Apr 28, 2026
When you hear that someone has received a legal settlement, where does your mind go? While there are plenty of possibilities, otter attack likely wouldn't be on your list of guesses. But this is the reality for a family in Washington state.
In September 2024, a mother and toddler were walking along the dock at the Bremerton Marina on the Puget Sound (1) when, the mom reported, a river otter dragged her child into the water, bit the mother’s arm, and kept chasing them after the mom had pulled her child out of the water and fled the dock (2).
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The family filed a lawsuit against the Port of Bremerton (3), stating that several people had reported the otters being a problem over a year earlier, so the Port knew about issues with the animals. USA Today reported that the Port of Bremerton has now agreed to a $350,000 settlement paid to the family (4).
The lawsuit and settlement with the Port of Bremerton
The toddler suffered otter bites and scratches to her face, head and legs (5), per the report. The mom said she and her child were required to get rabies vaccinations after the incident (6).
The mother and her attorneys also reportedly claimed her child was still having "nightmares and behavioral aggression" (7) in the year following the attack.
"We are grateful the victim only sustained minor injuries, due to the mother's quick actions and child's resiliency," Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sergeant, Ken Balazs, said in a statement at the time of the incident. "We would also like to thank the Port of Bremerton for their quick coordination and communication to their marina tenants (8)."
According to the original WDFW report, Fish and Wildlife officers contacted the USDA Wildlife Services to trap and remove the otters from the Bremerton Marina after the attack. They captured one otter, which tested negative for rabies (9).
Because officials did not act when people previously reported the otters were a nuisance, the original lawsuit accused the Port of Bremerton of negligence and breach of contact for failing to keep the marina safe. However, the settlement agreement dismissed the lawsuit and those claims, and the Port did not admit to any wrongdoing (10).
Port CEO Jim Rothlin told KOIN 6, an outlet for Oregon and Southwest Washington, that both the Port and the plaintiff agreed neither party was at fault.
"The settlement agreement explicitly states that it is 'a compromise of disputed and uncertain claims,'" Rothlin said. "This was a very unfortunate accident, and our thoughts are with the family — it is difficult to imagine what they experienced."
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Rothlin also encouraged visitors of both the marina and any other area with wildlife to be aware of their surroundings to hopefully avoid similar interactions.
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Where the $350,000 settlement funds will go
In the settlement, the Port of Bremerton's insurance company agreed to pay $350,000. Per the settlement, 40% of the payment would go toward the plaintiff's attorneys and other costs, and the rest would go into a trust for the family.
Settlement funds can go into a trust when plaintiffs aren't receiving public benefits, such as Medicaid or Supplementary Security Income (SSI) (11).
There are different kinds of settlement trusts. In general, they outline when the plaintiff can access the money, how they can use it and the ways in which they will invest the funds (12).
What to expect if you have a settlement trust
Settlement trusts can be beneficial for plaintiffs, especially those who don't have much experience managing money.
Even if you consider yourself financially savvy, funds from a settlement can be tricky. For instance, you might not know all of the tax rules, and with a trust agreement, the trustee may help you to understand all of the tax and reporting responsibilities involved.
A trust may also protect you from people taking advantage of your influx in cash. If you receive a lump sum, family members and friends might pressure you into giving them money. Settlement protection trusts may keep your money safe from creditors or divorce claims (13).
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Port of Bremerton (1),(3); Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (2),(5),(8),(9); USA Today (4),(10); KOIN (6),(7); Begley Law Group (11),(13); Amicus Planners (12)
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Laura Grace Tarpley is a contributing reporter for Moneywise who has been covering personal finance and working in digital media for 10 years. Her expertise spans banking, investing, retirement, loans, mortgages, and taxes.
