Miami Injury Lawyer Blog
Fifteen-year old Tyler Madoff went on a summer trip to Hawaii and never returned. While in Hawaii, he and a group of other teenagers took a hiking trip near the Captain Cook monument at Kealakekua Bay. The group stopped at a tide pool to get some rest when their tour guide took them to an area outside of the state-permitted area that had dangerous surf warnings. The waves grabbed a hold of Tyler and swept him through the tide pool and out to sea, over the shoreline cliffs. That was that last time Tyler Madoff was seen. The White Plains, New York teenager is now presumed dead.
Today, his parents filed a wrongful death suit in federal court in Honolulu. The suit alleges that the group’s tour guides’ “‘outrageously reckless and irresponsible decision’ to lead the group from the ‘safety of the bay to the treacherous lava rock area'” is what led to the boy’s death. The suit claims that while Tyler was being dragged out to sea, other teens “scrambled for cover and attempted to grab onto anything to keep them from being swept back out of the tidal pools into the ocean by the violently receding waves.” Additionally, the suit claims that the tour leader had a criminal history, despite passing a company background check, and did nothing to help Madoff as he was dragged out to sea.
The president of the adventure company, Bold Earth Teen Adventures, which is based in Colorado, called the teen’s death a “freak accident” and has not commented on the lawsuit. In addition to naming Bold Earth as a defendant, the Madoff family has also listed Hawaii Pack and paddle as a defendant as they were the local company that had contracted with Bold Earth to lead the tour Madoff was on. The Madoff family attorney stated, “You had somebody who shouldn’t have been there, who took these kids off-permit to a dangerous area … and then ignored all of the conditions that existed on the water. This lawsuit will shine a light on how teen tour companies operate.”
Family of NY teen swept to sea in Hawaii file suit, www.miamiherald.com August 21, 2012.
Many parents send their teens on spring break and summer getaways; South Florida is a popular destination for this type of getaway. Parents expect that their children will return home safely. What many parents don’t expect is that their children will fall victim to the negligent actions of others. Sadly, Tyler Madoff’s life ended far too early simply because his guide took him outside of an authorized area. If your loved one has died as a result of another person’s negligent or reckless actions, call the Miami Beach wrongful death lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona today. The Coral Gables personal injury lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona are expert trial attorneys who have dedicated their careers to helping loved ones recover compensation for the loss of their loved one, including pain and suffering. The caring staff at the Friedland | Carmona is equipped to help you today, so don’t hesitate. Call (305) 661-2008 for your free consultation!
The Miami personal injury lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona handle all types of personal injury accidents throughout the state of Florida, including Boca Raton, Homestead, North Miami, South Miami, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Pembroke Pines, Hialeah, Kendall, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The Friedland | Carmona handles all types of personal injury cases, including wrongful death, defective products, medical malpractice, slip and falls and construction site injuries. Call today and let our family take care of your family!