Best of Intentions Caused Tragic Boat Accident in Hampton, VA

7/7/2010
Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton
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Best of Intentions Caused Tragic Boat Accident in Hampton, VA

A family and some friends were out on a 20-foot Bayliner boat in Hampton, Virginia (VA) on July Fourth enjoying the beautiful summer weather when a horrific accident occurred. The individual operating the boat let a 7-year-old boy take control of the helm. The boy abruptly turned the boat into a narrow pier on the Hampton River. This caused the boy's mother, who was sitting on the bow, to be struck by the pier and then thrown face-first through the boat's windshield. She died due to the severity of the injuries, according to the Daily Press.

This boat accident is heartbreaking because it appears as though it was caused by the best of intentions. The person operating the boat was probably trying to give the young boy an experience he'd always remember on the Fourth of July. There doesn't appear to be any malice behind the action, just an attempt to make a family outing more memorable. Unfortunately, the boy will certainly remember this day for the rest of his life, but for all the wrong reasons.

I'm not trying to give the individual who operated the boat a free pass for allowing the boy to control the helm. This decision was irresponsible, but I do understand the likely motivation behind it.

State authorities are trying to figure out if reckless boating charges should be brought against the adult who was operating the boat. VA law does not allow individuals under the age of 16 to operate a personal watercraft without having taken a boating safety course, but there may be no criminal law on the books for this exact situation. However, the civil law system will probably make the insurance company pay for the wrongful death damages for this preventable loss of life.

Let this terrible boat accident be a reminder to all of us that the operation of a boat is a serious task and it should be left to adults who have some type of training and/or experience. You may be tempted to give your child or novice boater the thrill of controlling the helm of a boat, but this decision could lead to tragedy.

Category: Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)

Labels: accident Attorney Bayliner boat Boating Cooper Crash Hampton Hampton River injuries injury pier VA Wreck

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Viriginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling cases for victims of mass transit accidents such as airplane, train and bus crashes. In fact, our law firm published a free consumer safety guide on what to do if you are hurt in a plane wreck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia but we're ready to come to you anywhere in VA including Suffolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Newport News and Norfolk, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008, and have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of lawyers receive.

Shapiro and Lewis have also been selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, ours was the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our VA mass transit injury law firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

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Best of Intentions Caused Tragic Boat Accident in Hampton, VA

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