$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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