Don’t delay Duck boat justice

Federal prosecutors want to delay multiple civil lawsuits filed after a tragic boating accident on Table Rock Lake in Branson killed 17 people.

They say the action is necessary to prevent the litigation from interfering with a federal criminal investigation. But an indefinite delay is a painful affront to the families affected by the July Ride the Ducks tragedy.

The request to stop all discovery and release of information until a federal probe is completed could leave victims and their families waiting for years without a resolution or a settlement. The delay no doubt would be excruciating.

Some victims’ families are angry about the call to put their cases on hold, and they have a right to be. As their attorneys rightly argued, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Punitive damages won’t necessarily ease the pain of those who lost loved ones. But for families who have limited recourse, a civil lawsuit is one of their few options as they seek answers in the wake of a horrific, deadly accident.

The lawsuits will hold the boat’s owners and operators financially responsible. The safety of the boats and any criminal wrongdoing in this incident must be thoroughly investigated. But that shouldn’t preclude lawsuits from going forward.

Grieving families should have the option of pursuing claims now. As their attorneys wrote in a recent filing in federal court, the victims deserve justice and their families are owed closure.