Inside the Courtroom - What Really Happened

The lawsuit Henderson v. State Park Service wasn’t about money. It was about

fixing a system. During the trial, park officials argued: “Wildlife attacks are unpredictable.” “Delays are

unavoidable.” “We did the best we could.” But Mark’s legal team brought in

experts: Search-and-rescue coordinators, retired rangers, aviation specialists. They showed that:

With proper staffing, Mark would have been reached in 17 minutes. With the memo

acted upon, the trainee wouldn’t have been alone. With revised protocols, a second helicopter

could’ve launched instantly. The judge called it: “A preventable compounding failure.” Mark won.

But the changes mattered more than the verdict. Here’s what Mark’s case forced the