How Prevalent Are Jet Ski Injuries in Illinois?

 Posted on July 27, 2021 in Personal Injury Lawsuits

This summer, jet ski accidents have been brought to public attention in Illinois after a couple of tragic incidents. In June, a man died in the Illinois River near Peoria when his jet ski became submerged. Then, in July, another man lost his life in a collision between his jet ski and another in Lake Michigan near Chicago. There is clearly a risk of serious injury for anyone who rides a jet ski, but you may wonder just how prevalent these accidents are, and what you can do if you or a loved one is injured.

Illinois Jet Ski Injury Statistics

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) publishes an annual recreational boating report, which includes statistics regarding accidents, injuries, and fatalities throughout the year. According to the most recently published report, between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020, there were 36 recreational boating injuries and 21 fatalities throughout Illinois. Twelve of those injuries were due to accidents involving personal watercraft, including jet skis. Fortunately, there were no personal watercraft fatalities during that time frame, but recent accidents demonstrate that the risk is there.

According to the United States Coast Guard, jet skis and other personal watercraft are responsible for hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths throughout the U.S. each year. These vessels account for about 20 percent of all recreational boating injuries, and about 8 percent of all recreational boating fatalities.

Negligence in Jet Ski Accidents

When a person unsafely operates a jet ski, many people are at risk of injury, including passengers, other nearby jet ski and watercraft operators, and nearby swimmers. If you are injured in a jet ski accident, you may have a claim for compensation based on another party’s negligence. Negligence in these cases can come in many forms, including:

• Operating a jet ski without the proper safety training
• Operating a jet ski while under the influence of alcohol
• Operating a jet ski at unsafe speeds
• Operating a jet ski in a prohibited area
• Operating a jet ski with too many passengers
• Operating a jet ski without paying attention to one’s surroundings

An attorney can help you find evidence of these different forms of negligence to support your personal injury or wrongful death claim. You may be able to recover damages for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other economic and non-economic losses, depending on the circumstances.

Contact a Lake County Boating Accident Attorney

The attorneys at Salvi & Maher, LLC are passionate advocates for boating safety so as to keep the activity enjoyable for northern Illinois residents. If you or a loved one is injured in a boating accident, we can represent you in your pursuit of fair compensation. Call us today at 847-662-3303 for a free consultation with a Waukegan, IL personal injury lawyer.

Sources:

https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2021/06/07/one-person-dead-jet-ski-accident-illinois-river/7581232002/

https://wgntv.com/news/man-seriously-injured-in-jet-ski-collision/

https://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2019.pdf

https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/safety/Documents/BoatingAccidentReport2020.pdf