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A $20 million legal thunderstorm is ripping through the motocross world after a child suffered paralysis in a tragic creekside accident during the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship — and now, the event organizer is suing for insurance coverage in a federal court showdown.

At the center of the clash is MX Sports Inc., the West Virginia-based promoter of the nation’s premier amateur motocross event. The company is demanding coverage from New York Marine and General Insurance Co. and its affiliates after they allegedly denied liability for a catastrophic injury that unfolded off the racetrack — but within the event’s grounds.

The Incident: Tragedy at Hurricane Creek

According to filings, the Faulkner family filed a federal lawsuit in 2023 against MX Sports, blaming the organizer for a heartbreaking injury: while swimming in Hurricane Creek, a young girl was struck by a fellow attendee who jumped in, landing directly on her and causing severe, life-altering injuries. The incident occurred at Loretta Lynn's Ranch and Campgrounds in Humphreys County, Tennessee — the site of the annual championship.

The lawsuit accuses MX Sports of negligence that "directly and proximately resulted in" the child’s paralysis. Though MX Sports denies responsibility, the Faulkners’ claim has launched a parallel legal battle — this time, between MX and its insurers.

Coverage Denied: MX Sports Fires Back

In a state court complaint filed in April and now removed to Tennessee federal court, MX Sports alleges that New York Marine and General Insurance Co., along with Coaction Specialty Insurance Group Inc. and Coaction Global Inc., wrongfully refused coverage for the underlying lawsuit.

MX asserts it is covered under a commercial general liability (CGL) policy issued to the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) — a policy it believes provides up to $5 million in coverage for the claim brought by the Faulkners.

Insurers Say Federal Court is Proper Venue

The insurance companies, represented by Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, argue in their notice of removal filed Monday that the case belongs in federal court due to diversity of citizenship and the size of the damages, which far exceed the federal jurisdictional threshold.

They maintain that MX’s demand for a coverage declaration over a $20 million injury lawsuit squarely places the dispute under federal oversight.

Legal Teams Gearing Up for High-Stakes Fight

MX Sports is represented by John F. Floyd Sr. and John F. Floyd Jr. of Wicker Smith O’Hara McCoy & Ford, while the insurers are fighting back with attorneys Brian Walthart and Cole Corder.

As of Tuesday, none of the parties had issued public statements, and requests for comment remain unanswered — but the legal engines are already roaring.