A holiday weekend boating accident in New York earlier this month sent a father and daughter to the hospital with severe injuries. The two were enjoying a warm summer day, tubing on Skaneateles Lake in Upstate New York, when tragedy struck. The tube they were in hit the towboat’s wake and the couple was tossed into the water. When the boat circled back around to pick them up, the driver misjudged the distances and struck both individuals.
Police reports show the 8-year-old girl (identified as Kaelynne Driscoll) suffered the worst, having been struck by the boat’s propeller. Her injuries include several deep lacerations to her extremities and unspecified head trauma. She was originally admitted in critical condition while her father (32-year-old Christopher Driscoll) suffered only minor injuries.
Thankfully both family members are expected to recover from this New York boat accident though the poor child will face a long and painful road, likely requiring multiple surgeries and rehabilitation.
Boating accidents in New York are more common in the summer months as city dwellers seek to beat the heat on lakes, rivers, and the ocean–all within short drive from the heart of NYC. Many of these accidents are caused by negligent operators. In fact, the vast majority involve alcohol (though it appears alcohol was not a factor in this latest New York boating).
In this case, the boat operator and owner can be held liable for injuries suffered by the Driscolls. Boat drivers are expected to operate their vessels in a safe manner. If shoddy maintenance or an improper repair led to a malfunction of the boat which caused an accident, the owner of the boat could then be held responsible for any resulting injuries.
Accident victims can seek financial compensation to recover unpaid medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering for injuries sustained in the accident.
If you have been injured in a boating accident, contact a New York City boating accident attorney as soon as possible. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-3851122 today.