Reviews

Summit Marine produced a faulty hoist that killed my husband 3/2021 due to an inadequate instruction manual and failure of the overhead lockout mechanism, which is actually only gravity. He died in front of me of traumatic asphyxiation as he was suffocated when it collapsed over him. If you do own a hoist built by them, DO NOT trust the manual and always use a secondary lockout mechanism for safety. Summit Marines lockout mechanism does not work as the manual describes. Easiest way to fix Summit Marine becoming unable to learn of other ways their products can kill people would be to not purchase anything from them or their dealers.

October 12, 2023

Re: **** ******, Personal Representative of the Estate of **** Edward ******, Deceased and **** ******, individually, **** ******, as next friend of ****** *. ******, a minor and **** ******, as next friend of **** *. ******, a minor v Summit Marine, Inc., a Michigan Corporation

Case No. ************** 

My File No. ******** 

Dear Ms. Lundquist:

INTRODUCTION I am writing in response to a complaint filed by **** ******, against my client Summit Marine. This was a products liability lawsuit in which the Plaintiff’s decedent lost his life while attempting to change hydraulic lines on a cantilever boat lift. I can tell you that my client was very pleased with the manner in which this case came to a conclusion. My client did nothing wrong.

THE FACTS Several months prior to the date of loss at the end of the previous summer the Plaintiff purchased a cantilever boat lift. He purchased it used from an individual on the west side of the state. Early in the following year on the date of our loss the Plaintiff attempted to do some maintenance on the equipment and in particular change some hydraulic lines. The nature of the cantilever boat lift is that it would lift up and forward. Correspondingly it would come down and backwards. The cantilever boat lift is held up by hydraulic pressure and gravity. This particular boat lift was sitting on cinder blocks and 6 x 6 timber pieces partially in the lake and partially on the shore. Testimony generally established that our Plaintiff placed his upper body and head between two aluminum members of the boat lift reaching through and using a socket wrench he was attempting to release one of the hydraulic arms. In doing so he appears to have rocked the boat lift such that it fell off of the cinder block and timber support in one of its corners. That then caused the lift to collapse onto him. By the time he did that he had completely disengaged all hydraulics. We developed testimony that this equipment should be maintained and serviced by a qualified individual. It should not be serviced standing in a lake with the upper torso stuck between two collapsing members of the equipment. We developed testimony that this is a commonly used design. There was nothing defective about the equipment. Plaintiff, an engineer, had seen the equipment used before and in fact had used it before. He fully understood the significance of removing hydraulic pressure from the structure. He certainly understood the significance of placing his head and upper body in a pinch point. Lastly, he had to have understood the danger of rocking back and forth and undoing a bolt with a socket wrench.

CONCLUSION Summit did nothing wrong with regard to the design or manufacture of this equipment. This tragic loss is the result of Mr. ******’s own negligence. Plaintiff was a graduate engineer and a sophisticated user of this equipment. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Very truly yours, John *. W******

JOHN *. W****** For the Firm