West Virginia Ferry Accidents Lawyers
Ferries are typically a safe and reliable means of transporting people or goods across the water. Ferry accidents do not happen often, but when they do, they can result in serious and costly tragedies. Victims of ferry accidents may have a right to compensation for their injuries, and the seasoned West Virginia personal injury and accident lawyers at Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson are prepared to help. Contact their Martinsburg offices today for a no-cost evaluation of your claim.
Legal obligations of ferry operators
The companies and crews that operate ferries have legal obligations to their passengers and customers. Safety laws mandate that operators perform regular maintenance on their vessels. Owners must ensure that the ferries have enough life vests and rafts to protect all passengers in the event of a crash, and that ferries are designed with safeguards to prevent passengers from going overboard. Owners must also take care to ensure that ferries are not carrying more than the allowed number of passengers or cargo based on the size of the vessel. When ferry operators neglect these duties and passengers are injured as a result, they may owe those accident victims money for their injuries.
Why ferry accidents happen
While ferries are normally stable and trustworthy watercraft, accidents can happen. Since ferries are normally so reliable, these accidents are typically the result of human error of one form or another. Causes of ferry accidents can include:
- Overloading of passengers or cargo causing the ferry to capsize
- Failure to perform regular maintenance of the ferry
- Defective ferry engine or component parts
- Negligence on behalf of the ferry captain or crewmembers
- Piloting the boat in inclement weather
- Failure to carry a sufficient number of safety devices for all passengers on board
- Intoxication among ferry crew members
Each ferry accident is unique, with accidents occurring for myriad reasons. It is this uniqueness that makes it necessary for victims of ferry accidents to choose a capable and experienced law firm to represent them in a claim for money damages. The seasoned injury accident law firm of Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson uses experienced investigators and experts in the field to determine the reasons for an accident, proving who should be held to account for the injuries occurring to victims.
Effective Legal Help and Results after Ferry Accidents in West Virginia
For professional and knowledgeable legal help with your ferry accident claim in West Virginia, contact the Martinsburg offices of Burke, Schultz, Harman & Jenkinson for a free consultation on your case at 304-263-0900 or 304-LAWYERS.
