$7 Million
Settlement · Boat Accident · 2022
Charter operator ran without required safety equipment
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Case summary
A charter vessel operated outside licensing conditions and without functional safety equipment. Maritime experts and Coast Guard records established the violations. Our client's ongoing medical needs and lost earning capacity were fully documented before mediation.
Case at a glance
Injuries: Severe crush injuries; multiple reconstructive surgeries.
- Defendant
- Charter vessel operator
- Key issue
- Operating outside licensing conditions
- Resolution
- Settled at mediation
- Time to resolution
- 22 months
The challenge
The operator claimed the passenger assumed the risk and that the incident was caused by weather.
How we built it
- Obtained Coast Guard inspection and licensing records
- Maritime safety experts documented missing required equipment
- Weather and sea-state data contradicted the operator's account
The outcome
With the licensing violations established, the operator's carrier funded a resolution covering future surgeries and lost earning capacity.
How the case moved
Retained
One month after the incident
Investigation
Federal records obtained through FOIA
Mediation
Resolved before depositions concluded
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is decided on its own facts, venue, and available insurance coverage.
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