Parents sue over son's jet ski injuries

Parents of a boy injured on a jet ski are suing over his injuries.

Toni and Edmond Williams, as administrators of the estate of their minor son, Brian Williams, filed suit against Allstate Insurance Co., Kent Bouvier, individually and as the administrator of the estate of his minor child, Brette Stefanie Bouvier, State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. and Bryan Bouzigard on June 18 in federal court in New Orleans.

According to the lawsuit, the minor Brian Williams was operating a Sea-Doo personal watercraft owned by defendant Bryan Bouzigard on July 4, 2009. Another Yamaha personal watercraft driven by a 15-year old minor and owned by the minor's father Kent Bouvier, was attempting to overtake the watercraft driven by Williams. The two personal watercrafts collided causing serious injuries to Brian Williams.

Bouzigard is accused of negligently entrusting Williams, an inexperienced and untrained minor, with a watercraft and failing to instruct and supervise Williams as to the safe operation of the watercraft.

Defendant Bouvier is accused of failing to supervise and train his minor daughter with regard to the safe operation of the Yamaha personal watercraft and negligently entrusting the "inexperienced and untrained minor" with the watercraft. The minor Bouvier is accused of operating the watercraft in an unsafe, reckless, careless, negligent and inattentive manner, failing to keep a proper lookout, operating the watercraft at an excessive rate of speed and in attempting to overtake a watercraft in an unsafe manner by failing to grant the right-of-way to the vessel being overtaken. Further, the minor Bouvier is accused of recklessly bringing her father's watercraft within a dangerous proximity to the one driven by Williams, failing to provide a signal or other warning of her intention to overtake the watercraft, and failing to yield the right-of-way by reducing her speed, stopping or reversing her personal watercraft in order to avoid the collision.

The family is seeking more than $250,000 in damages for Brian Williams' permanent injuries, pain, suffering, disability, mental anguish, disfigurement, humiliation, disability, and the loss of enjoyment of life. The petitioners are also asking for medical expenses, interest and court costs.

The Williams are represented by Alonzo Stanga, III of Stanga & Mustian in Metairie.

U.S. District Judge Helen G. Berrigan is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:10cv01762