$2 03 million in damages awarded to family of car crash victim
Released on = June 5, 2007, 8:28 am
Press Release Author = Lala C. Ballatan
Industry = Law
Press Release Summary = Recent observations conclude that the verdicts regarding the Vioxx cases are apparent examples of the way the United State’s “civil justice system” works to safeguard the people’s legal rights. Nowadays, even the biggest and most prosperous corporations apparently liable for bottom line services can be sued for damages when they put the public’s health and safety at risk.
Press Release Body = $2.03 million in damages awarded to family of car crash victim
The jury of a Lake County court deliberated for about 3 hours and decided to award $2.03 million to an illegal immigrant’s family. The case was a wrongful death lawsuit against the city government of Waukegan. The total amount to be awarded to the family by the jury is $2,032,992. The $2 million is compensation for the demise of a member of the family. $20,000 is compensation for the expenses during the memorial service and internment and the $12,992 covers medical expenses.
Los Angeles, California, May 29, 2007 – According the court papers, Wilson “Alex” Lopez- Ochoa, 21 years old, was in his car when a squad car of the Waukegan police being driven by police officer Michael Newman hit it. These events happened on Sunday during the Super Bowl on 2005. The immigrant from Honduras died a few hours after the incident.
Jurors decided that Lopez-Ochoa was a hundred percent blameless in the said accident. The closing arguments in the case were given last Wednesday, May 23, 2007 and the lawyers of Lopez-Ochoa’s family already urged the jurors that the family must be awarded “millions of dollars” in damages by the city of Waukegan.
The wrongful death civil trial in Judge Mary Schostok’s courtroom was deliberated for a week and a half.
The family’s lawyers argued that officer Newman was mostly liable for the accident because he was speeding during a non-emergency situation and did not even have the siren or flashing lights of the squad turned on.
Furthermore, they said that Lopez-Ochoa should have been alive if not for the officer’s negligence.
Meanwhile, the city’s lawyer said that Newman’s speed matched the flow of traffic. The lawyer also indicated that Lopez-Ochoa was negligently driving and then pulled at the front of the squad.
According to eyewitnesses, Officer Newman was driving northbound speedily on Lewis Avenue and passed by a red light. Past by the intersection, he maneuvered to a U-turn and accelerated east on Grand then hit Lopez-Ochoa’s Honda. The eyewitness was on the corner gas station.
The key decision for the jury was to charge Newman 51% liable for the accident and need to pay the damages to the family.
Lopez-Ochoa’s future earnings were still indeterminate since he was unemployed during the time of the accident but he had some experience as upholsterer in Honduras.
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