Maritime Accident News

Fatal Mississippi Boating Accident Rocks Pascagoula

The South Mississippi community of Pascagoula was rocked on July 16, 2011, when a local contractor, Richard "Scoot" Linton, drowned in the Gulf Coast after he and a passenger got thrown off his 23-foot boat. The Coast Guard found Linton, 56, in the water. A family friend, Courtney Davis, 25, nearly drowned in the accident.

According to a Sun Herald report, Ms. Davis was listed as in serious condition at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile. Someone apparently saw Linton's boat driving in circles, out of control, and the individual radioed for help. The help arrived in spades: the Coast Guard, a New Orleans helicopter, a Mobile-based cutter, Pascagoula utility and response boats, and a Dauphin Island response boat all came to the scene and managed to rescue Davis. The Park Service and the DMR are both investigating the accident.

The article about the accident raises a lot of questions. Were Linton and Davis wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs)? Did the boat malfunction? Did the boat hit some shoals? Was the boat attacked by an animal in the water? Was there an engineering malfunction that caused Linton and his passenger to get thrown from the boat?

A maritime accident attorney often has to use inference, intuition, and experience to figure out how to investigate a horrific accident like this and to build a compelling case for a victim who needs compensation for such things as medical bills, emergency rescue care, rehabilitation, and long-term therapies.

If someone you care about has been hurt in a Mississippi maritime accident, and you would like advice about what to do next, download three completely free reports from our website. Need more help? Connect with the lawyers at Vujasinovic & Beckcom by calling 877-724-7800 for a free consultation about how you should proceed.

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