January 31, 2014
This is a continuation of a series of articles on some of the tourism injury cases I’ve seen, and the various ways our Alaskan visitors have suffered from these accidents. I’ll also talk about the importance of an experienced local Alaskan attorney in cases like these.
Alaska can be a very risky place for tourists – Part 1
Boat and Motorcycle Accidents
Not all boat occupants are chasing fish in Alaska. Large cruise ships come up from the lower 48, through the Southeast Alaska Panhandle and into the South Central Alaska. Accidents happen aboard cruise ships in Alaska, like anyplace else in the world.
There are a large variety of sightseeing vessels carrying passengers out of Seward, Whittier and Juneau to watch whales, sea otters, seals and sea lions as well as birds and glaciers. Too frequently, passengers aboard these vessels experienced injury accidents.
In the last several years, traveling to Alaska by motorcycle has become a popular adventure. Tragically, a number of motorcyclists have been killed on these Alaska trips. The causes of these accidents seem to be varied, with speed, fatigue and poor road conditions leading the list of possible causes.
Each time an accident occurs that results in a fatality or injury, that event significantly affects the future of the accident victim and his/her family members. There can be huge financial costs related to medical expenses, transportation expenses and sometimes funeral expenses as well as lost earnings and earning capacity. In addition, injury and death accident victims experience significant physical and emotional pain and suffering, loss of support to family members and other damages which are not capable of being compensated.