If a wrongful act or negligent action led the death of a loved one, contacting an experienced Miami wrongful death lawyer as soon possible will improve the chances of winning the case. The more time there is, the more time the lawyer will have to compile all evidence and file the lawsuit in time for the statute of limitations. Below will be listed some famous cases involving wrongful death:
O.J Simpson – Football Player, Actor, and Sports Broadcaster
One of the most notorious cases that made it in both Criminal and Civil trials is that of O.J Simpson. In fact, the O.J Simpson case is deemed the longest criminal case in United States history. O.J Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and an acquaintance, Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. In 1995, O.J Simpson was acquitted on the criminal charges, but he later faced a civil trial for that same crime. After being found not guilty, the family of Goldman and Brown filed a wrongful death lawsuit against O.J Simpson in the name of their loved ones. In 1997, the families were awarded a total of $33.5 million in damages, of which the families report that to date, they have received little or no funds from the judgment that was made.
Nancy Grace – CNN Talk Show Host
A 21-year old Florida mother named Melinda Ducket took her life days after being confronted by Nancy Grace on-air in 2006. The family of Melinda Ducket alleged that she took her own life because of the emotional distress that Talk show host Nancy Grace, a former prosecutor placed on Melinda while she was on her talk show. Melinda Ducket’s two-year-old son was missing which Nancy Grace questioned and angrily grilled the mother about while on-air. The family claims that Nancy Grace insinuated that the mother had killed her son or knew what had happened to him, which drove Melinda Ducket to take her own life. The family of Melinda Ducket was awarded $200,000 through a settlement in 2010.
Phil Hartman – Comedian-Actor of “Saturday Night Live”
Phil Hartman, an actor, and comedian from the show “Saturday Night Live” was shot and killed by his wife, Brynn, who then took her own life. This murder-suicide was not only shocking to the many fans that Hartman had, but also to the family members of Hartman’s wife, Brynn. At the time, Brynn was taking anti-depressants(Zoloft) for panic attacks, which the family claimed is what led her to insanity and causing the murder of her husband and the taking of her own life. Brynn’s brother, Pfizer, sued the pharmaceutical company of the anti-depressant Zoloft and they agreed to settle for an undisclosed amount.
Ford Motor Company – Pinto Sedans 1970s
A series of explosions emerging from Ford Motors Pinto sedans in the 1970s led to various wrongful death lawsuits. The Pinto Sedan from the 1970s had been designed in a way that the gasoline tank was facing the rear of the case. This allowed the opportunity for even the smallest rear-ends collision to result in the explosion of the vehicle. Eventually, Ford Motor recalled the Pinto’s and was found liable for the unsafe design. In one wrongful death case, a 13-year old boy was severely burned and a woman was killed. Their family was awarded a total of $6 million; $3.5 in punitive damages, and $2.5 in compensatory damages.