A helicopter manufacturer and parts maker has been ordered to pay a New Hampshire couple $9.5 million for injuries sustained when the tour helicopter they were in crashed on Kaua’i in 2007. Judy and Douglas Barton survived the crash, but both sustained fractured spines. Judy is now paralyzed below the chest, while Douglas has frequent back pain that required he give up his machinist job. Another passenger in the helicopter crash was killed.
The helicopter tour was supposed to last an hour, but came down on the Kaua’i North Shore near Haena Beach Park. Investigators found that extreme metal fatigue, which was a problem with other helicopters of the same make, caused the loss of the tail rotor. 500 of the same helicopter models were grounded worldwide as a result of the crash. Similar defects were found in the tail rotors of two helicopters in New Zealand.
Helicopter manufacturer Boeing and parts maker Aluminum Precision Products are paying the $9.5 million dollars. The Bartons will use the money to pay more than $750,000 in medical expenses, hire in-home health professionals, housekeeping staff, and move out of their mobile home.
It’s not exactly winning the lottery, is it?
If you or a loved one has suffered a life-changing spinal injury due to a defective product, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area.
