A heartbroken New Jersey family has sued a sports company after their six-year-old daughter died in a freak badminton accident.
Lucy Morgan was fatally injured while vacationing in Maine back in June 2024, following an unintentional injury from her older brother.
An aluminium shaft from a racket became dislodged as the siblings played, with the shaft piercing her skull, Maine State Police say. The little girl was airlifted to hospital but died from her injuries four days later.
Now, law firm Berman & Simmons says in a press release that it has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Franklin Sports Inc on behalf of Morgan’s family.
“This case represents a parent’s worst nightmare,” attorney Travis Brennan said in a statement released on Wednesday. “The Morgan family was enjoying an idyllic summer vacation here in Maine when they lost Lucy due to what we allege was a dangerous and defective piece of sports equipment.”
The lawsuit seeks damages, including funeral expenses; pecuniary loss, a term that means losses that can be measured in money; emotional distress; and loss of comfort, society and companionship.
In a statement given to The Independent, a spokesperson for Franklin Sports said that the firm cannot comment on the allegations given that litigation is still pending.
“Franklin Sports extends its deepest sympathies to Lucy Morgan’s family and all those affected by this tragic accident,” the spokesperson said. “Franklin Sports takes concerns regarding its products very seriously, is committed to product quality and safety, and is carefully reviewing the circumstances surrounding this incident.
“Our thoughts are with the Morgan family.”
In their statement, the Morgan family’s attorneys said the family were spending their final day vacationing at a lake house in Limerick when the incident occurred on June 1, 2024.
Lucy’s three siblings witnessed the tragic event unfold, the attorneys said, with her parents hearing her screams and rushing to help her just seconds after she was struck.
In a blog post seen by ABC News, Jesse Morgan, Lucy’s father and a pastor, urged people to “hug your kids more.”
“There is so much more to say, scripture to unravel, people to thank, and tears to be cried,” he wrote.
Brennan, one of the family’s attorneys, said that he does not believe Lucy’s family will ever recover from her death.
“I don't think anyone can ever recover from the loss of a child,” he told CBS Philadelphia. “This was a terrible tragedy that has left a hole in this family for the rest of their life.”
Brennan also told the outlet the racket that fatally injured Lucy was provided by the rental property and was defective. He claims that the racket lacked the proper adhesive and secondary restraint to prevent it from breaking apart.
“We are committed to obtaining justice for Lucy by holding Franklin Sports accountable,” he said in a statement. “We want to ensure these rackets are manufactured in a way where this type of tragedy never occurs again.”