The Houston law firm of law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner announced the undisclosed settlement of a lawsuit brought by the family of a woman grievously injured when she was thrown from a golf cart. Bonnie Herndon and her husband were taking advantage of a golf cart to return to their parked car after the Toby Keith concert held on opening night at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in early 2013. When the driver of the cart made a quick left turn, Ms. Herndon was thrown from the cart, landing on her head on the pavement of Reliant Stadium. She has been in a coma ever since.
The golf cart that transported the Herndons was a modified, “stretched” model. Before being modified, the cart was purchased by Mr. Golf Carts, Inc., a Georgia corporation. This company removed the overhead handles, which were installed by the original manufacturer to keep passengers in the cart. Mr. Golf Carts also changed the position of the hip restraint in the front row. After modification, the cart failed the industry’s minimum safety standards for passenger containment.
Other parties in the lawsuit included Conroe Golf Cars, Inc., a local business that supplied the rodeo with carts to use during the rodeo season. In addition, the cart driver was a young volunteer recruited by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The parking lot, where the tragic accident occurred, was overseen and controlled by SMG, a Pennsylvania property management company. Ms. Herndon’s family settled with all parties. The total settlement is confidential.
There has been significant media coverage of the case and settlement that includes reports in:
The personal injury attorneys of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner have been helping injured people and their families throughout Texas for more than 65 years. To learn more about the firm, please call (713) 222-7211.