A groom is currently facing a lawsuit after two of his guests were hit
in the head by a drone while dancing at the wedding reception. The event
took place at Searles Castle in Windham, New Hampshire this past August
and the drone was used to get the perfect birds eye view photos of the
couple’s reception. However, the drone eventually crashed into the
two dancing guests, injuring them both. One attendant suffered a concussion
and a fractured nose while the other had a large cut that required over
20 stitches.
Although the groom owns the drone, he claimed to not be operating it at the time. In the lawsuit against him, the two guests claimed that the injuries they sustained left them with both physical and emotional permanent injury. Searles Castle Event Management Inc. is also named in the suit, along with the groom. However, Scott Robb II, vice president of Searles Castle, claimed that he did not give the wedding party permission to fly the drone and that the groom was warned to ground the device.
Last year, in 2015, the Consumer Electronics Association predicted that over 340,000 recreational drones would be sold. These devices are capable of soaring above just about any outdoor location, even above a family’s backyard or near the window of one’s home. With a camera built into their structure, they are able to capture the most private moments of completely unaware individuals. More than that, they can cause injury should they malfunction and collide with a person as it did at the Searles Castle wedding.
Given the relative newness of this device, there are not many existing laws to address the dangers that drones may present to both the safety and privacy of individuals. That does not mean there is no legal recourse for any damages they may cause.
The Biren Law Group understands the devastating harms that drone accidents can cause and how to prove liability so that innocent victims can collect the compensation they are entitled to. We have the skill and experience to fight for your rights, endless resources at our disposal, and a proven track record of success. Call us at 310-896-4345.