A wilderness-survival school has settled a lawsuit with the parents of a New Jersey man who died of dehydration last year during a grueling course in southern Utah, the institution said Monday.Boulder Outdoor Survival School said it was creating an annual scholarship in the name of Dave Buschow for people who want to attend the same course he died during in July 2006.
Some money is being paid to resolve the case, but “it’s confidential,” said Andrew Wright, a school attorney.
Buschow’s parents, Patricia Herbert and Brad Buschow, had sued the Colorado-based school and four employees in federal court, claiming negligence in their son’s death.
The school’s president, Josh Bernstein, said he hoped Buschow’s family “can find some measure of closure as we all move forward.”
In a statement, Herbert expressed “appreciation for the positive manner in which our claims were resolved.”
Buschow, 29, of River Vale, N.J., died on the second day of a 28-day course in the searing heat of the Utah desert. The adventure is designed to test physical and mental toughness. Campers find their own food and water and carry few essentials.
In May, The Associated Press detailed how Buschow was desperate and delusional long before he collapsed, less than 100 yards from a pool of water. Guides carried emergency water, but it was never offered to him.
The school had blamed Buschow, saying the former airman did not read course materials, may have withheld health information and may have eaten too heavily before arriving from New Jersey.
All participants in the 28-day course are now allowed to carry water, the school said. Guides also carry satellite phones and GPS devices for emergencies. “The school made changes to its operations that are expected to reduce the chances of this kind of tragedy happening again,” the school said.
Campers are advised to arrive at least three days in advance to get acclimated to hot weather and elevations of 7,000 feet in Utah’s Garfield County.
The settlement was reached with the help of a mediator.