A jury recently awarded damages in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by parents of a man who choked to death while riding a para transit bus. The case stemmed from an incident that happened in July 2011 when the decedent, a 51-year old mentally challenged man, rode a public para transit bus for handicapped and died on board.
Failure to Enforce Para Transit Bus Rules
The decedent, who was the sole rider of the bus at the time, took a seat in the front row of the bus right behind the driver and started eating his sandwich. The decedent was later found slumped into the aisle and had apparently choked on his food.
Parents of the decedent sued the bus company and the driver for their son’s wrongful death, alleging that the defendants’ negligence in enforcing the bus company rules led to their son’s untimely death. The plaintiffs maintained that the bus had strict rules that prohibited eating and drinking on the bus and require the driver to scan its interior mirrors regularly. The bus driver broke both rules and failed to notice that the decedent was clearly in distress.
An expert witness testified that timely CPR and the Heimlich maneuver would have saved the decedent’s life. However, the bus company failed to train its drivers, including the defendant bus driver, on emergency life-saving techniques. After a brief deliberation, the jury decided to award the family of the decedent $7.5 million for pain and suffering and $7.5 million for loss of consortium.
Wrongful Death Claims
In Nevada, the surviving heirs of a decedent may be entitled to a claim for compensation against the person or parties whose negligence or recklessness caused the wrongful death of the decedent. This type of personal injury lawsuit may arise in catastrophic accidents such as car and bus accidents, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, and defective products cases. If you lost a loved one in an accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can examine your case and determine whether you may have a right to claim compensation from a negligent party.
In Nevada, the David Boehrer Law Firm has over 10 years of proven personal injury experience involving catastrophic accidents such as wrongful death cases. We work very hard to obtain the maximum value of compensation that our clients legally deserve. Call us today at (702) 750-0750 to learn more about how we can help you.