Every year, thousands of Oklahoma residents hire chauffeured limousines to drive them to special events, such as weddings and parties. When they do so, they expect the vehicle to be well-maintained and safe. However, not all limo companies take that responsibility seriously.
For example, a stretch limousine crashed in upstate New York on Oct. 6, killing 20 people. According to media reports, the vehicle had been cited for serious brake issues by the State Department of Transportation in March. Further, the problems had not been corrected when the car underwent a follow-up inspection on Sept. 4. An attorney for the limo company claimed that the vehicle had been cited for minor problems, including worn windshield wipers, and that those problems had been corrected. However, a representative for the state DOT said that the vehicle had failed its inspection and that the owner of the company had been told not to place the vehicle back in service.
The limousine had been hired to take a group of 17 people to a birthday party at a brewery in Cooperstown. While en route, the vehicle sped past a stop sign and smashed into the parking lot of a local business. The collision killed all 17 passengers, the chauffeur and two pedestrians. The youngest victim was 24-years-old, while the oldest was 70. The owner of the limo company has been charged with criminally negligent homicide.
When people are killed in a car crash caused by another party, the families of those victims have the right to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit in civil court. While a lawsuit can never replace the life of a loved one, it could help grieving families obtain financial compensation for funeral costs and other losses.
Source: ABC News, “Limo in deadly crash had been cited for out-of-service brakes,” Oct. 11, 2018