There are plenty of opportunities for boaters to enjoy the waterways of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When you go out for a day on the water you are taking risks. You can be the safest boater on the water, but if you encounter other boaters who don't follow the rules or are reckless, you could easily find yourself involved in a boating accident. Today, we will examine the six most common injuries after a boating accident in Louisiana.

Injuries to the Brain

Injuries to the brain occur quite often in boating accidents. Head trauma is a serious problem that can change your life in an instant. Brain injuries occur in two ways when a victim is involved in a boating accident. The first cause is impact. When the boat collides with another boat or a standing object, the passengers will be thrown about. A victim who hits their head can suffer a brain injury or other trauma. The second way brain injuries happen is via oxygen deprivation, which most often occurs when a person is submerged under water for a prolonged period.

Drowning

Drowning is one of the most common boating injuries. When a boat crashes, capsizes or catches fire, the passengers can be thrown into the water. If they cannot swim, have trouble swimming, or are knocked unconscious, they can wind up drowning. Swimming can be impossible if the victim is sucked underwater by the pressure of the boat sinking or other factors.

Injuries to the Spinal Cord

The spinal cord can suffer severe injuries in a boating accident. The injuries could be so serious that the victim becomes disabled. There doesn't need to be a boating accident for a passenger to suffer spinal cord injuries. If the boat is traveling too fast and bounces too hard up and down on waves, a passenger's spinal cord can be compressed, which can lead to serious injuries.

Whiplash

Whiplash, much like injuries to the spinal cord, can also be caused during a boating accident or without an accident. It doesn't take much for a boat passenger to suffer whiplash. If the captain accelerates too quickly and the passenger is not prepared, their head could snap backwards, causing whiplash. Whiplash is most common when a boat is impacted by another boat or when it hits a standing object.

Broken Bones

Broken bones are common boating accident injuries, but they are not as severe as the other injuries mentioned. Broken bones might still require surgery to repair and months on end to rehabilitate and they are likely to wreak havoc on your daily life. A passenger can suffer a broken bone simply by slipping and falling on the boat's wet floor or tripping and falling over a piece of equipment that wasn't stored properly.

Electrocution

Boat passengers can be electrocuted if the appliances aboard the ship or the ship's electrical system are not properly maintained. With so much water around the boat, it's not out of the realm of possibility for a boater to suffer electrocution during a boating accident.

Contact an Attorney Today

Were you or a loved one injured in a boating accident in Louisiana? If so, it's important that you contact an experienced personal injury attorney about your situation. Contact the Schwartz Law Firm in New Orleans at 504-837-2263 to schedule an appointment.