New York, NY personal injury attorney Michael Ronemus tells us about the jetski liability case he’s handling. This case, ongoing for five years, involves a severe injury sustained by a woman at a beach in Long Island. While at the beach with a friend, two men on jet skis offered them a ride. Her friend accepted one jet ski, and she took the other. When the driver of her jet ski suddenly accelerated, she was thrown off the back with her legs apart. The powerful water jet from the vehicle then forcefully entered her vagina and rectum, resulting in catastrophic injuries. She was immediately taken to the hospital, where she remained in a coma for two weeks. Since the incident, she has undergone approximately 12 surgeries to address the extensive damage.

A product liability lawsuit was filed against the jet ski manufacturer, and the litigation has persisted for several years. A trial is set for this summer. Now 33 years old, the plaintiff continues to face significant, lifelong consequences from the injury. She requires the use of a catheter to urinate due to an orifice injury, a rare but acknowledged risk by jet ski manufacturers.

To build their case, the legal team purchased a comparable jet ski and collaborated with engineers in California to redesign the seatback, raising it to help prevent such injuries. The defense from the jet ski manufacturer claims that wearing a neoprene wetsuit bottom would have prevented this type of injury, arguing that users should be advised to wear such protective gear. However, this recommendation is not widely known or publicized among riders.

The lawsuit’s success depends on demonstrating that the jet ski was a defective and unreasonably dangerous product, a complex standard to meet in product liability cases. While manufacturers have historically prevailed in most similar trials, the legal team believes they have prepared a strong case. If no settlement is reached, the trial is expected to proceed in June.