In June 2013, a man from Minnesota was allegedly operating a recreational boat in Pierce County when he got into an accident. The incident resulted in the personal injury of one of the boat’s passengers, a 40-year-old man from New Richmond.

The injured man died as a result of the accident. According to officials, the 47-year-old operator of the vessel was subsequently discovered to have a BAC of .114. This is over the legal limit, and the man was indicted on five separate criminal charges, including illegally operating a boat while intoxicated so as to cause injury and negligent drunken homicide.

The 47-year-old Minnesotan allegedly told authorities that the boat was being controlled by a new automatic steering system at the time of the accident, although he did admit that he was close to the controls. His court date was set for Nov. 25th. Prior to setting sail for an Afton marina, the trio had been at a bar in Prescott.

Events that result in the death of loved ones can leave survivors crippled by emotional trauma. The sudden responsibilities they have to deal with in order to manage their relatives’ estates can be made even more difficult to take care of due to the severe mental stresses they may be experiencing. Survivors may attempt to initiate wrongful death suits in pursuit of compensation, but these lawsuits aren’t always successful, especially when they’re improperly managed. A personal injury attorney may be able to guide victims or their families through the filing process and ensure that they’re targeting the right parties with legal action. An attorney could also represent their clients in front of a jury if insurance companies fail to settle for an appropriate amount outside of court.

Source: WHBL, “MN man charged with causing drunken fatal boating accident“, October 31, 2013