Our boating accident lawyers in Norridge at Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., have served injured clients since 2002 and bring 75 years of combined legal experience to personal injury cases.
We provide personal, responsive representation and draw on our experience with insurance companies to help clients pursue compensation supported by the facts of their claims. Schedule a free consultation with a Norridge personal injury lawyer from our firm today to get started.
Common Causes of Boat and Jet Ski Accidents
Many recreational boating accidents are tied to decisions made by the person operating the watercraft. Conditions on the water can change quickly, which makes attention, judgment, and safe speed especially important.
We may investigate accidents involving:
- Failure to keep a proper lookout.
- Excessive speed for the conditions.
- Boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Distracted operation.
- Unsafe turns or passing.
- Hazardous wakes.
- Inexperienced operation of a boat or jet ski.
- Unsafe use of rented watercraft.
Illinois also prohibits certain reckless conduct involving personal watercraft, including weaving through congested traffic, jumping another vessel’s wake too closely, and creating a hazardous wake or wash.
Potential Liable Parties After a Boating Accident
The operator is often the first person considered when careless handling causes a crash, but responsibility can extend beyond the person at the controls.
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve:
A Boat or Jet Ski Operator
An operator may be liable for unsafe speed, distracted operation, impairment, failure to maintain a proper lookout, or other negligent conduct.
A Watercraft Owner
An owner may face liability in certain situations based on how the vessel was entrusted, controlled, or used.
A Rental Business
A boat or jet ski rental company may be responsible when its own negligent acts contribute to an injury, such as failing to address a known unsafe condition or properly maintain the rented watercraft.
Another Negligent Party
Some incidents involve more than one person or business whose conduct contributed to the accident. We investigate each party’s role before determining how to pursue the claim.
Evidence That Can Help Our Norridge Boating Accident Lawyers Prove What Happened
Boating accident evidence can disappear or become harder to obtain once a vessel is repaired, returned to a rental company, or moved from the area.
Depending on the case, our boating accident attorneys in Norridge may review:
- Photographs and videos of the vessel and scene.
- Statements from passengers and other witnesses.
- Law enforcement or boating accident reports.
- Rental agreements.
- Maintenance and inspection records.
- Operator information.
- Medical records.
- Toxicology results when impairment is suspected.
- GPS or other electronic data when available.
That evidence can help establish both how the accident occurred and how your injuries followed from it.
Reporting a Boating Accident in Illinois
Illinois requires certain boating accidents to be reported. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a written report is required when an accident results in death, an injury requiring more than first aid, or at least $2,000 in total property damage.
The operator also has duties after a collision, including providing identifying information and, when it can be done safely, reasonable assistance to people affected by the accident.
A report can become an important source of information later in an injury claim, particularly when there is disagreement over who was operating the vessel or how the accident happened.
Compensation Available After a Boating Accident
The compensation available in a boating injury case depends on the extent of your injuries, the financial losses connected to them, and the law that applies to the accident.
A claim may include compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses.
- Lost wages.
- Reduced earning capacity.
- Rehabilitation expenses.
- Pain and suffering.
- Disability.
- Scarring and disfigurement.
- Property damage when applicable.
When a boating accident results in death, qualifying family members may also have rights under applicable wrongful death law.
Insurance Issues in Recreational Boating Claims
Unlike a typical car accident, a boating claim may involve homeowners’ coverage, watercraft insurance, rental coverage, or another policy depending on who owned and operated the vessel.
Insurers may dispute responsibility, question whether treatment is related to the accident, or try to resolve the claim before the full extent of an injury is known. Founding attorney Charlie Therman previously worked on the insurance side at Allstate, which gives our firm insight into how carriers evaluate injury claims and settlement demands.
We handle insurance communications while building the factual and medical record needed to support your claim.
How Long Do You Have to File a Boating Accident Claim?
The filing period for a boating accident claim can depend on where the accident occurred and which body of law governs the case.
Illinois generally requires personal injury actions to be filed within two years after the cause of action accrues. Federal law, however, generally provides a 3-year statute of limitations to bring a civil action for personal injury or death arising from a maritime tort.
Because boating incidents do not all fall under the same legal framework, we determine the applicable deadline from the location, circumstances, and parties involved in the accident.
Why Choose Charlie
At Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., we combine personal injury experience with the individual attention of a boutique firm. Our clients are not treated as file numbers, and we prioritize communication throughout the claim.
When you work with our firm, you benefit from:
- 75 years of combined legal experience.
- More than $100 million recovered for injured clients.
- Representation from a firm serving injured people since 2002.
- Responsive, personal communication.
- Insurance-side insight from Charlie Therman’s prior work at Allstate.
- Free consultations.
- Contingency-fee representation.
- Zoom consultations when convenient.
- Help connecting with medical providers who may accept treatment on a lien when appropriate.
We prepare each claim around the evidence and the actual losses caused by the accident rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Boating Accident Attorney in Norridge
Boat and jet ski accidents can raise questions about operator fault, available insurance, and which law governs the claim. Those issues should be evaluated based on where and how the injury occurred.
Contact Charlie Therman Injury & Accident Lawyers, P.C., to schedule a free consultation with a Norridge boating accident attorney. We can review the accident and determine whether there is a viable claim for compensation.
