On July 7, 2010, Hungarian students Dora Schwendter, 16, and Szabolcs Prem, 20, died after a 250-foot-long tugboat ran into the disabled, 33-foot-long “Ride the Ducks” tour boat they were riding on the Delaware River. The impact caused the duck boat to become submerged under water including the 35 passengers and 2 crew members. Their parents filed wrongful death lawsuits against K-Sea Transportation of East Brunswick, New Jersey, which operated the tugboat and Ride the Ducks of Norcross, Georgia, which operated the tour boat.
On the second day of the federal trial, U.S. District Judge Thomas O’Neill, who presided in the nonjury trial, stopped the proceedings and told all parties in the case to work out a settlement. On Wednesday, the parties reached a $15 million settlement for the two Hungarian students that died that day and a $2 million fund to be allocated to the other 18 passengers that were injured. Beasley Firm attorneys Jim Beasley Jr., Dion Rassias and Max Kennerly represent 8 of those surviving boat passengers.
Since 1958, the experienced boating accident, catastrophic injury, and negligence lawyers of the legendary Beasley Law Firm have aggressively represented individuals injured and family members of those injured or killed in or around a body of water. Just like the Duck Boat victims, patrons who were injured after the Pier 34 dock collapse turned to us for help. If you or a loved one has been injured due to a boating or water accident, please contact one of our experienced Philadelphia maritime attorneys. We promise that we will never take a fee unless we win your case.
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