Boat/Personal Watercraft Cases
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Confidential v. Personal Watercraft Manufacturer. $48,500,000.00 submission to Jury. Confidential settlement, January 2006.
In August of 1999, Plaintiff’s 12 year old daughter took out a personal watercraft under the supervision of the owner’s 17 year old son. The personal watercraft was not equipped with a rudder, nor was there an age-based warning present anywhere on the craft. Since it was not possible to steer the personal watercraft with the throttle off, the 12 year old ran it into a dock in the intracoastal waterway and died as a result of blunt trauma to the head resulting from the collision. Experts on behalf of the Plaintiff opined that the manufacturer was negligent in not posting a warning on the personal watercraft stating that it should not be operated by persons under the age of 16, which safety studies have shown to be necessary. Robert B. Baker asked the jury to render a verdict for $48,500,000.00 in closing argument. The jury proceeded to deliberations at which time a confidential settlement was reached between the parties.
