Key West Injury Lawyer Blog
A Texas man who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run boating collision while snorkeling with his family in the Bahamas speaks out from his Miami hospital bed, according to local media.
Brent Slough, 42, of Prosper Texas was in the water snorkeling on June 30 when he was sliced by a boat that his wife claims “never stopped.”
In a recent interview with WSVN Miami, Slough told reporters he feels lucky to be alive.
“I just felt something hit me on my left side and I recall hitting something kind of hollow, like, twice, thump, thump,” he said. “I tried a sidestroke, and I realized that my left leg wasn’t working properly and I felt something kind of, like, dangling from my backside.”
His wife, two young daughters and several bystanders jumped into action to get him out of the water. The impact from the boat and its propellers “nearly cut Brent in half,” WSVN reported. He was taken to a local clinic before being airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where Leesfield & Partners is headquartered.
Since the accident, Slough has undergone two surgeries. Including wounds to his buttocks and the legs from the propellers, he has a fractured pelvis and, on his left side, a fractured fibula.
The boaters that authorities in the Bahamas say hit Slough have since bene identified. The three men, whose names were not immediately available, have since been released from custody.
Slough’s wife, Whitney Slough, wants to hold the men accountable, she told reporters.
“They know they hit him,” she previously told reporters. “They saw him snorkeling, and they drove off.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family during this time.
For Brent Slough, his family and faith have helped him tremendously throughout his recovery.
“Relying on God, and we also reached out to people and asked for prayers and they prayed for us, too, and I think that’s been really impactful and given us strength and peace,” he said.
Leesfield & Partners
For many families in and out of the United States, activities such as boating, snorkeling, swimming and sunning are all a part of the magic of summer. What many families don’t realize, however, is the potential dangers associated with these activities. In 49 years of personal injury law, Leesfield & Partners attorneys know that these incidents are not rare. Boaters can sometimes flout divers-down flag laws, operate vessels under the influence and speed in low visibility and at night.
As Florida’s population continues to increase, this means more people will be out on the water. Tragically, more than half of the operators involved in 2024 fatal boating activities had no formal boater’s education. This combination of inexperience mixed with crowded waters, speeding vessels, and drinking on the water are a recipe for disaster. In that year, there were 685 boating accidents with 81 deaths and nearly 400 injuries, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s annual report.
Ira Leesfield, the firm’s Founder and Managing Partner, has been a steadfast and vocal advocate on this issue.
“The dangers from boating incidents are entirely underestimated as South Florida becomes more congested, drinking on the water becomes more prevalent and distractions from cell phones and other devices increases,” he said. “Important safety standards must be enforced on all watercrafts.”
Earlier this month, Lucy’s Law — legislation named in honor of 17-year-old Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez — went into effect. Discussing the law, which involves stricter penalties for boaters who leave the scene of an accident, Partner Justin B. Shapiro said the changes are “long overdue.”
“I don’t understand why we need a driver’s license to drive a car but not a boaters license to operate a boat when, in many ways, operating a boat is more difficult and more dangerous,” he said.
Previous Boating Cases
Previously, the firm secured a substantial settlement in a case involving a minor who lost a leg while not being supervised on a vessel.
The firm also handled the case of a family whose young son was snorkeling when he was hit and killed by a passing boater. The boater in that case was also a minor who should never have been given permission to operate the vessel without supervision. Not only did this minor not stop, but he attempted to cover up evidence and lied to police when questioned.
Neighbors later testified that this minor regularly operated the boat in a reckless manner.
The firm represented the family of a young woman, 20, who tragically died when the vessel she was on crashed into a concrete dock. The firm secured over $1.3 million for the family when it was revealed that the boat operator had been drinking and speeding the night of the crash.
In a jet ski and boat crash, Leesfield & Partners attorneys secured $935,750 for their client.
In a boat case involving a foreign resort, the firm secured an $800,000 recovery for the injured client.
Another boating accident involving a negligent operator resulted in a $500,000 recovery.
The firm represented the widow of a man who drowned while on a boat tour at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The company’s tour guides instructed the man where he should go to snorkel and, within minutes, his body was found unresponsive.
The firm secured a six-figure recovery in that case.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Leesfield & Partners Trial Attorney, represented the family of a young man and father-to-be who was lobster diving when he was killed by a law enforcement officer who negligently failed to adhere to divers-down flag laws.
In addition to boating accident litigation, Leesfield & Partners has represented the victims of various water-related accidents, including parasailing, tragic drownings and jet ski crashes.
