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In the Chicago area, boating is one of the treasures of summer, allowing people to enjoy time with friends on the waterfront. Yet boat owners have responsibilities, and when they fail in those responsibilities, and someone suffers an injury, the victims have the right to seek financial compensation.
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., our boating accident lawyer in Chicago is the advocate you need by your side in these challenging cases. With over 75 years of combined experience, you can trust our Chicago personal injury lawyers to fight for your rights.
Common Causes for Boating Accidents in Chicago
Boating accidents occur for many reasons, but most are preventable. There is no doubt that Lake Michigan can be somewhat temperamental, and rapidly changing conditions can cause accidents. Yet, boat operators and owners have a duty to ensure safety in all situations, even in difficult cases.
Most common causes of personal injuries in boating accidents are preventable. That includes, for example, boaters speeding through the area, equipment failures, or unsafe conditions onboard that leave victims at risk. Impaired operation and inexperience are also common reasons these accidents happen.
Other situations may warrant legal action as well, such as if the city fails to warn of expected threats to boaters. You may suffer from a mechanical breakdown due to manufacturing defects or the boat’s design, which makes the manufacturer accountable. With so many potential parties at fault, working with a lawyer is the best bet for most victims.
Seeking Compensation for Boat Accident Injuries
Many people do not realize that, if they are injured while visiting another person’s boat or due to another boater’s careless behavior, they can pursue financial compensation for those losses.
You can do so, but the process requires that you demonstrate that the other party knew of a risk and failed to protect you from it. Consider a few common scenarios we see here in Chicago:
- Alcohol and boating operations. It is very common for boaters to enjoy too many drinks, leading to operators striking other boaters or damaging docks and property as a result.
- Collisions with other vessels can also occur due to speeding or reckless behavior. This can create unsafe conditions and lead to uncontrollable factors. Victims are often bystanders.
- Maintenance teams fail. Boats require significant work and upkeep to ensure they are safe. If the owner fails to maintain the boat or a technician does not do a good job, victims face serious risks.
As a Chicago boating accident attorney, we help those who have suffered serious injuries and losses due to the mistakes of others. If you sought medical care as a result of these types of incidents, we encourage you not to file a claim until you speak to our legal team.
Let us make sure you receive fair treatment and compensation for the losses you incurred. Read our client testimonials to learn about our success stories.
How We Build Your Case After a Boating Accident
You are hurt and struggling with injuries through no fault of your own. Let us handle the investigation and claim-building process for you.
Our legal team works with victims who need support in challenging cases, including serious injuries and financial loss. We handle the entire process for you:
- Obtain evidence to support your claims. Video cameras, photos, witness statements, and accident reconstruction can help demonstrate what happened. This information allows us to identify the at-fault party clearly. This means their insurance coverage becomes applicable to your needs.
- Evaluate all of the losses you have. Most victims suffer financial losses, medical and physical injuries, related costs, and emotional turmoil. The law allows you to recover damages for any of these areas. We talk to doctors, gather evidence to support claims, and accurately value your claim.
- Our legal team then negotiates with the insurance company, a process that often involves answering questions and providing additional levels of proof of loss. Insurance companies take advantage of victims, but we eliminate that risk for you.
When you are facing so many losses due to the mistakes of others, we encourage you to focus on your injury recovery process and let us handle the legal process. Our years of experience and dedicated service allow us to build a strong claim for you and get results. We never charge you anything up front for our services either.
What Your Boating Accident Claim May Be Worth
One of the most important factors our clients need to know is that they will receive compensation to cover their losses. Our goal is to maximize your claim to the fullest extent permitted by law.
We review all factors contributing to your losses and build a strong case for your claim. Some of the most common types of losses in these accidents include:
- Medical costs from the emergency care received, as well as any ongoing medical needs you have, such as rehabilitation, medications, and therapy
- Lost wages from being unable to go to work for a period of time due to your injuries and losses
- Loss of earning capacity if you cannot do the same type of work or work as many hours because of your injuries
- Property damage to your boat or other assets damaged in the incident
- Pain and suffering claims, for all you face as a result of the accident
- Mental health complications, including the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression
We ask the hard questions about how this incident is impacting you physically, mentally, and emotionally, and then seek fair compensation.
Under Illinois laws (735 ILCS 5/13-202), you have two years from the date of the accident to seek legal action for your injuries. Do not wait that long to contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., and review our FAQs to learn more.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Boating Accident Attorney in Chicago
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we get results because we are dedicated to our clients’ best interests.
Set up a free consultation to learn about your rights and the value of your case. Our Chicago boating accident lawyer is the advocate you want by your side.
