Four people are safe after their boat began to sink off the North Carolina coast Saturday. It happened about seven miles off Wrightsville Beach, which is located near Wilmington.
Two Coast Guard rescue boats were deployed from Station Wrightsville Beach. The 47-foot and 25-foot boats arrived on the scene and rescued the four people. The sinking boat, a 20-footer, was towed to Wrightsville Beach Wildlife Boat Ramp.
As personal injury lawyers we want you to be safe. We routinely hear about accidents and injuries that could have otherwise been prevented. Boating is usually a very safe and enjoyable recreational past time, however there are some sobering statistics we would like for you to keep in mind. Research sited in wikipedia.com shares with us some facts in regards to your safety if you ever find yourself out of your boat and in unsafe waters:
In the U.S., approximately 700 people die per year as a result of recreational boating accidents. These accidents are tabulated in the B.A.R.D., or Boating Accident Reporting Database [6], which is published each year by the U.S. Coast Guard based on the cumulative records of the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) [7]. Since 1970, when recreational boating deaths peaked at about 1700 per year, the annual rate of fatalities has been declining at a rate of about 2% per year. The majority of these deaths (70%) occur due to drowning, and are frequently associated with small powerboat accidents. Other causes of death include trauma (especially with small powerboats), fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, and hypothermia.
The cause of the reduction of deaths is subject to some debate, but the Federal Boat Safety Act [8] in the 1970s required that boats under 20′ be equipped with level flotation. This change in boat construction meant that boaters who found themselves in the water next to a swamped boat could climb back into the boat and both reduce their likelihood of drowning, while increasing the size of a search target and reducing hypothermia. Other frequently named causes include improved boater safety education, increased use of life jackets, and improved boating safety gear.
If you have been injured in an accident and need the help of a lawyer please contact our office. Our firm may be able to help you recover medical expenses and lost wages. Our injury law firm maintains a NE NC office in Elizabeth City, and our main law office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Four of our law firm’s injury lawyers are licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Virginia, and beyond. For over a decade we have been helping North Carolina residents, and those suffering injuries or wrongful death in NC.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia, with offices in northeast NC and Virginia Beach (VA), practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm’s website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits three injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects.
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