A man from the Grand Rapids area was sentenced to a jail term after a life was lost under his charge. The hunting safety instructor plead no contest to the charge of careless discharge of a firearm resulting in injury and death.
The man was teaching a 13-year-old boy to hunt in Oceana County when the boy was struck in the back of the head by a bullet fired from the man’s rifle. He originally claimed the shot was a ricochet while firing at a squirrel, and a trial on the original misdemeanor charge resulted in a mistrial.
The insurer of the company employing the instructor settled with the family of the shooting victim after they filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The payment will be split by the boy’s parents, sister and extended family.
“You never shoot in the direction of anyone in the hunting party, and if you don’t know where everyone is you don’t pull the trigger,” said one member of the boy’s family. “Any reasonable person knows this.”
When a person in charge of a situation has been negligent in their duties to others, the victim of an injury or the families of the victim of wrongful death may have a case for seeking financial damages. Compensation for the loss of a life or reimbursement for unexpected medical expenses can help in the recovery from a difficult situation.
Consider an attorney if you are considering the need to file a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit in Michigan. Legal representation may make the process easier and a positive outcome more likely.
