Navy Seal Killed by Premature Deployment of Parachute

In 2014, a decorated Navy SEAL based in Coronado was killed during a training mishap. The SEAL was in the process of getting his qualification as jumpmaster. He was standing in the open doorway of the C-130 performing standard in-flight jumpmaster duties requiring him to lean his torso out of the doorway. This exposed the reserve parachute worn on his chest to high winds, which caused the novel fabric ripcord of the design to activate. His parachute deployed unexpectedly while he was still in the doorframe, fatally injuring him as he was pulled out of the aircraft.

CaseyGerry’s Robert Francavilla and Adam Levine represented the family of the fallen Navy Seal in a federal wrongful death case. They argued that the parachute system’s defective design by the private military contractor was the cause of the Navy Seal’s death. Similar, although not fatal, accidents had occurred previously. Following extensive investigation and discovery, the case was resolved for a confidential figure.

Award: Confidential settlement