Settlement reached in drowning rescue suit in NH
April 26, 2012
CONCORD, N.H.—The children of a Vermont woman who drowned while being transported by a New Hampshire-based airboat rescue squad have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the squad, the boat's manufacturer and the town of Springfield, Vt.
Sullivan County court officials confirmed Thursday they received notice the case was settled from the attorneys involved. The settlement resolves five years of litigation over the August 2006 death of 64-year-old Virginia Yates of Rockingham, Vt.
The case was scheduled to go on trial this month.
Yates was stepping off a boat on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River when she slipped and hit her head and injured an ankle.
The Cornish Rescue Squad responded with an airboat to transport her across the river to a waiting ambulance. But the flat-bottomed boat soon took on water and sank, drowning Yates, who was strapped to a gurney secured to the boat's hull.
It took rescuers and hour to reach and recover her body.
Sullivan Country Attorney Marc Hathaway investigated the sinking and concluded there were no grounds for criminal charges.
Attorneys involved in the case declined to discuss the settlement terms, saying confidentiality is a condition of the settlement.
Attorney Mark Attorri, who represents the Cornish Rescue Squad, said the squad is pleased for everyone involved that the matter is closed.
"Above all, the squad is pleased the Yates family can finally have some closure on this tragedy," Attorri said.
The squad, composed entirely of citizen volunteers, was called in by the Springfield fire department to help assist in transporting Yates because the boat dock she was on was at the base of a steep hill.
Maine Yankee Airboats Inc. of Sebago, Maine -- manufacturer of the airboat -- reached a separate settlement with Yates' three children.
Attorney Jeffrey Osburn, who represents the Yates family, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Settlement reached in drowning rescue suit
The children of a Vermont woman who drowned while being transported by a New Hampshire-based airboat rescue squad have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the squad, the boat’s manufacturer and the town of Springfield, Vt.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2012/04/26/settlement_reached_in_drowning_rescue_suit_in_nh/
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RE: "Above all, the squad is pleased the Yates family can finally have some closure on this tragedy," Attorri said.
ReplyDeleteWhat a clumsy choice of words. I'm sure "the squad" would be even more pleased if they hadn't contributed to Mrs. Yates' death and "closure" wouldn't even be necessary.
The lesson here is, if in need of rescue, do not call the Springfield Fire Dept. Your best bet is the Boy Scouts. At least they train for water rescue, and life saving. More importantly, have enough common sense not to tie a victim to an anchor, then stand around watching as they sink and drown.
ReplyDeleteAnd so it begins...
ReplyDeleteAnd so it should!
ReplyDelete$2.6 Million settlement
ReplyDeleteSubtract lawyers fees, what the IRS takes, and what the state takes, and split between the children....what are they left with?
DeleteThis was something horrible that happened to a family, let's not play the witness, judge and jury, for their sake. Unless you were there, on that boat, in that water and know every detail, let's not start the blame game.
ReplyDeleteThis family has been through enough. Let's give them some peace.
Springfield would have done the job with it's own boat, but they haven't found one that will fit in will all the other parade vehicles they have. Cornish is lucky SFD didn't just keep the boat as their own. Hey - we found it in the river!!! Tragic.
ReplyDeleteSomething that "happened to a family"....isn't that ALL that is discussed here?
ReplyDeleteLACK of TRAINING
LACK of JUDGEMENT
LACK of RESPONSIBILITY
Just as I thought.
The ONLY thing that is discussed here.
It’s very clear none of parties writing where at the scene nor know anything about what actually happened at the scene that night. If they were, they would’ve seen that there were a number of emergency organizations from both sides of the river there that night, just not Springfield FD. It’s very easy to make allegations when you yourself are not trained in emergency services or really know what happened except for what they hear or read. Until you are certified in emergency services, crawl back into your hole until you need help and then who will you call? The sorry thing is that these same people you are making fun of will be at your door……this blog makes me sick with all the experts who are armchair quarterbacks......
ReplyDeleteWhat's also "very clear" is that "the squad" was also apparently "not trained" well enough to utilize the airboat at their disposal and therefore turned a treatable injury into something far more serious and unrecoverable from. As for SFD, they're a mixed bag these days, but some of us can actually say that as a result of their inadequate (incompetent?) response, our property was a total loss. Generally speaking, in those instances, "it's clear" that a volunteer fire department could have achieved better results!
DeleteI can actually say that due to their response we.still have a movie theater and the mckinley block. An apartment building on valley street. A home on park.street and numerous other structures. It's impossible to save every structure at every fire.
DeleteI believe, if I remember the news story correctly, that CORNISH was driving their own air boat, and only 1 Springfield EMT was on board with them. If your property was such a total loss, why did you not contact a lawyer and subpoena all records of their inadequate response?
DeleteNice try Mr. Firefighter aka Mr. "If I remamber correctly"
DeleteThe proof is in the pudding:
Cornish: $0 settlement
Springfield: $2.6 Million settlement
Springfield was in charge of the scene.
Springfield set up incident command.
Springfield made the calls.
And YES!....I was there!
Shall we get into the SFD trading cigarettes for nudie pictures of female inmate work crew members?
Well?
Shall we?
NH has laws that protect first responders hence Cornish could not be sued, the boat manufacturer went bankrupt and of course people are going to go where the "deep pockets" are.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteIt's MISS "If I REMEMBER correctly". I am NOT a firefighter, but I do keep up with the news that happens in town.
DeleteFunny, Springfield made the calls,but CORNISH was operating the boat. Strange how a passenger is responsible for how the boat was being operated. I don't think you would be ticketed or arrested if the car you were a passenger in was pulled over for speeding, or even causing an accident? Would you?
Cigs for Nudie pics? Weren't those firemen terminated?
It was one firefighter and yes he was terminated.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteI just want to extend my condolences to the family. What a horrible thing to have to go through and praying that you all find peace in your hearts.
ReplyDeleteYawn....this is really getting old. Where are all of these people at the Town meetings when this should be dealt with? Instead, let's all sit here and complain on a BLOG about how everyone else is terrible.
ReplyDelete...
ReplyDeletespfld only had to pay a $500 deductable, the insurance company paid the rest......
ReplyDelete