A federal lawsuit filed in Maryland by Columbia, Maryland resident Yvonne Martin alleges she was bitten by a shark while vacationing at Club Med Turkoise in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Martin claims the attack caused permanent nerve damage and extensive scarring, and that the resort’s handling of the incident led to further medical complications.
According to the complaint, the shark bit Martin’s upper thigh as she returned to the beach after a sailing lesson. She broke free and was attended to by a fellow guest; the resort’s nurse took her credit card information but was unable to provide adequate first aid. An ambulance summoned by resort staff arrived an hour later. Martin was then transported back to the resort and instructed to remain in her room while the resort’s liability coverage was sorted out, despite her being in trauma and needing additional care.
The complaint stresses that a shark bite requires treatment within a 6‑to‑8‑hour window to prevent infection. It argues that the resort and the hospital missed that window, resulting in a worsening infection that forced Martin to seek emergency care in Miami, Florida. She subsequently underwent invasive surgery, extensive physical therapy and a lengthy hospitalization, and now cites mental anguish, humiliation, permanent nerve damage, massive scarring and loss of enjoyment of life.
Attorney Jim Tate, representing Martin, said his client was “at the mercy of Club Med” and that the resort focused on finding insurance rather than ensuring proper care. He described Martin as an “attractive senior” whose swimsuit appearance was permanently marred by the bite.
The lawsuit details Martin’s sailing lesson on 15 October 2024. She signed up for a Hobie Cat catamaran, sailed alone, and was instructed by a Club Med instructor to return to shore as weather conditions were approaching. The complaint claims the instructor ordered Martin to jump off the boat 75 feet from shore, without taking safety precautions or ensuring the water was free of sharks. Martin was then attacked, and the lawsuit argues that no urgent weather conditions justified her disembarkation.
Shark attacks in the Turks and Caicos are rare but have occurred, including a 2023 incident where a 22‑year‑old Connecticut woman lost a foot to a Caribbean reef shark and a 2024 case where a kiteboarder lost a leg to a tiger shark. Martin seeks a minimum of $500,000 in damages, plus legal fees and court costs.
