Swimmer Seriously Injured in Georgia Boating Accident

A Georgia man was hospitalized in early June after being seriously injured in a boating accident on Jackson Lake in Butts County. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR, the swimmer was hanging off the swim platform of a wake boat when the boat’s throttle shifted into reverse, causing his leg to become entangled in the propeller. He suffered severe injuries to the leg and was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. With summer in full swing, this accident highlights the dangers that can lurk just below the surface. If you’ve been involved in a similar accident, a Tifton personal injury lawyer can help you. 

Boating Accidents Are Common in Georgia 

According to data from DNR, there were a total of 57 drownings, 52 injuries, and 20 fatalities related to boats in Georgia in 2024, which is a slight increase from 2023. But by far the most common boating-related incident on Georgia waters was boating under the influence, or “BUI,” with 259 incidents in 2024. Just like with drunk driving, drunk boating is also extremely dangerous and can lead to severe accidents and injuries.  

Common Types of Boating Accidents 

Boating accidents, like motor vehicle accidents, often result from human error. However, the risk of human error-caused boat accidents may be even greater than car accidents because most people are much less experienced driving boats than cars and can easily make mistakes they wouldn’t in different circumstances. Some of the most common types of boating accidents include: 

• Collisions with other vessels: Occur when two or more boats collide on the water, which can result in serious injury or even drowning, as the force of the collision can easily throw passengers overboard. 
• Collisions with fixed objects: Occur when a boat strikes another object other than a boat, such as docks, buoys, bridges, rocks, reefs, or other submerged objects. 
• Grounding: Occurs when a boat runs aground, either by hitting the bottom in shallow water or running into a submerged reef. 
• Falls overboard: Unlike vehicles, recreational boats lack seatbelts, which increases the odds that a passenger will either accidentally fall overboard or be thrown overboard as the result of a collision. 
• Capsizing: Occurs when a boat overturns and can be caused by large wakes, poor weight distribution, overloading, or inclement weather. Drowning is a serious risk with capsizing, as passengers can often be trapped under the overturned boat. 
• Propeller strikes: As shown in the recent incident above, boat propellers frequently strike individuals swimming in the vicinity. 

Injuries sustained in boating accidents can often end up being more serious than similar injuries sustained on land, as, depending on how far out on the water the accident occurs, it often takes longer for help to arrive. 

Fight for Your Recovery With Help From a Tifton Injury Lawyer 

If you’ve suffered an injury in a boating accident — whether it occurred on a private party’s boat or in the course of a hired excursion — you may be able to pursue legal remedies. For more information, please contact a Tifton injury lawyer at the Hudson Injury Firm by calling 229-396-5848 or using our online form.