Who is responsible for Philly’s duck boat accident? Lawyers will get answers; lawsuits will make us safer.
Aug 22nd, 2010 | By Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. | Category: Blogs, Local Car Accidents, New Jersey Injury Information, Pennsylvania Injury Information, Saile & Saile LLP News
We are sure that you heard about the Ride the Ducks accident on the Delaware River in July. Accidents on the water, as with accidents on the road are NOT acts of God, they are caused by someone else’s carelessness or recklessness. The attorneys for the families of the two Hungarian students killed in this tragic accident have now filed the wrongful death actions against the Ride the Ducks Company and the company that operated the tugboat pushing the barge that collided with the duck boat. Sure the accident was freakish in nature due to the timing of the two vessels colliding in open water, but this accident should have been prevented for many reasons.
Why did the engine overheat or catch on fire?
Why did the duck boat company ignore 1999 NTSB report stating that the canopies on the duck boats were unsafe?
Why did the captain of the duck boat anchor in the middle of the shipping lane?
Why didn’t the duck boat and tug boat communicate and try to avoid the collision?
Why didn’t the tug boat see the duck boat on its radar and try to avoid the collision?
Why wasn’t there a spotter on the bow of the barge looking for traffic in the shipping canal?
It has been reported that one of the two students who drowned in this disaster was a competitive swimmer. If this person could not swim away, no one else would have a fighting chance in his position. Duck boats are now in cities all across America. Not only will these lawsuits compensate the families for their great losses, but a major jury verdict will make duck boats safer or eliminate them completely. The results of these lawsuits will also force new maritime regulations and make our shipping channels safer for all.
On another note, Mike, Jr. and his wife, Caterina helped in the search effort for the victims along the Delaware River on the morning of July 8, 2010.
People need to be more qualified if they are going to be responsible for a group of peoples lives. Driving a boat isn’t extremely difficult but if you don’t practice safe driving skills it can easily be a risky situation.
FIRST!!!1 test tendency hanging