Boat accidents are all too common in the state of Louisiana. So, many people are killed in these tragedies each year, and the families of the victims are left feeling lost without their loved ones. Wrongful death lawsuits allow these families to recover damages that will help them deal with their loss. A Louisiana woman recently sued multiple government agencies after a boat crash killed her father and stepmother. She is seeking unspecified damages to cover funeral expenses, burial costs and mental suffering.
The crash occurred when the couple went fishing and hit a tree lying across the canal. The lawsuit has been filed against the Lafourche and St. James parish governments, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the state Department of Natural Resources. The lawsuit states that her father and stepmother were driving the boat at a reasonable speed under the conditions.
The lawsuit also says that the agencies were responsible for the maintenance of the waterway and the property surrounding it. The agencies allegedly knew about the tree and were negligent in the failure to keep the tree out of the way or failure to warn boaters about the tree. Three of the agencies reported not having been served with the lawsuit yet. The Department of Natural Resources has not commented.
By filing the lawsuit, the woman hopes to also get the tree cut down to prevent others from suffering as she has. Losing a loved one in a fatal accident can be one of the hardest things you have to go through in life. Filing a lawsuit against negligent parties that played a role in their death may help you recover from your loss.
Source: Daily Comet, “Woman sues over boat crash that killed father, stepmother,” Bridget Mire, March 11, 2016
