Jury awards Florida family $200 million after 7-year-old’s death

Jury awards Florida family $200 million after 7-year-old’s death

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Ryan Batchelder’s mother describes him as “just sunshine.””And very funny,” Meg Batchelder said. “Everyone liked to be around him. He just had charisma. He had the ‘it’ factor.”In July of 2014, the entire Batchelder family traveled from their home in Lake Worth, Florida, to Lake Burton, Georgia, for a vacation. Much of the family was out on a boat with Ryan sitting near the front. The front of the boat dipped below the water, sweeping Ryan away and into the propeller.He was only 7 years old.”My other son, he was 9 at the time, he was screaming, ‘My brother’s dead! My brother’s dead!'” Batchelder said. “I was like, ‘No, this can’t be.'”The Batchelders filed a civil suit against the boat company, Malibu Boats, claiming the boat was not properly weighted, causing the bow to dip underwater. On Saturday, the jury in Georgia returned its monumental verdict, saying Malibu Boats is liable for Ryan’s death. They awarded the Batchelders $200 million in damages.”I was very overwhelmed when I heard the verdict,” Batchelder said. “I was just stunned and shocked.”Don Fountain, the Batchelder’s attorney, added, “I think the jury’s verdict sends a loud and clear message to Malibu and the entire industry. And it speaks in the terms they understand: dollars and cents.”Malibu Boats did not respond to a request for comment on the verdict, but Fountain said he expects them to appeal the verdict. While she’s waiting for the next step in this long process, Batchelder said she will continue to work with Little Hugs, the foundation she created in Ryan’s honor. The foundation provides stuffed animals for children in need.”He loved stuff animals,” Batchelder said of Ryan. “He had a wish, he had told me, to be Santa Claus and to have a million stuffed animals.”Batchelder said she can only imagine the good she could do if she ever saw any of the money from the verdict. But she also said this case was never about the dollars.Both she and Fountain agree this is about responsibility.”They need to do better. They need to be safer,” Fountain said of boat companies. “And we hope that message will be heard loud and clear around the world.”Batchedler added, “I want to take it to the end. They need to be held accountable, and we need to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Ryan Batchelder’s mother describes him as “just sunshine.”

“And very funny,” Meg Batchelder said. “Everyone liked to be around him. He just had charisma. He had the ‘it’ factor.”

In July of 2014, the entire Batchelder family traveled from their home in Lake Worth, Florida, to Lake Burton, Georgia, for a vacation.

Much of the family was out on a boat with Ryan sitting near the front. The front of the boat dipped below the water, sweeping Ryan away and into the propeller.

He was only 7 years old.

“My other son, he was 9 at the time, he was screaming, ‘My brother’s dead! My brother’s dead!'” Batchelder said. “I was like, ‘No, this can’t be.'”

The Batchelders filed a civil suit against the boat company, Malibu Boats, claiming the boat was not properly weighted, causing the bow to dip underwater.

On Saturday, the jury in Georgia returned its monumental verdict, saying Malibu Boats is liable for Ryan’s death. They awarded the Batchelders $200 million in damages.

“I was very overwhelmed when I heard the verdict,” Batchelder said. “I was just stunned and shocked.”

Don Fountain, the Batchelder’s attorney, added, “I think the jury’s verdict sends a loud and clear message to Malibu and the entire industry. And it speaks in the terms they understand: dollars and cents.”

Malibu Boats did not respond to a request for comment on the verdict, but Fountain said he expects them to appeal the verdict.

While she’s waiting for the next step in this long process, Batchelder said she will continue to work with Little Hugs, the foundation she created in Ryan’s honor. The foundation provides stuffed animals for children in need.

“He loved stuff animals,” Batchelder said of Ryan. “He had a wish, he had told me, to be Santa Claus and to have a million stuffed animals.”

Batchelder said she can only imagine the good she could do if she ever saw any of the money from the verdict. But she also said this case was never about the dollars.

Both she and Fountain agree this is about responsibility.

“They need to do better. They need to be safer,” Fountain said of boat companies. “And we hope that message will be heard loud and clear around the world.”

Batchedler added, “I want to take it to the end. They need to be held accountable, and we need to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

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