Protecting Watersports Injury Victims
Holding negligent operators accountable for tubing, parasailing, water skiing, and other water recreation injuries. Serving Lansing, Ingham County, and all of Michigan.
Why Choose HOV Law
Champions for
Watersports Injury Victims
Water Recreation Expertise
Watersports injuries involve unique liability questions — from boat operator negligence to equipment failure to tour operator recklessness. Our Lansing attorneys understand these complex claims and fight aggressively for injured victims.
Tour & Rental Operator Liability
Commercial watersports operators owe a heightened duty of care to their customers. When parasailing companies, tubing operators, or water ski outfitters cut corners on safety, they must be held accountable.
Catastrophic Injury Claims
Watersports accidents cause severe injuries — spinal cord trauma from tubing impacts, drowning during water skiing falls, parasailing equipment failures, and more. We know how to value these devastating claims.
Recreation Turned
Dangerous
Watersports are meant to be fun, but negligent operators, faulty equipment, and reckless behavior turn thrilling activities into life-altering tragedies. When someone else's negligence causes your injury, you deserve full compensation.
Your Path to Recovery
We handle the legal complexities so you can focus on healing.
Free Case Evaluation
After a watersports injury near Lansing, contact HOV Law immediately. We'll review how the accident happened, assess your injuries, and explain your legal options at no cost.
Investigating Negligence
We investigate the watersports operator, equipment condition, safety protocols, weather conditions, and whether proper training and supervision were provided. We also examine any liability waivers you may have signed.
Building a Strong Claim
We gather medical records, accident reports, witness statements, equipment inspection reports, and expert opinions to build an airtight case proving negligence and the full extent of your injuries.
Maximum Recovery
Whether through negotiation or trial, we fight for full compensation covering emergency care, surgeries, rehabilitation, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any permanent disability.
Lansing Watersports Injury Lawyer — Holding Negligent Operators Accountable
Watersports activities like tubing, wakeboarding, water skiing, parasailing, and kayaking draw millions of participants each year. While these activities are exciting, they carry serious risks — especially when operators are negligent, equipment is defective, or safety protocols are ignored.
At HOV Law, we represent watersports injury victims in Lansing and across Michigan. Whether you were injured while being towed behind a boat, participating in a parasailing excursion, or engaging in any water recreation activity, our attorneys will fight for the compensation you deserve.
ZERO OUT-OF-POCKET fees. NO WIN, NO FEE.
Types of Watersports Accident Claims We Handle
- Tubing Accidents—Being towed behind a boat on an inflatable tube is one of the most popular water activities and one of the most dangerous. Operators who drive too fast, make sharp turns, or tow riders into the path of other boats cause devastating ejection injuries, collisions, and drowning incidents.
- Wakeboarding and Water Skiing Injuries—Falls at high speed, collisions with the tow boat or other watercraft, and equipment failures cause broken bones, spinal injuries, and head trauma. Operator negligence in driving speed and path is a common factor.
- Parasailing Accidents—Equipment failures — broken tow lines, harness malfunctions, and winch defects — cause parasailers to plummet from extreme heights. High winds and operator error compound the danger. These accidents often result in catastrophic or fatal injuries.
- Kayaking and Canoeing Accidents—Capsizing in dangerous conditions, collisions with motorized boats, and inadequate safety equipment from rental operators lead to drowning, hypothermia, and impact injuries.
- Surfing and Paddleboarding Injuries—Collisions with other surfers, jet skis, or boats in crowded waterways, as well as being struck by equipment, cause serious injuries that may involve third-party negligence.
- Scuba and Snorkeling Incidents—Tour operator negligence, equipment failures, inadequate supervision, and failure to check conditions cause diving accidents including decompression sickness, drowning, and barotrauma.
Common Watersports Injuries in Lansing
- Water recreation injuries range from minor to catastrophic. Common injuries our Lansing watersports injury attorneys handle include:
- Spinal Cord Injuries—High-speed impacts with the water surface, ejections from tubes, and falls from parasailing equipment can fracture vertebrae and damage the spinal cord, potentially causing permanent paralysis.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries—Striking the water at speed, colliding with a boat or dock, or falling from a parasail can cause concussions, brain bleeds, and severe TBI with lasting cognitive effects.
- Drowning and Near-Drowning—Loss of consciousness in the water, entanglement in equipment, and inadequate supervision cause drowning incidents that result in brain damage or death.
- Broken Bones—Impact injuries from collisions, ejections, and falls frequently cause fractures to arms, legs, ribs, pelvis, and the spine.
- Internal Injuries—High-speed water impact during tubing or skiing can cause organ damage, internal bleeding, and abdominal trauma.
- Soft Tissue Injuries—Whiplash, torn ligaments, dislocated joints, and severe muscle strains are common in towed watersports where sudden directional changes put extreme stress on the body.
Liability Waivers and Your Rights
Many watersports operators require participants to sign liability waivers before the activity. These waivers are designed to discourage injury victims from pursuing legal claims. However, a signed waiver does not necessarily bar your case in Michigan.
Waivers generally cannot protect operators from claims based on gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. If the operator was intoxicated, used dangerously defective equipment, or engaged in reckless behavior, a waiver is unlikely to protect them.
Waivers also cannot override safety regulations. If a parasailing company violated state safety requirements or a rental operator failed to comply with boating laws, regulatory violations can void waiver protections.
Do not assume that signing a waiver means you have no case. Our attorneys analyze waiver language and the circumstances of your accident to determine whether your claim can proceed despite any release you signed.
Watersports Injury Laws in Michigan
Michigan regulates commercial watersports operations through boating safety statutes and consumer protection laws. Operators must comply with vessel safety requirements, carry adequate insurance, and follow operational guidelines designed to protect participants.
The statute of limitations for watersports injury claims in Michigan is 3 years for personal injury (MCL § 600.5805). Michigan follows a Modified Comparative Negligence system: Michigan follows a modified comparative fault system. You can recover damages only if you are less than 50% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
If you were injured during a watersports activity near Lansing, contact HOV Law immediately for a free case evaluation. We will investigate the accident, identify all liable parties, and pursue every dollar of compensation you are entitled to.
Michigan Laws That Affect Your Case
Statute of Limitations
In Michigan, you have a limited time to file your claim: 3 years for personal injury (MCL § 600.5805). Missing this deadline typically means you lose your right to compensation permanently.
“Time is your most valuable asset after an injury. Contact a Lansing attorney immediately to ensure your claim is preserved.”
Modified Comparative Negligence
Michigan follows a modified comparative fault system. You can recover damages only if you are less than 50% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Michigan Insurance System
Michigan operates under a No-Fault (PIP required) system. Drivers choose PIP coverage levels; unlimited PIP was historically required but reformed in 2019.
Key Michigan Legal Facts
Local Knowledge: Lansing
Local Waterways & Lakes
- Grand River
- Red Cedar River
- Lake Lansing
- Sycamore Creek
Local Courts
- Ingham County Circuit Court
- Thirtieth Judicial Circuit Court
Areas We Serve Near Lansing
- East Lansing
- DeWitt
- Holt
- Okemos
- Mason
Lansing Landmarks
- Michigan State Capitol
- Michigan State University
- Old Town Lansing
What Compensation May Cover
Under Michigan law, you may be entitled to recover damages for the full impact of your injuries.
Economic Damages
- • Medical bills (past & future)
- • Lost wages & earning capacity
- • Property damage
- • Rehabilitation costs
Non-Economic Damages
- • Pain and suffering
- • Mental anguish
- • Loss of consortium
- • Physical impairment
Other Personal Injury Services in Lansing
Also serving Lansing for Criminal Defense:
Lansing Watersports Injuries FAQs
Injured During
Watersports?
You need an attorney who understands water recreation injury claims and will fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact HOV Law today for a free consultation with a Lansing watersports injury lawyer.