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Family reaches $350,000 settlement after mother and child needed rabies shots from otter attack
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- A Washington family settled for $350,000 after a 2024 river otter attack at Bremerton Marina injured a toddler and led to rabies shots for both the child and mother; the lawsuit against the Port of Bremerton has been dismissed without admission of fault.
- The family alleged the port was grossly negligent by failing to address prior nuisance reports about otters at the marina, while the port denied inadequate security and lack of prior aggressive otter reports.
- The attack involved an otter pulling the toddler into the water and biting the mother as she rescued the child; the toddler sustained multiple bites and scratches and was treated at a hospital.
- River otter attacks on humans are rare, but this incident highlighted risks at developed waterfront areas where human activity overlaps with wildlife habitats, causing trauma to witnesses and raising safety concerns.
- Following the attack, wildlife officials trapped and removed otters from the marina, with one captured otter testing negative for rabies; the settlement closes the legal case, with the port emphasizing the resolution as a compromise of disputed claims.
