Immediate Steps to Take After a Boating Accident in South Carolina

We all know why we live in Rock Hill. It’s for those Saturdays on the water. You pack the cooler, grab the kids, and head out to Lake Wylie or the Catawba River. It is supposed to be relaxing. Sun, water, and good times. But things change fast. Really fast. One minute you are cruising near the sandbar, and the next, there is a loud crunch. Glass breaks. People scream. It is scary stuff.

When a fun day turns into a boating accident, it is hard to think straight. Panic sets in. We get it. But knowing what to do in those first few minutes can save a life. It can also save your case later on. Collisions on the water are dangerous. And they are confusing because the laws aren’t the same as on the road.

What are the first 3 steps after a boat crash in Rock Hill, SC?

The first steps after a boat crash are to stop the vessel immediately, render aid to anyone injured, and contact local emergency services.

1. Stop and Secure the Vessel

You have to stop. It is the law. Just like in a car crash, leaving the scene is a crime. It is considered a Hit and Run. You do not want that trouble. So, cut the engine. Or drop it to neutral.

But here is the local trick. Lake Wylie is busy. Especially in the summer. If you are stuck in a high-traffic channel, like right under the Buster Boyd Bridge or near a busy marina entrance, you are a sitting duck. Other boats might not see you stopped. If your boat still runs and it is safe, move it slightly out of the way. Get out of the main channel. Drift toward a cove or a sandbar area if you can. It keeps you safe from getting hit again.

2. Check for Injuries and Render Aid

Once the boat is stopped, look at your people. Look at the other boat too. Your number one job is to help.

Priority Check:

• Is anyone unconscious?
• Is anyone bleeding bad?
• Is anyone in the water?

If the hull is cracked, water might be coming in. That changes everything. You need to grab the life jackets. Ensure everyone puts on a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) immediately if the hull is breached. Don’t argue about it. Just put them on. Even good swimmers struggle when they are hurt or scared. If someone falls overboard, throw them a cushion or a rope. Don’t jump in unless you have to. You don’t want two victims.

3. Call for Emergency Assistance

You need pros on the scene. Don’t try to handle a crash alone.

Who to Call:

• Emergency: Dial 911 immediately for serious injuries. Tell the dispatcher you are on the water in Rock Hill.
• Local Jurisdiction: Explicitly mention the York County Sheriff’s Office Lake Enforcement Unit or SCDNR (South Carolina Department of Natural Resources). They have boats. They can get to you faster than an ambulance on land can.
• VHF Radio: Cell phones are great. But service on the river can be spotty. If you are in a remote section of the Catawba River, your phone might say “No Service.” Use your boat radio. Channel 16 is the emergency channel. Scream “Mayday” if it’s bad. The Coast Guard and other boaters listen to that channel.

Where do I seek medical attention in Rock Hill after a boating accident?

Even if injuries seem minor, adrenaline can mask pain, so you should go to a specific local provider like Piedmont Medical Center.

This is a big mistake people make. They think, “I’m fine, just a bruise.” But you aren’t a doctor. Boat crashes are violent. You get thrown around. You hit hard fiberglass. Adrenaline is a powerful thing. It hides the pain for hours. You might have a concussion. You might have internal bleeding. You might have “dry drowning” issues if you swallowed a lot of lake water.

You need to go to the doctor. Not tomorrow. Today.

Primary Trauma/ER: If you hit your head, blacked out, or have deep cuts, go to Piedmont Medical Center. They are located at 222 S Herlong Ave, Rock Hill. They are the big hospital here. They have the trauma team. They know how to handle serious accidents.

If it really is just a scrape or a twisted ankle, you can try an urgent care. There are places like Doctors Care Rock Hill. But be careful. If you are dizzy at all, skip the urgent care. Go to the ER.

It is not just for your health. It is for your case. If you wait three weeks to see a doctor, the insurance company will say you weren’t really hurt. They will say you got hurt playing football in the backyard, not on the boat. Medical records from a local Rock Hill facility create an official timeline of injuries for insurance claims. It proves you got hurt that day on that boat.

How do I report a boating accident to the SCDNR?

South Carolina law requires you to file a detailed report with the SCDNR if there is a death, injury, or significant property damage.

This part confuses a lot of people. In a car wreck, the police write the report. On a boat, you often have to do the paperwork. The SCDNR (Department of Natural Resources) are the boat police. They want to know what happened.

SCDNR Reporting Thresholds

You can’t just ignore it. South Carolina law requires you to file a detailed report with the SCDNR if:

• A person dies or goes missing (scary, but it happens).
• A person requires medical treatment beyond first aid. (A band-aid is first aid. Stitches are medical treatment).
• Property damage exceeds $2,000 (total for all vessels). Boats are expensive. A cracked fiberglass hull or a smashed motor cover will hit $2,000 instantly. Almost every crash hits this number.
• The boat is a total loss.

Deadlines for Filing

You have a clock ticking.

• 48 Hours: You only have two days if someone died, disappeared, or got hurt badly enough to need a doctor.
• 10 Days: If it is just metal and fiberglass damage, you have a little more time.

Local Contact for Reporting

You can mail it, but it’s better to know where they are.

• SCDNR York County Office: 510 Annie Alexander Ct, York, SC.
• Phone: 1-800-922-5431 (24-hour dispatch). Put this number in your phone now. Seriously. Do it.

How do I get my boat towed on Lake Wylie?

If your vessel is disabled but no one is injured, 911 may not send a tow boat, so you must contact a local salvage company.

Here is a hard truth. The Sheriff’s boat is there to save people, not boats. If your engine is dead but you are safe, they might not tow you in. They might just make sure you are okay and leave. You are stuck drifting.

You need a tow. But on the water, it’s not like calling AAA.

• Tow Boat US Lake Wylie: They are big on the lake. Located at 54 Marina Rd.
• Sea Tow Lake Wylie. They are the other big option.

Be careful with the word “salvage.” If the boat is sinking or hard aground, it is not a “tow.” It is a “salvage.” Salvage costs a lot more money. It is a different legal thing. Clarify that “salvage” costs are different from standard towing and should be discussed with your insurer. Ask the captain, “Is this a tow or a salvage?” before they hook up the line.

What evidence should I gather at the scene?

You should use a checklist to gather photos, witness info, registration numbers, and insurance details right at the scene.

Smart phones are the best tool you have. Use them. Evidence disappears on water. Waves wash it away. Boats drift apart. You need to capture it now.

Take pictures of everything. The damage to your boat. The damage to their boat. Take a video of the water. Was it choppy? Was it glassy calm? Was the sun in your eyes? Take pictures of bruises or cuts on your passengers.

This is huge. Your friends on your boat will take your side. The guy on the other boat will lie. You need the people on the third boat. The ones who just saw it happen. Names and numbers of passengers on other boats (unbiased witnesses are key). They are the ones who tell the truth.

Boats don’t always have license plates like cars. They have “SC” numbers on the bow. It looks like “SC-1234-AB”. Take a picture of it. If they speed off, that number is the only way to find them.

Ask for the other operator’s insurance card. But here is the bad news. Note: SC does not strictly mandate boat insurance for all vessels, which makes gathering personal info critical. They might not have insurance. That is why you need their name, address, and phone number.

Is there a Statute of Limitations for boating accidents in SC?

Yes, the statute of limitations is three (3) years.

Time flies. You think you have forever to sue, but you don’t. In South Carolina, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you wait three years and one day, you get nothing. Zero.

Watch out for the government. Sometimes the boat that hit you belongs to the City of Rock Hill or the State. Maybe it was a patrol boat. Maybe it was a work boat. Claims against government entities (e.g., if a city-owned work boat hit you) may have a shorter 2-year window under the SC Tort Claims Act. Two years goes by fast when you are recovering from surgery. Don’t wait.

Why do I need a Rock Hill boating accident lawyer?

You need a lawyer because maritime laws are complex, local navigational rules matter, and many boaters lack insurance.

Boats aren’t cars. The laws are weird. They are old. Some of them come from hundreds of years ago. You need someone who knows the water and the law.

Lake Wylie is tricky. It is right on the border. Half is in North Carolina. Half is in South Carolina. If you crash near the state line, which law applies? Federal maritime law? SC state law? NC state law? A local lawyer knows which jurisdiction applies. It matters how much money you can get.

It’s not just about “red light, green light.” It is about “wake zones.” Did the crash happen near Ebenezer Park? Was it a No Wake Zone? Understanding “No Wake Zones” near Rock Hill marinas (like Ebenezer Park) is crucial for proving fault. If the other guy was throwing a huge wake in a quiet zone, he is at fault. We know these spots. We fish there. We boat there.

Like we said, insurance isn’t always required. If the guy who hit you has no money and no insurance, you are in a tight spot. But you might have coverage on your policy you don’t know about. Many SC boaters are uninsured; a local attorney can help navigate your own UM/UIM coverage.

At the Law Offices of Wilkerson Jones and Wilkerson, we have seen it all. We know the stress. We know the pain. We live here. We work here.

Conclusion

We love our lakes. We want everyone to have fun. But safety has to come first. Accidents happen, and when they do, they can ruin a life in a second. You need to be ready. Stop the boat. Call for help. Go to the doctor.

But after the dust settles, you might need help fighting the insurance companies. They don’t want to pay. They want to blame you. Don’t let them.

If you’ve been hurt on the water, don’t navigate the legal aftermath alone. Contact our Rock Hill team today for a free consultation. The Law Offices of Wilkerson Jones and Wilkerson are here for you. We have been doing this for over Many years. We fight for our neighbors. Let us fight for you.

FAQs

Do I have to call the police for a minor boat scratch in Rock Hill?

 If the damage is under $2,000 and no one is hurt, you might not have to file a formal SCDNR report. But it is hard to eyeball $2,000 worth of damage. Boat repairs are pricey. It is usually safer to report it just in case.

Can I get compensation if I was partially at fault for the crash? 

Yes, usually. South Carolina uses a “comparative negligence” rule. That is a fancy way of saying you can still get paid even if you were 20% or 30% at fault. But if you are more than 50% at fault, you might get nothing. That is why you need the Law Offices of Wilkerson Jones and Wilkerson to help prove the other guy was mostly to blame.

What if the person who hit me fled the scene on Lake Wylie? 

This is a crime. Call the York County Sheriff immediately. Give them the description of the boat. Was it a bass boat? A pontoon? What color? Did you see the registration numbers? We can help investigate, but the police need to know right away.

How long does a boating accident lawsuit take in York County? 

It depends. If the case is clear, it might settle in a few months. If we have to go to court to fight for you, it could take a year or more. We don’t rush. We want to get you the right amount, not just a quick check. The Law Offices of Wilkerson Jones and Wilkerson will be with you the whole way.

Is boat insurance required in South Carolina? 

Technically, no. South Carolina does not require liability insurance for most private boats. This is scary. It means a lot of people out there can’t pay for the damage they cause. That is why we look at every angle to find coverage for you.

Free case review: Call us or send a message to start a confidential consultation today.