We can help you claim
compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
Call: 0800 10 757 95
The dangers of boating were highlighted in August 2009 when news broke of a tragic holiday accident that befell a mother of two while she was holidaying with her family on a 45ft narrowboat on the Oxford Canal at Cropredy, Oxfordshire.
The 47-year-old woman had been steering the hired boat into a lock when the accident happened and although reports were not initially conclusive, it was believed she must have overbalanced as the boat nudged the wall or lock gates. As she fell into the water, the teaching assistant from South Devon hit her head on either the boat or the side wall and sustained severe injuries.
Paramedics arrived quickly at the scene but she was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. No-one else was involved in causing the accident and police were not treating it as suspicious.
However, the risks associated with travelling on a moving object with relatively little safety railings should be apparent and certain safety procedures should always be adhered to so as to avoid boating collisions.
Waterway basics for occasional boat users
A golden rule of boating is that when two boats meet head-on in the waterway, the vessels should pass port to port, by steering to the driver's right – the starboard. In a narrow situation like a canal, this manoeuvre should be carried out at the earliest opportunity so as to avoid unnecessary sharp movements that might send crew members and passengers overboard.
Knowing basic horn signalling may also be useful to avoid a holiday accident. The correct ways of signalling with a horn on inland and coastal waters are as follows:
If the other boat user has understood the signal they will repeat it to confirm. If no response is made it is possible they have not understood or did not hear the signal. If five short blasts are made then this means that the original intended action could be dangerous.
Boating holiday accidents and compensation claims
If you have suffered an injury whilst boating, you may be able to make a claim for compensation with YouClaim if the other boat driver or some other waterway user was at fault.
Working on a no win, no fee basis our holiday accident lawyers work to strict and exacting standards laid down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Our success rate is high and you are guaranteed to receive 100 per cent compensation in the event of a successful claim.
Call our free UK helpline on 0800 10 757 95 or have an e-chat. If it's not convenient right now we can call you back, or you could give us a few details about your holiday accident by filling in our online claim form and we will call you to discuss it further. Whichever method you use to contact YouClaim you can be assured we will give you the best service available.
