A snowmobiler who ran into the tail of a parked Black Hawk helicopter in 2019 has been awarded $3.3 million in damages. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A snowmobiler has been awarded $3.3 million in damages after a collision with a Black Hawk helicopter in 2019 nearly killed him.
According to reports, 48-year-old Jeff Smith was riding his snowmobile at night when the accident occurred. The crew of the helicopter had flown from Fort Drum in New York to Worthington, Massachusetts before landing the machine on an airfield that was also part of a snowmobile trail.
After running into the tail of the 64-foot helicopter on his snowmobile, Smith was airlifted to a trauma center where it was discovered that he had 12 broken ribs, a punctured lung and severe internal bleeding. The Associated Press reported that he “struggles with simple tasks, including putting on socks or pulling up his pants.”
In the years since the accident, Smith has undergone multiple surgeries. The AP reported that he “lost the use of his left arm, suffered respiratory issues since the crash, and hasn’t been able to work full time.”
While Smith was awarded a substantial amount for his injuries, the judge in the case laid the blame at the feet of both parties. U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni said that the government was 60 percent responsible for parking the helicopter on a snowmobile trail, but that Smith was speeding and wearing tinted goggles at night.
“The court finds the government breached its duty of care in failing to take any steps to protect against the obvious risk of a camouflaged helicopter parked on an active snowmobile trail, in a somewhat wooded area, as darkness set,” Mastroianni wrote. “The helicopter and area where it was parked were not illuminated or marked in any way.”
Smith also settled with the owner of Albert Farms airfield in Worthington, where the helicopter was parked. Smith, who works as a lawyer in Massachusetts, originally asked for $9.5 million in damages.
“We are grateful for Judge Mastroianni’s thoughtful consideration of the complicated facts of this case,” Smith’s lawyer Doug Desjardins said. “We believe justice was served, and the decision encourages public safety.”
