Companies behind Branson duck boats cite Missouri law, seeking mediation in lawsuits
BRANSON MO NEWS: A Branson duck boat is pulled from the bottom of Table Rock Lake on July 23, 2018, after sinking and killing 17 people.
BRANSON, Mo. — Two companies facing multiple lawsuits over the duck boat tragedy in Branson that killed 17 people have invoked an 1851 law that allows vessel owners to try to avoid or limit legal damages as they also seek settlement negotiations with victims’ family members.
Attorneys for Ripley Entertainment Inc., based in Orlando, Florida, and Branson Duck Vehicles of Branson, cited the federal law in a filing Monday in federal court, where multiple lawsuits are pending.
If a judge concludes that the law applies, claims for damages over the July 19 accident on Table Rock Lake could be consolidated into a single federal court case. The petition states that under the federal law, the companies would not owe any damages because the boat carried no freight and was a total loss.
But the filing came less than a week after attorneys for Ripley and Branson Duck Vehicles asked U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool for a 90-day extension of court filing deadlines so that they could pursue a potential settlement. Harpool said he would consider the request at a Nov. 1 hearing.
Ripley spokeswoman Suzanne Smagala-Potts said the type of filing made Monday is “common in claims related to maritime incidents.” She said the goal is to delay the multiple court cases to give the parties time for mediation.
“We have reached out to those most impacted by the accident and offered to mediate their claims now,” Smagala-Potts said in a statement. “Mediation often leads to faster resolution and allows those affected to avoid a lengthy process of litigation, and most importantly, begin the healing process.”
Ripley owns the Ride the Ducks operation on Table Rock Lake, while Branson Duck Vehicles owned the …
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