The family of Sam Ives will file lawsuits Friday against the state of Utah and the federal government over a bear attack that lead to the 11-year-old's death.

While details of the cases are being kept quiet until they are filed, that lack of notification has been repeatedly cited by family members as a cause for concern. The grandfather, Eldon Ives, has said the Pleasant Grove family would never have camped in the area if they had known bears were around.

The state Attorney General's Office said Thursday they were notified last year that the family was going to file suit.

"We knew it was coming, but not exactly when," said Martin Bushman, assistant state attorney general. "Generally what their claim is, is that the Division of Wildlife Resources failed to notify them, put them on notice of the bear danger."

When asked if they had attempted settlement negotiations with the family, Bushman said he could not comment.

Bushman and DWR officials maintain that the situation was handled correctly last year.

"We followed our policy," he said. "This is a horribly tragic event and our sympathy goes out to the Ives family. It's always a difficult situation when you're dealing with wild animals."

The state's bear policy is being reviewed, though no changes have officially been made, said Kevin Bunnell, DWR mammals coordinator. He expects any changes to be in place before the bear season begins this summer.

The division has had one person working non-stop through the winter to educate Boy Scout troops and others on how to deal with black bears. Last year was a particularly bad year for black bears wandering into camping areas for several reasons, including a lack of natural food and an abnormally large yearling population. While Bunnell said it's too early to determine how many bears will be around this summer, it is an off year for yearlings.

The division has been replacing regular Dumpsters at camp grounds with a bear-proof variant to deter return visits. Black bear hunting permits have been increased by about 20 percent for 2008, as well.

The death of Sam Ives, son of Rebecca Ives and stepson of Tim Mulvey, affected many people and prompted the construction of a permanent bench made of wood and LEGOs by his friends, and a group of trees at Pleasant Grove's Manila Tank Park known as "Sam's Grove."