What is the Statute of Limitations in Boat Racing Accidents?

Boat racing can cause a person to sustain injuries that result in medical costs and a loss of wages due to taking time off work. Boat accident law is typically dictated by maritime law, though depending on the waters where the accident occurred, other jurisdictional laws may apply instead.

Because there is no standard statute of limitations that can be applied to all boat racing accidents in all situations, it is best to consult a maritime lawyer who has experience with boat racing accidents.

Statistics on Boat Racing Accidents

Because boat racing often involves collisions at high speeds, there can be very dangerous accidents resulting in severe injuries.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2008 there were 48 accidents out of 6,347 that involved boat racing. Of these 48, nearly 17 percent resulted in deaths while 25 percent resulted in injury.

Boat Accident Statute of Limitations

Bodies of water, in some circumstances, have unique jurisdictional issues. This is important to boat accident lawsuits because the jurisdiction will dictate the statute of limitations.

Most bodies of water used for commercial and recreational use fall under the purview of maritime law. However, some bodies of water might be subject to state law while other bodies of water may fall under a foreign jurisdiction and are governed by foreign laws.

In general, however, you will have a very short statute of limitation for boat racing accidents. Oftentimes under maritime law, you will only have at most three years to file your suit even if treatment for your injuries lasts longer than that. You should also make sure you are not under a contract that has shortened your statute of limitations even further, which is a common practice among cruise ships.

Because of these small windows of time to file suit, it is important that you contact an experienced maritime lawyer as soon as possible so that you can initiate the litigation process.

Finally, it is important to remember that maritime law differs from civil law, which is what most personal injury cases fall under. These personal injury cases, which include auto accidents and motorcycle accidents, may have a much longer statute of limitations, which will vary from state to state.