The incident occurred on August 25th, 2024, around 6:39PM near the .5 Mile Mark Big Niangua in Camden County, Missouri. 65-year-old Robert S. Eakins was operating a Four Winns Funship powerboat alongside 85-year-old passenger Wanda F. Eakins. As the boat impacted a large wave, Wanda Eakins was thrown into the air before harshly impacting with the floor of the vessel. Wanda sustained serious injuries and was transported by Mercy EMS to Lake Regional Hospital. She was not wearing a safety device at the time of the crash. Robert Eakins was uninjured, and the boat was operated from the scene.
Many individuals likely recognize the potential danger that a boating collision with another vessel or object can present. However, hundreds of people in the U.S. are injured or killed every year during accidents only involving a single watercraft (uscgboating.org, 2023). In addition, many passengers who are injured during boating accidents do not always utilize safety devices, resulting in even more potential for devastating harm. If you or a loved one has been injured in a boating accident, you’ll want an experienced legal to team to help guide you through this difficult time. At the A.W. Smith Law firm, our team is willing and available to provide the guidance and counsel you need so that you can focus on recovering.