Connecticut residents may have heard about a duck boat accident that took place on July 19 in Branson, Missouri. As a result of the accident, a family member of nine people who died in the incident filed a lawsuit against the boat operator. The lawsuit claims that the company that ran the boats knew that they weren’t safe. It also claims that the boats were taken out even though a severe thunderstorm warning had been issued.
The boat encountered large waves and winds of up to 60 miles per hour as it tried to get back to shore before sinking. There were 31 people on the boat at the time of the accident, and a total of 17 people were killed. According to the president of Ripley Entertainment, the boat shouldn’t have been on the water, and the NTSB has been issuing warnings about duck boats for many years.
However, only the Coast Guard can create and enforce regulations related to duck boats and similar craft. On the day of the accident, the Ride the Ducks tour started on the water in an apparent effort to get through that portion before the bad weather struck. The lawsuit seeks $100 million in damages claiming that various parties were negligent in causing the incident to happen.
If a person dies because of another party’s negligence, certain surviving family member can sometimes file a wrongful death suit. The types of damages that can be sought are often listed in the applicable state statute. Legal counsel may use witness statements or physical evidence to show that negligence occurred.
