A boat trip ended on land
The boy and his mother were passengers on a boat operated by a Houston businessman. The claims alleged that the operator drove at a dangerously high speed, lost control, and crashed into a wooded area on land.
Both passengers were thrown from the boat. The mother suffered fatal injuries. Her son survived with catastrophic orthopedic injuries.
The child's father turned to Brian Beckcom to pursue the case on his son's behalf. The work had to address both the circumstances of the crash and the needs of a seriously injured child who had lost his mother.
Pursuing the claims under maritime law
The crash occurred on navigable waters, bringing maritime law into the case. That legal framework mattered even though this was a recreational trip rather than commercial offshore work.
Brian Beckcom investigated the boating accident, filed suit, and took depositions. He pursued the claim that the operator’s speed and loss of control caused the crash, then litigated the child’s claims through multiple rounds of mediation.
Planning for needs that would extend beyond childhood
The case resolved in a $5.15 million settlement for the surviving child. The work on his behalf also included how the settlement would provide support over time.
Brian Beckcom helped establish a trust and annuity arrangement intended to address future medical treatment, living expenses, education, college tuition, and vocational or job training.
The arrangement was designed to provide support as the child grew older, extending the work beyond resolving the lawsuit to planning for the years ahead.
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Every case is different. Prior results depend on the facts of the individual case and do not guarantee a similar outcome.