2012 was 259,632. The accident rate for that year was 65.8 per 100,000 registered boats. The costs of boating accidents are high, and the total costs caused by boating accidents in 2012 was $2,306,012. The leading primary causes of these accidents were distracted boating operators and failures to keep a proper lookout. Moreover, alcohol and drug use played a role in some accidents. It is important to be aware of your rights and obligations as a boating operator or passenger in East Tennessee. Maryville boating accident lawyer Mark Hartsoe can help you pursue damages if you have been harmed in an accident caused by someone else.

Tennessee Boating Accident Statistics

In 2012, there were 18 boating fatalities in Tennessee and 94 accidents that caused injuries. The greatest number of fatalities were linked to falls overboard, with the primary causes of these accidents being alcohol use and weather conditions. Open motorboats were the boats most commonly involved in these accidents. Boat operators have a responsibility to use reasonable care while boating and may be held responsible for any damages arising from injuries if the accident victim can establish negligence.

Negligence occurs if the defendant failed to act in a reasonably safe way, and this failure was the cause of the victim’s injuries. For example, if a boating operator was not paying attention to weather changes, the water got rough, and the boating operator did not have enough personal safety devices, it is likely that a jury would find that these negligent acts were the cause of any injuries or deaths.

However, in some cases, a Tennessee defendant may successfully raise an act of God defense. This defense provides that a defendant will not have liability if their actions did not contribute to an accident, and the cause of the accident was a phenomenal weather event outside their control. There are occasions in which bodies of water are unexpectedly and adversely affected by weather.

In addition, defendants may raise the argument of comparative negligence. Generally, a defendant boating operator is unlikely to be successful in raising this defense against a passenger. On the other hand, if two boating operators were both negligent and crashed into each other, the issue of comparative negligence may arise. If you are injured partly as a result of your own fault, the jury will determine the total damages and assign a percentage of fault to you and others. Assuming that your fault was below 50 percent, however, you still may be able to receive damages that are proportionate to the defendant’s fault.

Consult Maryville Lawyer Mark Hartsoe After a Boating Accident

Tennessee boating accident statistics are sobering and show the importance of boating operators taking precautionary steps, such as making sure to have safety equipment and avoiding alcohol while boating. Call Maryville boating accident attorney Mark Hartsoe at 865-804-1011 or contact us via our online form to set up your free appointment. Mark Hartsoe assists people who need a watercraft injury lawyer throughout East Tennessee, including in Blount, Knox, Monroe, Loudon, Jefferson, Grainger, Cocke, Campbell, Hamblen, Greene, Anderson, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties.


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Mark: We would like to thank you for all the hard work you put in winning our medical malpractice lawsuit. The money we were awarded will certainly change our lives. The fact that you never treated us like clients but instead like friends meant so much to us. Again from our hearts we say thank you. Client
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The Peroulas family and I deeply appreciate your help and expertise. Although I am certain that it would have been most enjoyable to work with you on the trial, my clients are happy with what they and I believe to be a very favorable settlement, thanks in large part to your guidance. James S. Tipton, Jr.
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We appreciate the great job that you did on our case. You watched out for our interest even before you took our case. Mark Hartsoe did a wonderful job. He showed great expertise as he went up against a multi-national corporation with multiple lawyers. He had a thorough understanding of the many details and events that occurred. We were especially impressed with his skill during mediation. Mark’s PowerPoint presentation was excellent, overwhelming the opposition. It was refreshing to work with someone who does what he says he will and truly had our best interest in mind. Thank you for everything. Dennis and Julie Greene
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We would very much appreciate it if you would be so kind as to e-mail to our office the Powerpoint presentation that you made at the commencement of the mediation. Our General Manger was very impressed and would like to show it to the CEO and may in turn show it to other corporate personnel as an example of what can happen to the same or similar case when placed in the hands of an excellent lawyer such as Mark Hartsoe. William T. Wray
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