Boating on North Texas lakes near Carrollton, including Lake Lewisville, Grapevine Lake, Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard, is a popular recreational activity, especially during the warmer months. Unfortunately, increased boat traffic during this time also raises the risk of serious accidents and injuries.
Accidents can leave victims facing emergency medical care, hospitalization, permanent injury, or even wrongful death. When this happens, victims and their loved ones often discover that insurance coverage is limited, operators deny liability, and key evidence disappears quickly on the water. The hours and days after being injured by someone’s negligence are often challenging and unnerving.
The dedicated legal team at O’Hare and Koch works aggressively to secure full compensation for medical costs, lost earnings, property damage, and long-term impacts. Contact us today to speak with a boating accident attorney in Carrollton committed to ensuring your legal interests are fully represented throughout your case.
Common Causes of Boating Accidents in Texas
Boating accidents on Texas lakes often stem from negligence, the failure to exercise reasonable care while operating a vessel. While many boaters follow safety guidelines, others engage in reckless behavior that puts passengers and others on the water at serious risk, including the following:
- Operator Inattention: The most frequent cause of accidents, often due to distractions or simple carelessness.
- Boating Under the Influence (BUI): Just like DUI in a motor vehicle, operating a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs is illegal and a primary cause of catastrophic injuries.
- Excessive Speed: Operating a vessel at speeds too high for the conditions or traffic on the waterway.
- Inexperience or Improper Lookout: Many boaters lack formal training, leading to navigation errors and a failure to spot hazards or other vessels in time.
- Equipment Failure: Faulty manufacturing or improper maintenance can lead to mechanical failures, such as steering loss or engine problems.
- Hazardous Waters/Weather: Operating a boat in dangerous weather or rough water conditions that exceed the vessel’s or operator’s capacity.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a Boat Crash?
Identifying all potentially responsible parties is essential to pursuing full compensation. Liability in a boat crash often extends beyond a single at-fault operator and can involve multiple individuals or entities, depending on the circumstances, including:
- The Negligent Boat Operator or Occupant: The individual whose actions (or inactions) directly caused the collision.
- The Boat Owner (Negligent Entrustment): A non-operating owner who knowingly permitted an intoxicated, untrained, or reckless person to operate their vessel can be held independently liable.
- Manufacturers and Distributors: If a defective design or a faulty component (like a steering system failure or a throttle malfunction) caused the accident, a product liability claim may be pursued against the manufacturer.
- Rental Agencies or Tour Charter Companies: Businesses that fail to adequately inspect their fleet, neglect safety protocols, or rent powerful watercraft to demonstrably unqualified individuals may be held financially accountable.
A skilled Carrollton personal injury lawyer will conduct a comprehensive investigation to identify all potentially liable parties and hold them accountable.
Why You Need a Carrollton Boating Accident Lawyer
Boating accidents on North Texas lakes often involve complex questions of fault, insurance coverage, and liability. Whether the crash occurred on Lake Lewisville, Grapevine Lake, Lake Lavon or another nearby waterway, these cases are typically governed by Texas personal injury law.
A skilled Carrollton boating accident lawyer can investigate the circumstances, identify all responsible parties, and pursue the recovery of the full value of your claim. With legal guidance, you can navigate the claims process more effectively and protect your rights from the start.
Why Legal Representation Matters Under Comparative Negligence
Texas follows a comparative negligence rule with a 51% bar. This means you can recover damages only if you are found to be 50% or less at fault for the boating accident. If you are determined to be 51% or more responsible, you are barred from recovering any compensation.
Insurance companies are well aware of this legal threshold and often try to shift blame onto the injured party to reduce or deny valid claims. Hiring an experienced boat accident lawyer ensures you have a skilled advocate to challenge these tactics and protect your right to fair compensation.
Our experienced attorneys provide comprehensive representation:
- Thorough Investigation: We collect evidence, interview witnesses, and consult with experts to establish liability and damages.
- Skilled Negotiation: We handle all communications with insurance companies and opposing parties, using our experience to evaluate settlement offers, apply legal pressure when needed, and negotiate for full and fair compensation.
- Trial-Ready Litigation: If a fair settlement cannot be reached, we are fully prepared to take your case to court and advocate for you at trial.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t pay any attorney fees or costs unless we successfully recover financial damages for you.
Speak with a Carrollton Boat Accident Lawyer Today
When a lake accident results in injury or death, working with an experienced Carrollton boating accident attorney is the most effective way to protect your rights.
Our team understands the unique challenges of boating accident cases and has successfully handled claims involving lake collisions, negligent operation, equipment defects, and violations of boating safety regulations. For a closer look at our record of successful recoveries, visit our case results page.
When you are ready, contact O’Hare and Koch and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.