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SEPARATE JET SKI ACCIDENTS INJURE THREE PEOPLE, KILL ONE NEW JERSEY RESIDENT | The Law Offices of Smith & Gaynor, P.C.

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HOME > Morristown, New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog | The Law Offices of Smith & Gaynor, P.C. > 2015 > July 2015 Archives | Morristown, New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog > SEPARATE JET SKI ACCIDENTS INJURE THREE PEOPLE, KILL ONE NEW JERSEY RESIDENT | The Law Offices of Smith & Gaynor, P.C.

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SEPARATE JET SKI ACCIDENTS INJURE THREE PEOPLE, KILL ONE NEW JERSEY RESIDENT

Three separate jet ski accidents involving New Jersey residents in the past few weeks have injured three and killed one other. In the first accident, a New Jersey man was jet skiing in Bogue Inlet in North Carolina when he fell off his jet ski. He attempted to get back on the jet ski, but waves two to four feet high prevented him from getting back on, and he eventually lost consciousness. The man’s brother-in-law attempted to keep the man’s head above water, and the Coast Guard showed up with a vessel to rescue the man, but attempt to revive the man was unsuccessful. In the second accident, two people were riding on the same jet ski on the Navesink River in Rumson when they hit a wake and the driver lost control. The driver of the jet ski suffered facial injuries and head trauma while the passenger suffered major lacerations. Finally, in the third accident, two jet skiers crashed into another in the water near John F. Kennedy Park in Somers Point. One of the jet skiers was taken to Shore Medical Center for treatment. 

Jet skis are a popular form of summertime recreation in New Jersey and elsewhere, but clearly these various accidents indicate there can be serious injuries and even death associated with jet ski use. In fact, recreational boating accidents are the second leading cause of accidents in the US behind motor vehicle accidents. In 2011 alone, 44 people died from jet ski accidents, and hundreds of serious injuries occur every year, some of which result in paralysis and other life-altering consequences.

The National Transportation Safety Board estimates that over 90% of jet ski accidents are caused by operator error. Often, operator error is the result of inattention, inexperience, and failure to travel at appropriate speeds. Injuries and death from jet skis may also be attributable to a manufacturing or design defect that was present in the jet ski when it was manufactured or sold.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a jet ski accident, either while riding or operating a jet ski or by a jet ski operated by someone else, you may be able to seek compensation from the operator of the jet ski, a rental company that operated and maintained the jet ski, or the manufacturer of the jet ski. Retaining an attorney as soon as possible after you are involved in a jet ski accident is important so that you can put your case best case forward and get the compensation you may be owed. For seasoned, compassionate representation for your personal injury and watercraft-related legal needs in New Jersey, contact Smith & Doran. Our attorneys can offer a free consultation on your claims from anywhere in Northern New Jersey, including Morris Plains, Stirling, Bergen, and Hunterdon County. Call us today at 973-292-0016.

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