Overview
A teenage girl lost her arm in a boating accident when an outboard motor restarted while she was tubing. A negligence lawsuit was brought against the boat owners and the person operating the boat, and the case settled at mediation for the $2 million limit of their insurance policy.
Key Takeaways
- Settlement: $2 million
- Accident type: Boating and tubing accident involving an outboard motor
- Primary injury: Loss of an arm
- Legal proceedings: Negligence lawsuit against the boat owners and the person operating the boat
- Resolution method: Mediation
- Recovery: $2 million insurance policy limit
- Long-term impact: Loss of an arm
The Case
Our client was a teenage girl and a member of a synchronized skating team. A teammate’s mother took her to the lake country to go tubing, where she was being pulled behind the mother’s boat.
During the outing, the boat’s outboard motor stalled. Without turning off the motor, the mother unkinked the gas line. The motor restarted and the boat lurched forward, causing the blade of the outboard motor to rip off the client’s arm.
A negligence lawsuit was brought against the owners of the boat and the mother. The case was resolved at mediation, where $2 million was recovered, representing the limit of their insurance policy.
Why It Matters
This case involved a devastating injury to a teenage girl during a recreational boating activity. The accident permanently changed her life through the loss of her arm.
The case was resolved through mediation for the full $2 million limit of the applicable insurance policy.