Piccuta Law Group Files New Federal Court Lawsuit for Man Blinded on Fishing Boat Charter
On December 4, 2017, the Piccuta Law Group filed a maritime lawsuit on behalf of its client who was blinded while on a fishing boat charter. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and entitled Roy Bakkila v. Channel Islands Sportfishing Center (5:17-CV-02438). The lawsuit alleges that the fishing boat charter company and the boat owner and captain were negligent.
In the summer of 2016, the firm’s client booked a deep-sea fishing trip on a chartered fishing boat with Channel Islands Sportfishing Center out of Oxnard, Cailfornia in Ventura County. The client went on the fishing charter with his adult son and approximately 20 other customers. During the fishing trip, another customer was reeling in his fishing line that was stuck in seaweed. The other customer continued to pull his fishing rod upward and by doing so caused the line to be under tension. The line snapped and one of the fishing weights shot back like a bullet and struck the firm’s client in the right eye. This caused a significant injury and, despite several surgeries, the firm’s client lost all vision in his right eye.
The lawsuit alleges that the fishing charter, the boat owner and the boat captain where all negligent by:
- failing to adequately instruct the passengers on safe fishing practices,
- failing to intervene and cut the line,
- failing to instruct the passengers to keep the tip of their fishing poles down when reeling in a line stuck in seaweed,
- failing to advise the passengers of the risks of significant eye injuries and
- failing to advise the passengers to where protective eyewear, among other things.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the firm’s client and his wife and seeks over 5 million dollars in compensation.
If you or a loved one has suffered a significant injury due to the negligence of another, contact the Piccuta Law Group today. Our firm specializes in handling serious injury cases and handles all types of catastrophic injuries. Contact the Piccuta Law Group today to discuss your case with one of our attorneys for free.
