Putting a price on something as serious as a lost limb or permanent bodily damage is the kind of task no jury wants to undertake during a trial. On Monday, a federal jury in Austin, Texas, was faced with just such a daunting responsibility, and they ordered boat manufacturer Brunswick Corp. to pay $3.8 million to a young man who lost part of his leg after it was caught in a propeller on Lake Austin.
Jacob Brochtrup, who was 18 years old in 2007, lost part of his leg when he was wakeboarding with friends while celebrating the 4th of July holiday. Brochtrup had jumped in the water planning to grab onto the towline behind the motorboat he and his friends were in. Unexpectedly, the driver put the boat in reverse and the propeller of the engine caught the top of Brochtrup’s right leg. The loss of blood was so great that by the time Brochtrup had arrived at the hospital he was clinically dead.
The jury decided that Brunswick was partially liable for the 2007 injury because, according to Brochtrup’s lawsuit, the company did not have safety devices like covers and guards which may have prevented Jacob Brochtrup’s accident. The money awarded to Brochtrup is intended for his medical and legal expenses as well as physical and emotional suffering.
The jury ruled that Brunswick was 66 percent liable for the incident while Brochtrup and the boat’s driver were responsible for the rest. The driver was not mentioned in the lawsuit and therefore will not be obligated to pay Brochtrup any damages. Brochtrup was thrilled with the verdict and hoped that it would send a message to the boating industry to increase the safety of their products.
Brunswick, on the other hand, stands by the quality and design of their products and is currently considering appealing the verdict.
