Injured by a Drunk Boater or Jet Ski Operator? Understanding Liquor Liability on Pennsylvania’s Lakes

There’s nothing like a sunny summer day on the lake—boating, jet skiing, relaxing with friends. But what happens when someone’s fun turns into your worst nightmare?

Maybe you were enjoying time on the water when another boat, driven by someone clearly intoxicated, slammed into you. Maybe you or a loved one were hit while swimming, tubing, or even sitting on a dock. These accidents aren’t just tragic—they’re often preventable. And if that drunk boater had just come from a lakeside bar, restaurant, or marina that overserved them, that business might be legally responsible for what happened.

At Moran Law Group, we understand how devastating these situations can be. You’re left injured, confused, angry, and wondering how someone could be so reckless. The good news? You may have the right to compensation—and we’re here to help you get it.

What Is Dram Shop Liability?

In Pennsylvania, we have a law called the Dram Shop Act. In simple terms, it means that a bar, restaurant, or other business that serves alcohol can be held responsible if they serve someone who’s visibly intoxicated—and that person goes on to cause harm.

It doesn’t just apply to car crashes. It also applies to boating accidents in Scranton, jet ski collisions in Scranton, and other water-related injuries where alcohol is involved.

So if a bar near the lake served too many drinks to someone already clearly drunk, and that person got on a boat or jet ski and hurt you, that bar may be legally responsible for your injuries—not just the boater.

Real-Life Scenario: What This Might Look Like

Let’s say you’re out on Lake Wallenpaupack or Harvey’s Lake. You’re doing everything right—wearing a life jacket, boating responsibly, and watching your surroundings. But then another boat, driven too fast and too close, plows into your vessel.

Later, you find out the person operating that boat had been drinking at a nearby marina bar for hours. The bartender kept serving them even though they could barely stand. After leaving, they jumped on their boat and caused your injuries.

In a case like that, both the drunk boater and the bar may be responsible. And you may be entitled to financial compensation for:

• Medical bills 
• Lost income from missing work 
• Pain and suffering 
• Long-term rehabilitation 
• Emotional trauma 

As the top Personal Injury Attorneys in Scranton, that’s where we come in.

How Moran Law Group Can Help

We’ve helped countless individuals and families in Pennsylvania hold bars and businesses accountable for irresponsible alcohol service. These aren’t easy cases—but they’re the kind of cases we know how to win.

When you work with The Moran Law Group, you’re not just getting a lawyer—you’re getting a team that:

 ✅ Understands Pennsylvania’s dram shop laws inside and out
✅ Knows how to investigate and gather proof of overservice
✅ Has experience dealing with boating-related injury claims
✅ Is ready to take your case to trial if necessary
✅ Treats you with compassion, respect, and personal attention every step of the way

You don’t have to take on the legal system alone. And you shouldn’t. Especially not when you’re hurt, overwhelmed, and trying to put your life back together.

Proving Dram Shop Liability in a Boating Accident

To win a dram shop case, we need to prove a few key things:

1. The person who caused the accident was visibly intoxicated 
2. They were served alcohol by a business after showing signs of intoxication 
3. That intoxication was a direct cause of the accident or injury 

We work fast to gather:

• Surveillance footage (from the bar, marina, etc.) 
• Eyewitness accounts 
• Credit card and receipt data 
• Cell phone videos and social media posts 
• Police and boating accident reports 
• Expert analysis of blood alcohol content (BAC) 

Sometimes we uncover shocking details—like a bartender admitting they “felt bad” for cutting someone off so they kept serving them anyway. Or that the business had a history of overserving. These facts matter. They can make or break a case. And we know how to find them.

Common Injuries We See in Drunk Boating Accidents

Boating and jet ski accidents can cause serious harm—sometimes even worse than car crashes, because there are fewer protections on the water.

Here are some of the injuries we’ve helped clients recover compensation for:

• Broken bones and fractures 
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) 
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis 
• Drownings and near-drownings 
• Cuts, bruises, and lacerations from boat propellers 
• Emotional trauma and PTSD 

Some injuries last a lifetime. Others rack up medical bills that never seem to stop. We fight to get our clients what they truly need to recover—not just a quick settlement that lets the bar or insurance company off the hook.

“But It Was Just an Accident…”

As personal injury lawyers in Scranton, we hear this a lot. Sometimes victims (or their families) hesitate to take legal action because they don’t want to “make a big deal out of it.”

Let us be clear: Holding a business accountable for irresponsibly serving alcohol isn’t overreacting. It’s doing the right thing.

When a bar knowingly overserves someone and that person causes a wreck—on the road or on the water—they need to be held responsible. Not just to help you get justice, but to prevent it from happening to someone else.

You Only Pay If We Win

Worried about costs? Don’t be. At Moran Law Group, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means:

• No upfront fees 
• No surprise bills 
• You pay us nothing unless we win your case 

If we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing. It’s that simple.

Time Is Critical: Don’t Wait

Dram shop cases involve tight deadlines, and the longer you wait, the harder it can be to gather evidence. Surveillance footage gets deleted. Witnesses disappear. Bars and insurance companies start building their defense the minute an accident is reported.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk boater or jet ski operator in Pennsylvania, don’t wait.

Contact The Moran Law Group Today

📞 Call us now for a free, confidential consultation
💻 Visit our Liquor Liability page for more information
📍 Located in Scranton, proudly serving all of Northeastern PA

You focus on healing. We’ll handle everything else.

There’s no better team to take on a dram shop case in Pennsylvania. At Moran Law Group, we know the law, we know how to win—and we genuinely care about what happens to you next.