Wrongful death lawsuit settled after 2 years

Approximately two years after the death of a 58-year-old man in a car accident, Marion’s insurance provider has agreed to pay $4.15 million as a settlement with his family.

The victim’s widow alleged in a lawsuit that the city failed to maintain one-way street signs, thus leading to her husband’s accident and subsequent death.

On February 20, 2013, the man was involved in a motor vehicle accident on North Main Street. It was then that his vehicle collided with another that was traveling east on Klerx Avenue. The vehicle was driving on a one-way portion of Klerx Avenue.

According to court documents, the driver did not know he was traveling the wrong direction on the street. A citation was issued but never filed.

The lawsuit awarded the victim’s family $4.15 million, which included nearly $1.75 million in attorney fees and reimbursements. The rest of the money will go to the man’s next of kin, with his widow receiving approximately $1.4 million. His son will also receive a payment of $300,000, with his sister receiving $200,000, along with a small monthly payment.

This wrongful death lawsuit was settled before making its way to a jury. Despite the fact that it took two years to reach a settlement, avoiding a jury trial will allow the family to move on without further reminder of what happened.

Even the safest drivers on the road can be involved in an accident when another party makes a mistake. Additionally, this case is proof that it is not always another driver who is responsible for an accident.

Source: The Marion Star, “Marion agrees to $4 million crash settlement,” Spenser Hickey, July 16, 2015