The Lake of the Ozarks has always been a popular destination for Missouri locals and others familiar with the region. It has become even more popular in recent years thanks to its use as a setting on a popular streaming show. As the largest manmade lake that isn’t used for flood control, it is a beautiful and well-developed vacation site.
People visit the Lake of the Ozarks to swim, socialize, fish or enjoy some recreational boating. Unfortunately, not everyone who is operating a speedboat, jet ski, fishing boat or similar aquatic vessel acts safely and responsibly while out on the Lake of the Ozarks. Some boaters will actually strike swimmers, possibly leading to injury or death for those in the water.
Many boating incidents involve negligence or illegal activity
Personal injury lawsuits give someone hurt by a business or individual an opportunity to request compensation for the financial losses they experience due to the actions or negligence of the other party. Sometimes, if the state fails to prosecute or incarcerate an unsafe boater who hurts someone, a lawsuit may be the only path toward justice after a boating incident.
A personal injury claim can compensate someone for medical bills and also lost wages after they end up hurt in a voting incident as a swimmer. In scenarios involving fatal voting incidents, surviving family members might want to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit as a means of covering funeral expenses, medical costs and a lifetime of lost wages.
Provided that the boater did something obviously unsafe or broke the law, there may be grounds for such lawsuits. Alcohol consumption while boating is very common, and anyone who is over the legal limit while in control of a boat has violated Missouri state law. If the people affected when a boat strikes a swimmer can prove either that there was unsafe behavior on the part of the boat operator or that they broke the law, they may have grounds to seek justice in the civil courts.
Filing a personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit after a boating collision can potentially help to minimize the financial consequences for innocent people affected by a crash and inspire consequences for any party who is at fault for an injurious incident. Seeking legal guidance is often a good place to start.