Overview

A university student suffered multiple neck fractures and a spinal cord injury after diving from a resort dock into shallow water, leaving him a complete quadriplegic. A lawsuit was brought against the resort and ultimately settled for a confidential sum in the millions, providing for his lifelong care and support.

Key Takeaways

    • Settlement: Confidential sum in the millions
    • Accident type: Diving injury at a lake resort
    • Primary injury: Spinal cord injury resulting in complete quadriplegia
    • Additional injuries: Multiple neck fractures from C4-7
    • Notable legal issue: No sign warned unfamiliar guests about the shallow water at the end of the dock
    • Legal proceedings: Lawsuit against the resort
    • Long-term impact: Lifelong care and support needs
    • Outcome: Client returned to university with the care and support he needs

The Case

Our client was a young university student visiting a resort located on a lake. A dock at the resort extended into the lake and was elevated more than three feet above the water. Although the water at the end of the dock was only about a foot deep, its shallow depth was impossible to tell at night. The dock also had a swimming ladder and appeared to be intended for swimming. There was no sign warning unfamiliar guests about the shallow water. Believing the water was deep based on the appearance of the dock, our client dove in. He suffered multiple fractures in his neck from C4-7 and was left a complete quadriplegic. A lawsuit was brought against the resort. During the case, evidence was discovered that resort employees had considered the danger associated with the shallow water at the end of the dock before the incident but had failed to put up a warning sign. The case settled for a confidential sum in the millions. The settlement was sufficient to provide care for our client for the rest of his life, and he has since returned to university with the care and support he needs.

Why It Matters

This case involved life-altering injuries to a young university student and evidence that the danger presented by the shallow water had been considered before the incident. Despite this, there was no sign warning unfamiliar guests about the water depth at the end of the dock. The confidential settlement provided for the client’s lifelong care needs while supporting his return to university.