Wrongful death suit settled in murder case

In the state of New York and beyond, an incident that results in serious injuries and/or death can lead to a series of grievances. Depending on the nature of the incident, criminal charges may be brought and can be accompanied by personal injury complaints. A recent case involving accusations of murder and wrongdoing illustrates how a wrongful death suit can play into a criminal trial.

Four people now face criminal charges for allegedly strangling two individuals to death in an Illinois home at the beginning of the year. One of the defendants in the murder case apparently lived at the house where the deadly incident occurred. As a result, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the defendant and her parents on behalf of one of the alleged murder victims. The victim’s mother initially sought over $10 million in the suit.

Because the alleged murders took place when the defendant’s father and wife owned the house, they too are identified as liable in the wrongful death suit. The suit accuses the owners of the house of allowing illegal activity like drug use to take place on the premises, compromising the safety of visitors to the property. It also claims that the homeowners wrongfully allowed the two alleged murder victims to come in contact with unpredictable and potentially violent drug users on the premises.

While the lawsuit called for millions of dollars in damages, the wrongful death case was recently settled and approved by the court for $150,000. The victim’s family will receive a large portion of the settlement, which is covered by the homeowners’ insurance coverage.

Source: Southtown Star, “Murder victim’s family OKs partial settlement in lawsuit,” Janet Lundquist, Oct. 22, 2013