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Family of pedestrians killed in fatal car accident suing Seattle

On Behalf of | Aug 16, 2013 | Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents |

The family of two pedestrians killed by a DUI suspect in March of this year has filed a $45 million suit against the City of Seattle. The devastating crash happened when the victims were crossing the street with their daughter-in-law and their 7-week-old grandchild. As the family was crossing the street, a DUI suspect crashed into the family. In addition to the deaths, the daughter-in-law and the newborn baby were seriously injured.

The family members and the surviving victim of the accident may have more questions than answers, such as why and how could such an accident happen, and who should be held responsible for the untimely deaths of their loved ones as well as for the injuries to the surviving victims of the accident.

Investigation surrounding this tragic accident revealed court records which showed that the DUI suspect, a 50-year-old man, has been arrested five times before on DUI charges before this fatal car accident. In fact, at the time of the accident, the 50-year-old was not only driving without an interlock device on his vehicle but was also on probation for a previous DUI conviction.

As a result of this information, the family of the victims recently filed the $45 million suit against the City of Seattle. In their suit, the family is arguing that the city failed to adequately supervise the 50-year-old DUI repeat offender, and failed to enforce the terms and conditions of his probation. Further, they argue that had the man been properly supervised, the March accident which devastated the family could have been prevented.

The case illustrates that victims and their families may have legal rights and options in the aftermath of a fatal motor vehicle accident that go beyond attempts to recover compensation from a negligent driver. When victims can identify additional potential defendants, like a driver’s employer, the vehicle manufacturer or some other party that bears liability for the accident – the amounts victims may be able to recover are far greater. A legal professional can help Seattle residents review potential defendants in a lawsuit and develop a legal strategy to help them recover for their losses.

Source: KOMO News, “Family files $45 million claim against city over drunk driving crash,” Aug. 13, 2013

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