If you were hurt in a boat, jet ski, or watercraft accident near Beverly Hills, you can pursue compensation from the boat operator, the vessel owner, a rental company, a marina, or an equipment manufacturer. California boat accident claims turn on the Harbors and Navigation Code, and sometimes federal maritime law, depending on where the accident happened. Deadlines vary: generally two years for state claims under CCP § 335.1, but only six months if a public entity like Marina del Rey’s harbor authority is involved under Gov. Code § 911.2.
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Can You Sue After a Boat Accident in California? What Your Claim Involves
Yes. You can file a claim after a boat or jet ski accident in California.
Boat accident claims differ from car accident claims in ways that affect every stage of the case.
How Is a Boat Accident Claim Different from a Car Accident Claim?
Car accidents are governed by the Vehicle Code with standardized auto insurance policies and a clear at-fault-driver framework. Boat accidents fall under the Harbors and Navigation Code with non-standardized marine insurance and a wider range of potentially liable parties.
On the water, identifying who was operating, who owned the vessel, who maintained it, and who rented it often requires investigation that goes beyond a police report. Evidence degrades faster, and the governing law can shift from state to federal depending on where the collision occurred.
Can a Passenger Sue After a Boat Accident?
Yes. Passengers are almost never at fault for a boating accident and can file a claim against the operator, the vessel owner, the rental company, or any other party whose negligence caused the injury. A passenger does not assume the risk of an operator’s reckless or negligent conduct by accepting a ride on a boat.
Passengers injured by BUI, excessive speed, or an operator’s failure to maintain a proper lookout have strong claims because the operator’s duty of care to them is clear and well established under California law.
Why Trust The Injury Partners for Your Beverly Hills Boat Accident Claim
Every client works directly with a founding attorney from the first call through case resolution. The Injury Partners does not use call centers, intake teams, or case managers.
Omeed Hakimianpour is a Super Lawyers® Rising Star for 2025 and 2026, a distinction awarded to only the top 2.5% of attorneys in California. He earned his degrees from UCLA and USC Gould School of Law and trained at Kirkland & Ellis, where he handled complex, high-value matters before turning to personal injury litigation. That background is applied directly against vessel-owner and marina insurers and their adjusters.
Daniel Sabet completed the Southwestern SCALE accelerated J.D. in two years and focuses his practice on personal injury litigation, including catastrophic injury and product liability claims, both of which arise frequently in watercraft cases.
The firm maintains a 5.00 Google rating and has recovered over $1 million for clients on a contingency-fee basis. Boat and watercraft cases demand fast evidence preservation because GPS logs, engine data, alcohol test results, and physical damage are remediated quickly after an accident. The Beverly Hills office at 499 N. Canon Dr. is minutes from Marina del Rey, and the firm serves all of Los Angeles County and Southern California waterways.
What Customers Say About Our Firm
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Omeed did an outstanding job on my injury case. From day one, he was professional, detail oriented, and on top of everything. Nothing slipped through the cracks. He took the time to understand every part of my case and built a strong, well thought out strategy.
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Who Is Liable for a Boat or Jet Ski Accident in California?
Multiple parties may share liability for a boat or jet ski accident, and identifying each one opens additional insurance policies for your recovery.
The boat operator bears direct liability for negligent, reckless, or unlawful operation. Violations of the Harbors and Navigation Code, such as BUI under § 655 or excessive speed under § 655.2, can constitute negligence per se, where the violation itself establishes fault. The vessel owner may also be liable under permissive-use doctrine (H&N Code § 658) when the boat was operated with the owner’s express or implied permission, even if the owner was not on board.
Potentially Liable Party
When This Party May Be Liable
The boat operator
Negligent, reckless, or unlawful operation; H&N Code § 655 violations as negligence per se
The vessel owner
Permissive-use vicarious liability (H&N Code § 658); owners often carry more insurance than operators
The rental company
Duty to maintain seaworthy craft and instruct renters; a waiver does not bar claims for the company’s own negligence
The marina or dock operator
Premises liability for unsafe docks, fuel-dock hazards, poor lighting, failure to warn
The equipment or vessel manufacturer
Product liability for defective propellers, fuel systems, steering, or hulls
Alcohol vendors
Limited dram-shop liability under B&P Code § 25602.1 for serving an obviously intoxicated operator
Can I Sue a Jet Ski or Boat Rental Company?
Yes. Rental companies have a duty to maintain their watercraft in seaworthy condition, provide adequate safety instruction, and refuse to rent to intoxicated or underage operators. A company that hands over a jet ski with a known mechanical defect or skips the safety briefing entirely has breached that duty.
A signed liability waiver does not shield the rental company from claims arising from its own negligence. Under California law, a waiver cannot excuse gross negligence or intentional misconduct regardless of what the form says. If the company’s conduct fell below the standard of care, the waiver does not protect them.
Common Causes of Boat and Jet Ski Accidents in Southern California
The U.S. Coast Guard’s 2024 report recorded 3,887 recreational boating accidents and 556 fatalities nationwide, the fewest deaths in over 50 years but still a rate of 4.8 per 100,000 registered vessels. The top five contributing factors nationally are operator inattention, improper lookout, operator inexperience, machinery failure, and navigation-rule violations. Alcohol remains the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents, accounting for 20% of all boating deaths in 2024.
Common causes in Southern California include:
Operator inattention and failure to maintain a proper lookout
Boating under the influence (H&N Code § 655; 0.08% BAC for recreational vessels; a basis for punitive damages under Civil Code § 3294)
Operator inexperience (the California Boater Card is now required for all operators as of 2026)
Excessive speed and no-wake-zone violations (H&N Code § 655.2)
Defective equipment, including propeller guards, fuel systems, and steering mechanisms
Marina and dock negligence, including fuel-dock fires and unsafe boarding areas
Negligent towing during water-skiing, wakeboarding, or tubing (observer duties)
Overloading and capsizing
What Causes Most Boating Accidents in California?
Operator inattention and improper lookout cause more boating accidents than any other factor according to the U.S. Coast Guard. In Southern California, BUI is a particular concern because sun, wind, and wave motion amplify alcohol’s effects on the water, and there are no routine sobriety checkpoints on the water the way there are on roads.
Eighty-seven percent of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents in 2024 were not wearing a life jacket, a reminder of how quickly a preventable situation turns fatal on the water.
California vs. Federal Maritime Law: Which Applies to Your Boat Accident?
The governing law and filing deadline for your boat accident depend on where the accident happened, and applying the wrong framework can be fatal to your case.
Where the Accident Happened
Governing Law
Filing Deadline
Inland lakes and reservoirs (Castaic, Piru, Pyramid)
California Harbors and Navigation Code + state tort law
2 years (CCP § 335.1)
Navigable waters (harbors, bays, rivers to the sea)
State law and/or federal maritime law
2 or 3 years depending on the claim
Open Pacific / coastal waters
Federal general maritime law
3 years (46 U.S.C. § 30106)
Maritime workers (crew/seamen)
Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104)
3 years
Death beyond 3 nautical miles
Death on the High Seas Act (46 U.S.C. § 30302)
3 years
Does Maritime Law or California Law Apply to My Boat Accident?
It depends on where the accident occurred. Inland lakes and reservoirs are governed by California state law. Harbors, bays, and rivers that connect to the sea may trigger federal maritime jurisdiction alongside state law. Accidents on the open Pacific generally fall under federal maritime law.
The distinction matters because federal maritime law carries different remedies, different damage calculations, and a three-year filing deadline instead of the state’s two-year limit. Your attorney needs to make this determination early because it shapes the entire case strategy.
What Is the Jones Act and Does It Apply to Me?
The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) provides a federal cause of action for seamen and maritime workers injured in the course of their employment aboard a vessel. It allows crew members to sue their employer for negligence, a remedy not available under standard maritime law.
The Jones Act does not apply to recreational passengers or private boaters. If you were a paying customer on a charter, a guest on a friend’s boat, or a jet ski renter, your claim falls under state law or general maritime law rather than the Jones Act.
Common Boat and Jet Ski Accident Injuries
If you or a loved one was in a watercraft accident, the injuries can be catastrophic because of the forces involved, the lack of protective barriers, and the immediate risk of drowning in open water.
Propeller-strike injuries cause deep lacerations, nerve damage, and traumatic amputations.
Near-drowning deprives the brain of oxygen and can cause permanent anoxic brain injury. Our Beverly Hills brain injury lawyers handle these high-value claims.
Spinal cord injuries from high-impact collisions or diving accidents can result in partial or complete paralysis.
Burns from fuel fires and explosions cause permanent scarring and disfigurement.
Drowning results in wrongful death claims for surviving families.
Hypothermia from cold Pacific water can cause organ failure even after a short time in the water.
Fractures, dislocations, and soft-tissue injuries from collisions, wake impacts, and capsizing.
Victims with serious injuries are treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, both Level I trauma centers serving the Los Angeles area.
Where Boat Accidents Happen Near Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills residents and visitors boat some of the busiest and most hazard-prone waterways in Southern California. The risk profile varies by location, and so does the legal framework that governs your claim.
Waterway
Risk Profile
Special Deadline
Marina del Rey
Largest man-made small-craft harbor in the US; channel-entrance and fuel-dock collisions
6-month government claim (LA County Dept. of Beaches and Harbors)
Santa Monica Bay / Malibu coast
Open-water collisions, propeller strikes, hypothermia from cold Pacific water
Wakeboarding and tubing injuries, BUI incidents; often state park-operated
6-month government claim possible
Colorado River / Lake Havasu
Highest BUI incidence in California’s boating corridors
Standard 2-year; Arizona law may apply
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Marina del Rey Harbor Patrol responds to incidents within the harbor. Because Marina del Rey is operated by the LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors, a government entity, the six-month tort-claim deadline under Gov. Code § 911.2 applies to injuries there rather than the standard two-year window.
Where Do Most Boat Accidents Happen Near Los Angeles?
Marina del Rey sees more recreational boating traffic than any other harbor in the Los Angeles area, and the combination of a narrow channel entrance, dense weekend congestion, fuel-dock operations, and jet ski rental activity makes it the highest-risk waterway for collisions and injuries near Beverly Hills.
Inland lakes like Castaic and Piru see a concentration of wakeboarding and tubing injuries during summer months, and BUI enforcement on these lakes is less consistent than on coastal waters.
Compensation You Can Recover After a Boat Accident
Boat accident victims can pursue both economic and non-economic damages through a settlement or verdict under California law, and punitive damages may apply in BUI or grossly reckless cases.
Economic damages include past and future medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity, rehabilitation, and property damage to your vessel and personal belongings.
Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement. California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases outside the medical malpractice context.
Punitive damages may be available under Civil Code § 3294 when the operator was boating under the influence or engaged in conduct showing a conscious disregard for the safety of others on the water.
Even operators who were partially responsible can recover under California’s pure comparative negligence rule, with damages reduced by their percentage of responsibility.
Losing a family member in a drowning accident is devastating. We pursue every source of recovery so you are not left carrying that financial burden alone.
What to Do After a Boat Accident in California
Take these steps to protect yourself and preserve evidence that can disappear within hours on the water:
Get to safety and seek medical care. Cold water and distance from shore make injuries urgent, and TBI and hypothermia symptoms can be delayed.
Report the accident. California Harbors and Navigation Code § 656 requires reporting injuries, deaths, or property damage above the reporting threshold to the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways.
Document the scene, your injuries, equipment conditions, and any evidence of alcohol use by the operator.
Identify all parties involved and photograph the Hull Identification Number (HIN), registration numbers, and company markings on every vessel.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer before speaking with an attorney.
Contact a boat accident attorney immediately to issue preservation demands for GPS and engine data before the operator or carrier overwrites or discards it.
Boat Accident Filing Deadlines in California
Missing a statute of limitations deadline permanently bars your claim regardless of how strong the underlying case is. The most dangerous deadline for Beverly Hills and LA County boaters is the six-month government tort-claim requirement: Marina del Rey and many California lakes are government-operated, and the standard two-year window does not apply to injuries at those locations.
Claim Type
Filing Deadline
Governing Law
State personal injury
2 years
CCP § 335.1
State wrongful death
2 years from date of death
CCP § 335.1
Federal maritime injury or death
3 years
46 U.S.C. § 30106
Jones Act (maritime workers)
3 years
46 U.S.C. § 30104
Death on the High Seas Act
3 years
46 U.S.C. § 30302
Government entity involved (Marina del Rey, state parks)
6 months
Gov. Code § 911.2
Speak With a Beverly Hills Boat Accident Lawyer at The Injury Partners
On-water evidence disappears faster than in any other type of accident. GPS logs are overwritten, engine data is cleared, vessels are repaired, and the physical scene changes with every tide and docking cycle. The six-month government deadline for Marina del Rey and state-park waterways can pass before most people realize it applies.
You work directly with an attorney from the first call, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. The Injury Partners represents boat and watercraft accident victims from our Beverly Hills office at 499 N. Canon Dr., Suite B1, CA 90210, serving all of Los Angeles County and Southern California waterways.
Reach out online today, call (310) 220-0066 or email info@theinjurypartners.com. Our attorneys are available around the clock.
