In the case of Courbat v. Dahana Ranch, Inc.,
Hawaii S. Ct. No. 25151 (July 10, 2006),
the Hawaii Supreme Court found by a 3-2 decision
that a recreational liability waiver for a horse ride
may be valid and enforcable as to negligence claims.
Under the facts of that case
the court held that unless the claimants
were able to demonstrate a violation
of Hawaii's "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" law
found in HRS Chapter 480 that their claims would be barred.
Claimants asserted that the ranch violated the statute
by having a practice of springing the
liability release on participants after they had
already prepaid and already committed their time and resources
to appear at the ranch.
On March 17, 2026, at a little after 7 am, a fatal motor vehicle accident occurred on Vineyard Blvd in the Liliha area. For unknown reasons, a 59-year-old city bus driver lost control of his bus, traveled onto the center median, and collided directly into a tree. The driver was critically injured in spite of wearing his seatbelt. The bus was not carrying any passengers at the time of the accident. Later on the same day, the bus driver succumbed to his injuries. The cause of the crash continues to be under investigation. HPD states that this was the 12th Traffic Fatality on Oahu so far in 2026. Man, 59, dead following bus vs. tree crash .
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