Family Sues to Recover Costs From Maritime Rescue
| July 22nd, 2014
It’s no secret that being rescued at sea because of a boat accident or other emergency can be extremely costly; however, many sailors and citizens ask, “Who is responsible for covering these costs?” One family is working to hold their satellite phone provider liable for the estimated $660,000 it cost to pluck them from the Pacific Ocean after their service was inexplicably cut off during an emergency that arose while on a six-week adventure from French Polynesia to Mexico. Just weeks after the family set sail with supplies that included food, water, a satellite phone, an emergency beacon, and antibiotics for a child recovering from an illness, the young girl began to experience health problems again. The family attempted to use the satellite phone to call for a doctor, but found the SIM card had been turned off by the phone’s provider despite the bill having been paid. An article from The Maritime Executive says this forced the family to call for an emergency rescue that required them to sink their ship as well. Now, the family has filed suit against the phone’s provider claiming their negligence resulted in the costly rescue and seeking compensation to cover the damages that resulted. The family has also urged the organizations that used resources to rescue them to join in on the suit. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our team of California personal injury attorneys understands how devastating costs associated with an accident or rescue can be. That’s why we are hopeful a decision in this case will help bring closure to the incident for the family that was rescued.
