A serious Minnesota boating accident may involve far more than an insurance claim against a recreational boat owner. The case can require immediate inspection of the vessel, preservation of GPS and phone data, expert analysis of navigation and mechanical evidence, and investigation of rental companies, camps, marinas, manufacturers, alcohol providers, or commercial towing companies.
Pritzker Hageman is headquartered in Minnesota and represents people with catastrophic boating injuries and families bringing wrongful-death claims. Managing Partner Eric Hageman obtained a $5 million recovery for a young woman who suffered a permanent propeller injury after an intoxicated boat operator ran over her. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Eric and his team of boat accident lawyers can help you file a lawsuit and get answers, compensation, and justice. To contact Eric, call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or use the form below.
Free Consultation about Your Boat Lawsuit for Personal Injury or Wrongful Death
1-888-377-8900 (Toll-Free) | [email protected]
Seven Things to Know After a Serious Minnesota Boating Accident
- 1. Preserve the boat and electronics. Do not repair, sell, dispose of, or authorize destructive testing of the vessel, engine, propeller, steering, lights, GPS, chartplotter, or other equipment before a documented inspection.
- 2. More than the operator may be responsible. Claims may involve an owner, rental company, camp, marina, manufacturer, repair business, alcohol provider, commercial vessel company, or employer.
- 3. A claim involving a friend or relative is usually defended by insurance. The purpose is to obtain compensation for medical care, lost income, disability, pain, or wrongful death, not to punish a loved one personally.
- 4. Minnesota dram-shop law may matter. If an alcohol provider illegally sold alcohol to an obviously intoxicated operator and the sale contributed to the crash, a separate claim may exist. Dram-shop claims have specialized notice and proof requirements.
- 5. Federal maritime law may apply. Accidents on navigable waters such as the Mississippi River can involve federal navigation rules and maritime deadlines, particularly when a barge, towboat, ferry, or other commercial vessel is involved.
- 6. Commercial vessel owners have procedural tools that require fast action. A vessel owner may file a federal limitation proceeding and ask the court to set a short deadline for claims. 7. The official report is only part of the case. Civil counsel may need additional electronic data, corporate records, expert inspections, witness interviews, medical evidence, and a full damages investigation.
Questions You May Have for a Minnesota Boat Accident Lawyer
- Can we sue the owner of the boat if he or she was not driving it at the time of the accident?
- If my child is in the hospital after being run over by a boat, can I get compensation for the time I cannot work?
- What if the boat or jet ski was subject to a recall?
- How long will it take for our family to get money from the lawsuit?
- What if the accident happened in Minnesota, but I am from another state?
- What if I owned the boat and someone else was driving?
Lawyer Eric Hageman has won numerous multi-million-dollar settlements for his clients, a number of whom have lost limbs in accidents. One of his clients said Eric was a “warrior” for him. If you need legal help, contact Eric by calling 612-338-0202 or by using our online free consultation form.
Common Causes of Minnesota Boating Accidents
Serious boating accidents frequently involve operator inattention, inadequate lookout, excessive speed, alcohol or drug impairment, inexperienced operation, navigation errors, overloading, defective equipment, poor maintenance, or unsafe rental and supervision practices.
The cause must be determined from the specific evidence. In a collision, that may include vessel damage, witness accounts, GPS and phone data, navigation lights, weather and visibility, 911 records, photographs, video, and expert reconstruction. When a commercial vessel is involved, AIS, radar, electronic charts, crew logs, tow configuration, and federal records may be critical. The U.S. Coast Guard reported 3,887 recreational boating incidents, 556 deaths, and 2,170 injuries nationwide in 2024. Statistics help identify recurring risks, but they cannot determine fault in an individual case.
We are a Minnesota law firm, and we love our 10,000 lakes. We believe a lawsuit in cases like these is a crucial deterrent against highly dangerous conduct that puts at risk all those who use our lakes in Minnesota.
Minnesota Boat Collisions Involving Barges and Towboats
The Mississippi River carries both recreational boaters and commercial tow traffic. A towboat may push a large group of barges with limited maneuverability and visibility affected by the tow’s length and cargo. At the same time, commercial operators must comply with federal lookout, safe-speed, collision-avoidance, lighting, watchkeeping, equipment, and casualty-reporting requirements. If a recreational boat is struck by a barge or tow, preserve AIS, radar, electronic-chart, radio, crew, lighting, maintenance, and tow-configuration evidence immediately. A commercial vessel owner may also seek protection under the federal Limitation of Liability Act.
For a current example of the evidence and procedural issues that can arise when recreational and commercial traffic share navigable waters, read our Lake Pepin pontoon-barge crash analysis.
Minnesota Boating Accident News
Lake Pepin Pontoon-Barge Crash Victims Identified
July 11, 2026 — Ashley Monson, 37, Manuel De Angel-Sola, 52, and Nicholas Loechler, 46, all of Wabasha, died after a pontoon reportedly collided with a commercial barge near Deer Island on Lake Pepin. De Angel-Sola and Loechler were Wabasha firefighters, and three occupants survived. Wisconsin DNR is leading the investigation. The commercial towing vessel, barge ownership, operating company, and cause have not been publicly identified.
13-Year-Old Boy Dies in Boating Accident at Frazee Summer Camp
June 22, 2023 – Thirteen-year-old Benjamin Rennie died in a tragic boating accident at North Central Camp Cherith in Frazee, Minnesota. According to the Otter Tail Sheriff’s Office, Benjamin was inner tubing on Lake Six with another camper. The boat, driven by a camp employee, accidentally struck Benjamin when it turned around to pick the campers up after they fell off the tube. Sadly, Benjamin died at the scene.
Boating Accident in Red Wing Injures Child
June 3, 2022 – A boating accident on the Mississippi River near the Ole Miss Marina in Red Wing sent a child to the hospital with critical injuries. A preliminary investigation shows that the accident happened when the boat stalled after having mechanical problems. Unable to move out of the path of an oncoming barge, the boat was struck and capsized. When emergency crews arrived, Jeremy Koenig (45) and four children were found in the water. All of the children were wearing life jackets. Life-saving measures were performed on Koenig’s 5-year-old son Vincent, who was taken to the Mayo Clinic Hospital, Saint Mary’s Campus in Rochester. Vincent’s mother wrote on a Caring Bridge page that his prognosis is positive.