smith lake - MLF named in suit

[188Musky]

Anyone of us that pays an entry fee to fish MLF, BASS or any other high profile big money tournament and says they wouldn’t be running flat out when the gun goes off is lying to themselves and everyone else.

Really?

There’s no one, absolutely no one, in the bass tournament world that thinks they are going to kick ass whenever they get there; whether it’s at 80mph, or it’s at 30mph?

Wow, you tournament guys have some insecurity issues.

[Hoot]

MLF and any organization holding tournaments and allowing morons to run around in the 70's, a first year law student could convince a jury of negligence.
All of the insurance companies will settle with non disclosure agreements, just like they did at Okeechobee and every other tournament where someone was killed.

You can only sign away your rights, not your families rights.

This is the most realistic scenario of what will happen in this Civil Litigation.

The MLF as well as its Insurance Providers won’t want this to go to court and will try to quietly settle.

The amount of liability insurance required for anglers in these events won’t even begin to cover a tragedy like this.

[fishnfireman]

So accusing a party that is not culpable and forcing them to defend spend time and money to defend themselves is alright in your book? I for damn sure would not appreciate having to defend myself for being accused of something I did not do whether it was someone falsely accusing me of rape or someone accusing me of being liable for the results of other people's actions.

Again these blood sucking lawyers and greedy so called victims know who is responsible and who is not and they are accusing non culpable parties just so they can get more money. I call that chicken shit. Maybe others have a more appropriate phrase for it but it sure is not right.

Until we adopt a system where a losing plaintiff pays fir all of the expenses of the defendants (which will never happen), this is what results.

And some wonder why are insurance rates are so high..

[inspired fisherman]

This is the sad truth, they just want some money from whoever they can get it from, even though they know money want being back their loved ones, they want it anyway.

What would you do ?

[inspired fisherman]

Really?

There’s no one, absolutely no one, in the bass tournament world that thinks they are going to kick ass whenever they get there; whether it’s at 80mph, or it’s at 30mph?

Wow, you tournament guys have some insecurity issues.

Why not let the Major Tournaments furnish their own lakes . Closed to the public . Or since they are so important , close the public lakes to the public for the tournament .

[inspired fisherman]

Having previously been a MLF boat official, which included a 3 day training course, MLF takes safety to the ultimate limit. Including, but not limited to the anglers mandatory meeting before each and every event. The entire operation is blanketed with attorneys and trust me, besides running a fishing event and TV show, they take safety to the max. It was predictable as the sun coming up tomorrow, that the attorneys involved would go after the deep pocket. The accident was an absolute tragedy, and unfortunate. Of course I read the attorney typical statement about the need to improve safety, but make no mistake about it… it’s the money. But I can reassure the readers here, if the management at MLF believe they can improve safety, they won’t hesitate to implement changes.

Wonder if Flint got the 3 day course on boater safety . What changes to improve safety will MLF implement .

[n2theblue]

This is the sad truth, they just want some money from whoever they can get it from, even though they know money want being back their loved ones, they want it anyway.

No, money can’t bring anyone back but that’s what our legal system has determined as recompense for over a thousand years since the old Anglo-Saxon system of weregild. And it can make up for the loss of income and everything else. That family is going to be hurting and not just emotionally.

SOP to name everyone and let the case work itself out. MLF has an indemnity agreement with the boater so they’ll tender their defense to him/his carrier and the case will likely settle for whatever his policy limits are, MLF’s carrier may throw in some money to help make it go away.

[n2theblue]

Wonder if Flint got the 3 day course on boater safety . What changes to improve safety will MLF implement .

It’s going to be very hard to prove MLF or any tournament organization should be required to impose stricter safety protocols than the state requires.

[n2theblue]

MLF should have to prove that it holds tournaments responsibly. They're not directly telling contestants to act recklessly but they could be encouraging it. Let the facts come out and hopefully any guilty or negligent parties are held to account.

They’re the defendant, they don’t have to prove shit except that their indemnity agreement with the participants is valid

[inspired fisherman]

Really?

There’s no one, absolutely no one, in the bass tournament world that thinks they are going to kick ass whenever they get there; whether it’s at 80mph, or it’s at 30mph?

Wow, you tournament guys have some insecurity issues.

20ft boats with 250hp and 75mph on the water . No reaction time . When accidents happen due to human error they are bad accidents . What if Flint had hit another bass boat in the tournament . Slowing the boats down is the best safety option . It just improves reaction time .

[BigFishSteve]

During any of the pre-tournament prep/info talk do they ever say “don’t run over other boats, swimmers, floats etc”?

[n2theblue]

20ft boats with 250hp and 75mph on the water . No reaction time . When accidents happen due to human error they are bad accidents . What if Flint had hit another bass boat in the tournament . Slowing the boats down is the best safety option . It just improves reaction time .

Bluntly, that’s the state’s job just like it is on the highway. Not the tournament’s. There’s no reason a non-tourney angler should be able to run wide open and a tourney angler should be limited.

[mossie3]

I don't see where MLF was negligent, but the boat driver sure appears to be. Guess it depends on his insurance liability limits, and how deep his pockets are on how hard the lawyers work and how much money they get.

[188Musky]

Bluntly, that’s the state’s job just like it is on the highway. Not the tournament’s. There’s no reason a non-tourney angler should be able to run wide open and a tourney angler should be limited.

Yea, there are lots of reasons.

[Hoot]

Why not let the Major Tournaments furnish their own lakes . Closed to the public . Or since they are so important , close the public lakes to the public for the tournament .

Those ideas have been floated on the BBC and other Bass Sites numerous times over the years. Especially by those adamant about closing the lakes to the public during a Professional Bass Tournament calling it the same as closing a public golf course for a PGA Golf Tournament.

You’d think something that is considered to be a Major Sport with Professional Athletes would be all in on building their own venues like the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL

Thanks for bringing up those old discussions they were always entertaining threads

[BigFishSteve]

They already limit many things during tournament hours, why not add an "no killing" rule?

[188Musky]

They already limit many things during tournament hours, why not add an "no killing" rule?

“No killing the other boaters during tournament hours” …..I like it.

It might be helpful if, on the day of the tournament, they put up signs at the boat launch to remind the tournament contestants of this new rule.

[jbassman87]

There are thousands of boating accidents every year, that do not involve tournaments. Those never make national news, I wonder why?

[Fishshooter]

No, money can’t bring anyone back but that’s what our legal system has determined as recompense for over a thousand years since the old Anglo-Saxon system of weregild. And it can make up for the loss of income and everything else. That family is going to be hurting and not just emotionally.

SOP to name everyone and let the case work itself out. MLF has an indemnity agreement with the boater so they’ll tender their defense to him/his carrier and the case will likely settle for whatever his policy limits are, MLF’s carrier may throw in some money to help make it go away.

Having lived this 42 years ago when my dad was killed by a drunk semi truck steering wheel holder, I can tell everyone that trying to put a dollar amount on a loved ones life is ONE HELL OF A THING TO TRY TO DO !

[rjvana37]

MLF should have to prove that it holds tournaments responsibly. They're not directly telling contestants to act recklessly but they could be encouraging it. Let the facts come out and hopefully any guilty or negligent parties are held to account.

JB134 Just told you what they do before every tournament, how much more can they do, it is sad that this had to happen but it was due.