Maritime Accidents

Maritime accidents can occur as a result of human error, dangerous equipment, boats or vessels, collision, fire, falling overboard, or from an explosion resulting in injury or death. Such accidents can happen with many different types of watercraft, including motor boats, personal watercraft, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and pontoons. Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as the federal government have established various rules and laws regarding operation of watercraft including minimum age criteria for operating a vessel, guidelines for reporting accidents, standards for manufacture, maintenance, and operation of watercraft, as well as regulations to reduce the errors and design defects associated with such watercraft. Errors also relate to propulsion, electrical, navigational, ignition, fuel, rescue devices, and ventilation systems.