Fire Island Ferry Accident Lawyer
Fire Island Ferries, a passenger and freight ferry service, operates eight lines on the Great South Bay, providing passenger and freight ferries, as well as water taxis to communities on Fire Island.
Accidents and Injuries on the Fire Island Ferry
The Fire Island Ferry has experienced a variety of accidents on board its vessels, such as fires and slip and falls. The injuries that these accidents cause range from minor injuries (e.g., bumps and bruises) to fractures to fatalities.
Many of these injuries require nothing more than a bandage or some rest. Others, however, require medical care, medications, physical therapy, or even surgery.
Steps to Take if Injured
Get (and continue) medical care: You need to have a medical professional evaluate and treat your injuries. Your medical records will prove that you were actually injured and will establish the extent of your injuries.
These records are vital to proving your claim. Make sure you follow the medical advice your doctor gave you and do everything you can to maximize your recovery from your injuries.
Protect your claim: Be very cautious when dealing with the insurance adjuster. It is not looking out for you. Its goal is to pay you as little as possible for your claim.
Do not sign any documents or give a recorded statement without first talking to us. When people have tried to handle personal injury cases without a lawyer in the past, some of them have unwittingly signed away their rights and their entire claim for little or no money because they did not understand what they were signing.
Get help with your claim: You have a limited amount of time in which to file your claim. If you do not file your claim — properly — within this time limit, you will likely be unable to recover anything for your injuries.
Our Fire Island ferry accident lawyers will ensure that you file your claim properly and on-time. We can walk you through the process and ensure that you do not make a mistake that could jeopardize your claim.
Establishing Liability
In many cases, Fire Island Ferries will liable for any injuries you sustain.
To hold Fire Island Ferries liable, you or a Fire Island ferry accident lawyer must prove that it was negligent. Proving negligence requires showing that the ferry company had a duty to you, that it breached its duty, and that the breach caused your injuries.
Fire Island Ferries has a duty of care to keep its boats properly maintained and in good operating condition. It also has a duty to keep the ferry boats free from any unreasonably dangerous conditions.
For example, if Fire Island Ferries knew that the handrail on one of the ferries was loose, it should have fixed it or warned passengers of the danger. If the handrail separated from the wall and caused you to fall down the stairs, you can hold Fire Island Ferries liable for any injuries you suffer.
To prove negligence, you need to provide evidence. Evidence a Fire Island ferry accident attorney might need include:
- An incident report
- Eyewitness testimony
- Photos
- Surveillance video
- Medical records
Determining The Value of a Claim
Every injury case is unique. The amount of recovery you can receive will depend on these four questions:
- Were you at fault in any way in the accident? For example, were you texting while walking down the stairs? Was the broken handrail very obvious?
- How badly were you hurt?
- Do your doctors expect you to make a full recovery? If not, how much permanent impairment do they anticipate you will suffer?
- How long will you be unable to work?
Our Fire Island ferry accident attorneys will thoroughly explore the facts and the evidence to determine the answers to these four important questions. We regularly work with accident reconstruction experts, doctors, and any other experts necessary to validate a personal injury case. We will work to bolster your case with expert testimony and other solid evidence.
Potential Damages
Damages in personal injury cases will compensate you for your injuries and any accident-related costs. These damages might include:
- Medical bills
- Costs of in-home care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium
Valuing Your Damages
To recover a proper amount for your accident, you need to put a value on your damages. To determine your case’s value, we will analyze every aspect of the case. This is a specialized and complicated process.
We work with medical and financial experts to determine how much your injuries have cost you and will continue to cost you, physically, financially, and emotionally.
After we have examined, built, and substantiated your case, we will work to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company for you to receive what you deserve for your injuries. Our Fire Island ferry accident lawyers have the experience and knowledge to help you reach a fair settlement of your Fire Island Ferry accident and injury claim.
