A 13-year-old boy was critically injured on September 2 when he was struck by a boat while tubing with friends at the Hingham Yacht Club. The boy was riding a tube being pulled by a motorboat with two other teenage friends in a designated water skiing and tubing area when the boat passed over a wake, knocking the victim off the boat. When the operator of the boat, another one of the teenagers, turned the boat around to pick up the fallen victim, they struck the teen and drove over him.
The victim suffered massive head and arm injuries and was transported to South Shore Hospital. The boy who was operating the boat at the time of the accident had not completed a Safe Boating Course required for those 12-16 years of age to operate a motorboat without an adult present. The accident is still under investigation and no charges have been filed.
Massachusetts is a popular boating destination and recreational boaters, tubers and skiers often fill New England’s lakes and harbors during the summer season. When boat operators are reckless or negligent, serious injuries or death can occur for those in the water. Spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, broken bones, herniated discs and amputations are just a few of the serious injuries that can happen when boaters are not responsible for their vessel.
Our Boston maritime attorneys have over 50 years of experience helping those injured on the water. Over 4,500 recreational boating accidents occurred in the U.S. in 2012, including 651 deaths, according to the U.S. Coat Guard. The top five contributing factors to boating accidents that same year were operator inattention, operator inexperience, improper lookout, machinery failure and excessive speed. When boat operators are inexperienced or negligent, those entrusting their life on a vessel can be seriously injured. Contact our boating accident attorneys today if you or someone you love has been hurt or killed while on the water.
Latti Associates LLC– Nationwide maritime attorneys