The accident that sparked this wrongful death lawsuit happened in 2005 when a husband and wife spent a weekend with friends in another city. They were on their way home, when they were stopped in a construction zone on the highway.
Minutes later, a tractor-trailer rammed into the whole line of traffic stopped for the construction zone, killing the husband and three others in the carnage. The wife sustained catastrophic injuries. Four years later, the court rendered its verdict; a $15 million settlement for the wife who lost her husband due to the negligence of the trucker. Cases like this in New York City and Nassau County are handled by local attorneys most of the time.
Sadly, although the judgment could have helped the family continue with their lives and made some reparation for the horrific ordeal, the trucking company won’t be paying it within the foreseeable future. They moved all of their assets, including their trucks, into four other business entities to avoid paying. No one even knows if the original company is in business any longer, stated the NY City Trucking Accident Lawyer.
In a moment of serendipity, the Judge rendering the decision opened the door for the family to get the money from the four businesses. Whether that will be successful or not is questionable, since the company has a record of not cooperating with the courts.
The at fault trucker is still serving a 14-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to four counts of reckless homicide, explained the New York Trucking Accident Lawyer. His sunglasses fell off the console when he was driving and when he bent to pick them up he rammed the vehicles waiting in line at the construction zone. It was also discovered that he was DUI and had violated the hours of service rule by driving over the specified hour limit for one day.
For families that have lost a loved one in a ghastly accident like this one, you need to speak to a New York City Trucking Accident Attorney to find out what your right are and how to file a wrongful death case. Trucking accidents cases are complex and your New York Trucking Accident Attorney is the only one who can ensure you get justice, no matter what. The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.