A Wyandotte County, Kansas jury recently awarded 18-year-old Bradley Hudspeth $16 million based on his August 2005 diving accident. Hudspeth was left paralyzed and wheelchair-bound by the accident, with only some use of his arms.
One Last Dive
Hudspeth and his friends were diving at Lake Quivira, a private residential community in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Just before they were to leave the lake, he made one last dive — he dove off a boardwalk that extends into the lake, but rather than jumping from the end of the dock, he dove from the side. There were no signs posted about diving restrictions, although in the late 1990s, there were several "No Diving" signs there. These signs were taken down when the dock was resurfaced, but they were not replaced.
Shallow Water
Hudspeth was not aware as he dove into the lake that the water depth in that area was less than four feet. He broke his neck, and as a quadriplegic, he will require a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He has already undergone two years of extensive rehabilitation.
Diver Also at Fault
Hudspeth's family filed a lawsuit against Quivira Inc., the company that owns the common areas of Lake Quivira, and Missouri Valley Pool Management, the company that had been hired to provide lifeguards in the area. A 12-person jury awarded Hudspeth $20 million, but they also found Hudspeth 20% at fault for his injury, and thus the verdict was reduced to $16 million. Quivira Inc. is ordered to pay about $15 million of the award.
(Source: www.kansascity.com)
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