Personal Injury News: Pick Of Last Month: Oct-2022

Family Of Hazing Victim Gets $1M From VCU

Virginia Commonwealth University will pay roughly $1 million to the family of a young man who died as a result of a fraternity hazing event in 2021.

The family agreement mandates the University of Richmond to make substantial modifications to its fraternity and sorority life. The Fairfax County Circuit Court approved the agreement.

According to a joint statement from the family and the university, this is a plan to establish a safer and healthier environment for students who are members of fraternities and sororities, as well as to create an atmosphere of respect and inclusiveness that is required for academic achievement.

According to a police investigation, the 19-year-old who earned a bid to the Delta Chi fraternity was instructed to consume a huge bottle of whiskey in February 2021. The next morning, the freshman from Loudoun County was discovered dead. The chief medical examiner's office determined that the death was caused by alcohol poisoning. Delta Chi will be dismissed from VCU in June 2021.

He was a cherished son, grandchild, nephew, cousin, student, and friend. He had a bright future ahead of him, and his senseless death caused unfathomable anguish and sadness for everyone who knew him.

Aside from the $995,000 monetary settlement, the deal requires VCU students to complete 12 credit hours as well as other qualifying conditions before joining a fraternity or sorority. It would also prevent alcohol from being offered or consumed at any fraternity or sorority activity attended by new members, as well as tighten the restrictions for alcohol supplied or consumed at student organization gatherings.

VCU will begin the process of erecting a physical memorial to the dead on campus, and the 27th of February will be designated as an annual hazing prevention day and day of remembrance for him. The settlement also includes a duty to submit information regarding student groups that are deemed to be in violation of the code of conduct.

Delta Chi faced disciplinary actions for the last seven years on campus. According to sources, some former members of the fraternity pled guilty or were found guilty of misdemeanor hazing or misdemeanor supplying alcohol to a child in connection with the case. No one has been imprisoned as yet.

Chargers' Doctor Sued Over Malpractice By Giants Player

One of the Giants' backup quarterbacks is suing the Chargers' team doctor for medical negligence in connection with a punctured lung he suffered in 2020.

According to the lawsuit, he is suing the Chargers team doctor and his firm, Newport Orthopedic Institute, for at least $5 million. The doctor is presently treating another American footballer for a rib cartilage injury sustained on Thursday Night Football.

The plaintiff was treated by the defendant in 2020 for a rib injury and suffered a perforated lung during treatment. According to the complaint, the doctor was injecting a medication into the footballer's injured ribs before a game on Sept. 20, 2020, when his lung was perforated.

According to the complaint, the player evidently had extreme body pain as a result of this encounter, resulting in hospitalization, physical rehabilitation, emotional turmoil, and other previous pain and suffering.

The plaintiff's attorneys went on to describe how the ruptured lung cost him a chance to start exactly as he was about to enter free agency. As a result of the injuries, he may have missed out on a substantial payout.

As he returned to free agency, he entered as a backup quarterback rather than a starting quarterback, according to the lawsuit. The economic difference between a starting quarterback's salary and a backup quarterback's salary is at least $5,000,000, and it's probably much more. The exact amount of such past and future loss is unknown at this time, and he will seek permission from the court to modify the complaint to include the whole amount when it is determined.

The plaintiff's 2020 season was cut short due to the injury, allowing him to start the rest of the season as a rookie. He was signed as the Texans' starting quarterback in 2021, but a hamstring ailment forced him to miss six games. The 33-year-old inked a two-year contract with the Giants as a backup in March.

Concerning the plaintiff's treatment, the Chargers quarterback's agents and the NFL Players Association intend to examine how the accused doctor treats him for his rib ailment. The trial is set to begin in April, following the conclusion of the NFL season. The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

Evansville Agrees To Pay $1.75M in Deadly Police Chase Crash

The city of Evansville has agreed to pay a lady $1.75 million to resolve a lawsuit resulting from a 2017 police pursuit collision that killed her two children and husband and critically wounded her.

The Evansville City Council authorized funds from the city's insurance provider, allowing the southern Indiana city to reimburse the children's mother.

The woman's two children were killed in the accident. One of the children was two years old, while the other was seven months old. In November 2017, a guy being sought by Evansville police slammed into the family's vehicle. A month after the collision, the children's father died from brain injuries.

The woman was critically injured and was the lone survivor of the collision near Evansville, some 170 miles (270 kilometres) southwest of Indianapolis. She was pregnant at the time of the disaster and later gave birth to a daughter.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the city in Vanderburgh Superior Court in 2018, demanding damages and alleging her two children unfairly died, and she was gravely wounded as a direct result of the driver's and the city's carelessness through the Evansville Police Department.

Police officers attempted to stop the accused in the collision because they suspected he was driving a car with a phoney licence plate. He fled, sparking a chase that ended when his car collided with the plaintiff's.

After pleading guilty to four charges of obstructing law enforcement, the accused was sentenced to 15 years in prison in March 2020.

Fans Sue Washington Commanders Over Fedex Field Collapse

Four New Jersey football fans are suing the Washington Commanders, claiming they are still suffering from injuries incurred in January when a railing at FedEx Field collapsed, injuring many spectators.

The spectators who filed the case are seeking up to $75,000 in damages for injuries they allege they sustained at the game and problems they say they've had afterwards. On January 2, 2022, the collapse happened during a football game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Several spectators can be seen hanging over a railing as Eagles players move toward the team's exit tunnel. The guardrail crumbled just as a famous American Football player began to high-five spectators. According to the footage, several supporters ended up on the ground.

The player who was giving high-fives was observed assisting some of the supporters. He then wrote to the NFL and Washington to inquire about the follow-up action to the near-tragic episode.

The complaint names the Commanders (then known as the Washington Football Team), FedEx Field owner Washington Football Stadium Inc., and Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC), which is in charge of game security.

According to court filings, the defendants handled the fans callously and indifferently. The counsel for the four plaintiffs stated that the occurrence was frightening, but the defendants' response was insignificant in the issue. The defendants were actually shuttled out of the stadium and even failed to complete the medical check.

Colorado Woman Sues Trucking Company Over Wrongful Death

The family of a single Colorado mother died last month when a semi-hauling excavator collided with a bridge has filed a wrongful death complaint in Larimer County District Court against the trucker and trucking business.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the collision is still being investigated. It happened on Interstate 25 at the Weld County Road 34 flyover on August 8. Import Towing and Recovery's semi-hauling excavator, located in Fort Collins, breached the height limitations and collided with the bridge. A huge chunk of concrete rubble fell into the street and collided with a car traveling behind the excavator.

The lady was driving home with her kid from Water World when the concrete debris broke through her windshield. The lady was slain, and her 10-year-old kid was injured.

According to the newly filed lawsuit, the driver's and Import Towing and Recovery's acts were reckless and irresponsible. The firm failed to verify that the excavator was properly loaded, fitted, and secured to prevent it from tumbling off the truck. It also argues that the actions and shortcomings of the driver and the trucking firm contributed to the woman's death, as well as her son's mental damage and post-traumatic stress of seeing his mother's tragic death.

The dead woman's parents described her as a shining light in the world and a lovely mother to her adorable 10-year-old kid. They feel her brutal and horrific death might have been avoided, and they want to do everything they can to ensure that this never happens to anybody else.

According to the family's counsel, the corporation was irresponsible regarding the most fundamental safety rule, which resulted in the disaster. Import Towing and Recovery's office manager declined to comment on the accident.