What Should I Look for in a Jet Ski Injury Lawyer?

As a jet ski injury lawyer can tell you, it is critical to get support from an attorney as soon as possible after you have been hurt as this gives you the best window for moving forward with your life and protecting your rights under the statute of limitations. Jet ski accidents can often be prevented and are too often caused by critical actions of negligence. These issues of negligence can come up in a personal injury lawsuit filed by a jet ski injury lawyer to help that victim recover compensation and put the pieces of their lives back together.

Although jet skiing is a great and fun activity, it can also lead to unnecessary injuries and accidents that compromise a victim's ability to enjoy their life or even return to work. According to research from the United States Coast Guards recreational boating statistics dataset, over 18% of recreational boating accidents involve personal watercraft. A total of 624 people were hurt in personal watercraft accidents that year.

Knowing how these accidents occurred and how to avoid them can help you to minimize the possibility of getting hurt in a devastating recreational boating accident. Some of the most common reasons for these kinds of recreational boat accidents include speeding, operator inexperience, machinery failure, hazardous waters, weather, operator inattention and alcohol use. Read on to learn more about what you should look for in an experienced jet ski injury lawyer to assist you with your legal claim.

Winning Results 

When it comes to jet ski injury claims, no lawyer can promise you a positive outcome. However, you want an attorney who's at your side for the duration of your case who understands your unique perspective and the many ways that your life has been changed by this accident. You likely do not want to work with a personal injury lawyer who has not handled cases like yours before or one who wants to rush your case to a conclusion of a low settlement offer that doesn't help pay for all of your medical bills in the future. 

Someone who has handled jet ski injury claims in the past will have passed case examples to turn to as they discuss things such as settlement negotiations and trial outcomes. They must be familiar with the technology and machinery of the boat itself as well as the legal aspects of injury claims associated with jet skis. 

When you sit down for an initial consultation with a jet ski injury claim lawyer, ask them about previous cases in which they helped to navigate based on an individual client’s needs. Knowing what a client was most concerned about and hearing how the lawyer addressed this will help you determine if this law firm is the right fit for your jet ski injury claim. 

Experience with Relevant Waterway Law

State laws will apply when it comes to determining the possibility for compensation, the statutes of limitations and the types of damages you can recover. It is important that the jet ski injury lawyer you select has experience in cases like this before, including the gathering of evidence, hiring of expert witnesses, and more. It is essential that your attorney be able to tell a compelling story about the injuries you sustain on a jet ski or as a result of an inattentive or negligent jet ski operator. Despite many laws in place to prevent jet ski accidents, every year people are hurt or even killed in these accidents.

Some of the most common injuries include internal organ bleeding, burns, traumatic brain injuries, back injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and neck injuries. You need to know that your rights are protected after a jet ski accident. If a jet ski accident was not your fault, a knowledgeable jet ski injury lawyer can help you to prepare a compelling case in court. Your lawyer will recognize the many different ways that your life has been forever changed as a result of this negligence and will help you to put together a case to fight for compensation. 

Communication Skills 

Your lawyer doesn't just communicate to a judge or a jury about your situation. Your attorney might also have to interface with other professionals like insurance adjusters or the other attorney in the case. Furthermore, your lawyer will need to interact with you for the duration of the entire jet ski injury claim. You need to be clear about their communication style and how you will be kept up-to-date about the progress of your case. 
Different personal injury laws approach the process of handling claims or settlements in different ways. If it is important to you that you work directly with your jet ski injury claim lawyer from beginning to end, make sure that this is how your case will be handled by that individual law firm.

Since you do have a choice in who you work with, make sure you select a lawyer that you feel comfortable reaching out to if questions come up. You'll also want a lawyer who will give you an honest appraisal of your case, so that you can decide at the outset of filing a jet ski injury claim whether this is worth your time and energy. The right lawyer can also give you insight into potential challenges you may face over the course of your jet ski injury claim, and this can help you feel more confident about the ability to navigate through these obstacles when they arise. For example, many people are surprised to learn just how long it can take to resolve these cases where the difficulties they might have with an insurance adjuster. Knowing that your lawyer is prepared for this is key. 

Ask the Right Questions 

Finding a good jet ski injury lawyer starts with doing the right research on their website. On the lawyer's website you'll get a better sense of how many cases they have handled involving recreational watercraft so that you can have questions prepared for your initial consultation. 

During this initial consultation you can ask the lawyer about previous cases they've handled and some of the common challenges they have had to approach and overcome as a jet ski injury lawyer. 

This conversation will either make you feel more confident in their ability to handle your case or raise more questions, meaning that you'll want to continue your research. Looking for jet ski and boating accident practice can include asking questions, such as:

• Do you work exclusively for injury victims?
• Have you ever worked for insurance companies?
• What are some examples of cases like mine that you've settled?
• Which jet ski accident cases have you worked on recently?
• How long have you been in practice?

Lawyers expect many questions during your initial consultation. You can also ask around for references if you know other people who have been seriously injured in jet ski accidents.

Schedule an Initial Consultation

After you have found someone who could be a good fit, schedule a consultation to confirm your decision. You'll want to prepare as much information as possible for the meeting like a log of missed work time, copies of the accident report, medical records, pictures from the scene of the accident and any communication from the insurance company. This is your chance to learn more about the lawyer and to clarify any experience they had on their website or any other questions you had about their approach to your case.