Woman Awarded $21.7M in California Watercraft Accident

Lawyers for a woman injured in a personal watercraft accident on the Colorado River say she has been awarded $21.7 million by a Los Angeles jury in her lawsuit against the watercrafts’ drivers and a manufacturer.

In a release Wednesday, attorney Lawrence Grassini says client Fabiola Esparza was 15 when she suffered permanent brain injury in the 2008 accident near Blythe, Calif.

Grassini says the watercraft Esparza and two others were riding became impossible to control through a defect the maker, Polaris, knew about.

In a statement, Polaris sympathized with Esparza but disagreed with the jury, saying their vehicle was safe and the accident was caused by excessive speed, alcohol and reckless driving.

About half the award will be paid by Polaris, with the rest paid by the drivers.