CHICAGO BOAT ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS
Injured on Lake Michigan or the Chicago River? We’ve Recovered Over $500 Million for Clients Across Illinois.
Phillips Law Offices represents people injured in boating accidents on Chicago’s waters, Lake Michigan, the harbors from Montrose to 59th Street, the anchorage known as the Playpen, and the Chicago River’s tour boats and water taxis. Boating cases mix Illinois law with maritime rules, and the right early moves decide them. We have recovered over $500 million in verdicts and settlements since 1945.
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Get an honest assessment of your Chicago boat accident case. No fees unless we win.
(312) 346-4262
Legally reviewed by Stephen D. Phillips, Managing Partner, J.D., Loyola University Chicago · Past President, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association · Illinois State Bar Association
Last updated: September 2026
💼 $500M+ Recovered
⚖️ 75+ Years Experience
⭐ 4.9 Google Rating (113 Reviews)
Super Lawyers Top 100
📞 Free Consultation
Chicago’s Trusted Boat Accident Law Firm
A collision, capsizing, or fall on the water produces injuries as severe as any highway crash, with the added dangers of drowning, propeller strikes, and delayed rescue. Phillips Law Offices has represented injury victims across Illinois since 1945, recovering over $500 million in verdicts and settlements, including recovery for a family who lost a loved one in a fatal boating accident.
Chicago’s boating season concentrates enormous traffic into a few miles of water: the lakefront harbors, the Playpen anchorage off Ohio Street Beach, charter fishing boats, jet skis, and the river’s architecture-tour and water-taxi fleets. Alcohol, inexperience, and overloaded vessels drive most serious incidents, and Illinois law treats each of them as negligence.
Every consultation is free. We work on contingency, you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Types of Boat Accident Cases We Handle in Chicago
Each scenario on the water raises different rules, defendants, and insurance coverage.
Boat-on-Boat Collisions
Crowded harbors and the Playpen anchorage produce collisions between powerboats, sailboats, and jet skis. Fault turns on the navigation rules, speed, lookout, and right-of-way, and we reconstruct these crashes with witness accounts, GPS data, and Coast Guard and IDNR reports.
Boating Under the Influence (BUI)
Operating a watercraft with a BAC of 0.08 or more is illegal in Illinois (625 ILCS 45/5-16), and alcohol is a factor in a large share of fatal boating accidents. A BUI operator, and in some cases the establishment that overserved them, can be held fully accountable.
Passenger Injuries and Falls Overboard
Passengers hurt by reckless operation, sudden maneuvers, overloading, or missing safety equipment have claims against the operator and owner. Illinois requires children under 13 to wear life jackets on watercraft under 26 feet while underway, violations matter in these cases.
Tour Boat, Charter, and Water-Taxi Injuries
Commercial operators on the river and lakefront owe passengers a high duty of care. Injuries from docking impacts, slippery decks, crew negligence, or capacity violations support claims against the company, and maritime law may apply alongside Illinois law.
Jet Ski and Personal Watercraft Accidents
Rented and privately owned jet skis cause severe collision and ejection injuries near the beaches and harbors. Rental companies that skip required safety instruction or rent to unqualified operators share liability.
Drowning and Fatal Boating Accidents
When a capsizing, collision, or fall overboard turns fatal, the family’s wrongful death claim demands proof of operation errors, equipment failures, and missing safety gear. Our attorneys have recovered for a boating-accident death and know how these cases are built.
Illinois Boating Law on Chicago’s Waters
The Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act (625 ILCS 45) sets the rules: no operation under the influence (BAC 0.08, 625 ILCS 45/5-16), life jackets required aboard for every person and worn by children under 13 on watercraft under 26 feet, and a boating safety certificate required for operators born on or after January 1, 1998 to run a motorboat over 10 horsepower. Violations of these rules are powerful evidence of negligence.
On Lake Michigan, federal maritime law can also apply, affecting liability standards and damages, and crew members injured on commercial vessels may have Jones Act claims. Sorting out which law governs is one of the first strategic decisions in a Chicago boating case, and it can change the value of the claim significantly.
What to Do After a Boat Accident in Chicago
The steps you take immediately after a boat accident protect both your health and your legal claim.
STEP 1
Get Everyone Safe and Get Medical Care
Water incidents compound quickly, account for everyone aboard, get medical attention even for injuries that seem minor, and watch for delayed symptoms of head injury and near-drowning.
STEP 2
Report the Accident
Illinois law requires reporting boating accidents involving injury, death, or significant damage to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. On Chicago’s waters, the Coast Guard and Chicago police marine units may also respond, their reports become key evidence.
STEP 3
Document the Vessels and Conditions
Photograph the boats, registration numbers, damage, safety equipment aboard, and water and weather conditions. Get names and contacts for every passenger and witness, and note whether alcohol was present.
STEP 4
Contact Phillips Law Offices Before Speaking to Insurance
Boat-owner, operator, rental-company, and commercial policies may all be in play, and insurers move fast to frame the story. Do not give recorded statements first. Call us at (312) 346-4262 for a free case evaluation.
Don’t Let Insurance Companies Decide What Your Case Is Worth
Boating insurers count on victims not knowing the rules of the water. Our attorneys know them. Get a free, honest evaluation of your Chicago boat accident case today.
(312) 346-4262
Personal Injury Case Results
Phillips Law Offices has a proven record of obtaining substantial compensation for personal injury victims across Illinois. These results reflect our commitment to thorough preparation and aggressive advocacy.
$25 Million
The Situation
A 17-year-old lost both kidneys due to a physician’s gross negligence.
Our Approach
Our attorneys litigated the case for four years, building the medical record needed to hold the responsible providers accountable.
The Result
$25 million settlement for the family.
$16 Million
The Situation
A spinal infection went undiagnosed and untreated in the emergency room, leaving our client paralyzed from the waist down.
Our Approach
We built the case against the treating hospital for the missed diagnosis and pursued full accountability.
The Result
$16 million settlement with the hospital.
$10 Million
The Situation
A child was seriously injured in an escalator incident at a Chicagoland shopping center.
Our Approach
Our attorneys litigated the case for six years to establish the property owner’s liability.
The Result
$10 million settlement for the family.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.
Illinois Boating Law: What Chicago Boaters Need to Know
Boating claims are governed by the Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act, general negligence law, and in some cases federal maritime law.
BUI Is Negligence: Operating any watercraft with a BAC of 0.08 or more violates 625 ILCS 45/5-16. An intoxicated operator who injures a passenger, swimmer, or another boater faces both criminal charges and full civil liability.
Safety Equipment Rules: Life jackets are required aboard for every person, children under 13 must wear one on watercraft under 26 feet while underway, and operators born on or after January 1, 1998 need a boating safety certificate for motorboats over 10 hp. Violations are strong evidence of negligence.
Statute of Limitations: You generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/13-202); wrongful death claims also carry a two-year period. Maritime claims can run on different clocks, another reason for early review.
Which Court: Most Chicago boating cases are filed in the Law Division of the Cook County Circuit Court at the Richard J. Daley Center; cases governed by maritime law may belong in federal court. Phillips Law Offices evaluates the right forum at the outset.
Why Chicago Boat Accident Victims Choose Phillips Law Offices
The water erases evidence faster than any highway, boats get repaired, witnesses scatter, and conditions change by the hour. Getting investigators moving immediately is often the whole case.
— Stephen D. Phillips, Senior Partner
- Over $500 million recovered for injured clients since 1945
- Five experienced trial attorneys including Stephen D. Phillips (41+ years)
- Real results in fatal boating-accident litigation
- Command of the Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act and maritime overlays
- Rapid preservation of vessel evidence, IDNR and Coast Guard reports, and GPS data
- Deep knowledge of Cook County’s courts and local procedures
- Contingency fee basis, no fee unless we recover compensation for you
- Direct attorney access throughout your case
What Our Clients Say
“Excellent legal services from caring and compassionate attorneys. Could not ask for better legal representation! Will forever be grateful to the legal team at Phillips law offices for getting my family through such a difficult moment in our lives.”
Khadija Brewington, Google Review
“Steve Phillips is one of the top leading trial attorneys in the state. He is a passionate and dedicated attorney who treats all of his clients with professionalism.”
Laura Michenfelder, Google Review
Chicago Resources
Illinois DNR Boating Accident Reports: Required for accidents involving injury, death, or significant damage, the official record of your incident.
U.S. Coast Guard, Lake Michigan sector: Responds to and documents serious incidents on the lake.
Chicago Harbors: DuSable, Monroe, Burnham, Belmont, Montrose, 31st Street, and 59th Street harbors, harbor records can identify vessels and witnesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about boat accident claims under Illinois law.
Who is liable in a Chicago boat accident?
Potentially the operator, the boat’s owner (even if not aboard), a rental company that skipped safety instruction, a commercial tour or charter operator, and in defect cases the boat or equipment manufacturer. Alcohol-related cases can add dram-shop angles. We identify every responsible party and every policy.
What is BUI and how does it affect my case?
Boating under the influence, operating a watercraft with a BAC of 0.08 or more, violates 625 ILCS 45/5-16. A BUI operator who caused your injuries faces criminal prosecution, and the violation is powerful evidence of negligence in your civil claim for full compensation.
Do boating accidents have to be reported in Illinois?
Yes. Accidents involving injury, death, disappearance, or significant property damage must be reported to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. On Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, the Coast Guard and police marine units may also generate reports, obtain every one of them.
What if I was injured as a passenger on a tour boat or water taxi?
Commercial operators owe passengers a high duty of care, and their companies carry substantial insurance. Claims can arise from docking impacts, slippery decks, crew errors, and overloading. Maritime law may apply alongside Illinois law, which can affect both liability standards and damages.
Does maritime law apply to my Lake Michigan accident?
It can. Accidents on navigable waters like Lake Michigan may be governed by federal maritime law, which changes liability rules, damages, and sometimes the court your case belongs in. Crew members on commercial vessels may have Jones Act claims. We evaluate the governing law at the very start.
What is the statute of limitations for a boat accident claim in Illinois?
Generally two years from the date of the accident for personal injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202) and wrongful death. Maritime claims can carry different periods. Evidence on the water disappears quickly regardless of the deadline, so act early.
What if my family member drowned in a boating accident?
Your family may bring a wrongful death claim based on operator negligence, missing or unused life jackets, overloading, or equipment failure. Phillips Law Offices has recovered for a family in a fatal boating case, and we handle these claims with the care they demand.
How much does it cost to hire a boat accident lawyer?
Phillips Law Offices handles all boat accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront and owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all case costs, including experts and records. Your initial consultation is free and confidential.
Talk to a Chicago Boat Accident Lawyer Today
(312) 346-4262
Related: Illinois Boat Accident Lawyer | Causes of Fatal Boating Accidents | What a Boat/Jet Ski Lawyer Does | Riverboat Accidents Guide | Common Jet Ski Injuries
This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different. Contact Phillips Law Offices for a free consultation about your Chicago boat accident case.