Wrongful death lawsuit filed against former Franklin County Sheriff Ewell Hunt - www.roanoke.comThe suit contends that Ewell Hunt and two deputies failed to protect Chad English. Ewell Hunt, the former Franklin County sheriff, and two of his deputies failed to heed an informant's tip that might have prevented the murder of a 19-year-old man, according to a wrongful death lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Mayo Clinic wrongful death trial beginsA 13-year-old girl's death after surgery at Saint Marys Hospital in 2009 is at issue in a wrongful death trial that started Monday, May 14, in Olmsted County District Court.
Russell Robertson and Brian McKernan Killed on MoPac in Austin, Texas
Local reports indicate two people were killed early Tuesday morning, September 6 when a car struck a vehicle attempting to aid a disabled motorist. The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on MoPac in Austin, Texas when a driver pulled over to help a stranded motorcyclist. Another vehicle then struck the drivers, killing both of them. No further details are available. Austin police are investigating the accident.
Update: The two men killed were identified as 21-year-old Russell Robertson and 45-year-old Brian McKernan.
Commentary A good Samaritan stops to offer their assistance to a stranded motorist and both are struck by a driver. This is an incredible tragedy. The reports do not indicate if the driver has been detained or stopped to render aid. While details are very minimal at the present time, the timing and nature of this accident suggests a few factors could have been involved in this accident. To begin, an independent investigation is needed to determine liability and recreate the accident. I would not be surprised if the investigation finds a driver under some level of intoxication. The timing of this accident is just after the bars close in Austin, after a long Labor Day weekend. Certainly this is speculation at this point, but if the driver was found to be imbibing at a bar or restaurant prior to the accident, that establishment could face partially liability in a wrongful death lawsuit. These laws, called dram shop laws, were enacted by the Texas legislature to help enforce the rules set forth by the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission. When a patron is served past the point of intoxication, one of these rules is broken and opens the door to liability. A suit against a bar does not remove fault from an impaired driver, but rather attempts to hold the alcohol-serving entity accountable and prevent future problems. The aim of the suit is not only to compensate survivors in the loss of a loved one, but also to halt the improper operation of bars.
We appreciate your feedback and welcome anyone to comment on our blog entries, however all visitor blog comments must be approved by the site moderator prior to showing live on the site. By submitting a blog comment you acknowledge that your post may appear live on the site for any visitors to see, pending moderator approval. The operators of this site are not responsible for the accuracy or content of the comments made by site visitors. By submitting a comment, blog post, or email to this site you acknowledge that you may receive a response with regard to your questions or concerns.
If you contact Grossman Law Offices using this online form, your message will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not necessarily be treated as privileged or confidential! You should not send sensitive or confidential information via the Internet. Since the Internet is not necessarily a secure environment, it is not possible to ensure that your message sent via the Internet might be kept secure and confidential.
