Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The following blog entry is written to illustrate an example of a personal injury case. Reviewing this kind of lawsuit should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court.
(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this personal injury lawsuit and its proceedings.)
FACTS/CONTENTIONS
According to Plaintiff: Decedent Mark Leslie, age 13, was left in the care of a trusted family friend, Rem Sellis, who allowed the child to ride in a vehicle driven by a drunk driver while on a summer fishing trip to Somewhere, CA.
Decedent’s parents, plaintiffs Leanor and Evan Leslie, alleged that defendant knowingly allowed an acquaintance, Derrek Amos, to drive the youth even though defendant knew Amos had been drinking heavily. Amos’ car ended up in the River on the near Sacramento, drowning Mark, who was later found in the submerged vehicle still strapped in his seatbelt. Amos escaped from the submerged vehicle, saving his own life.
Amos was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to negligent homicide, driving under the influence, and failure to insure his vehicle. Because Amos had no insurance and defendant was trusted to care for decedent while on vacation, plaintiffs’ attorney sued defendant for wrongful death.
According to State Troopers, defendant and his group (including Amos) were drinking on the banks of the River in the middle of the night at a “bonfire.” Defendant brought Mark to the late-night “bonfire party” instead of letting him sleep at the vacation home. When they left, defendant allowed Mark to ride with Amos who, minutes later, drove his vehicle straight into the River after missing a turn on the road. It took almost two hours before defendant’s group called for help.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.