Tragedy, in the truest sense of the word, hit on Saturday, October 7th, 2018, when a stretch limousine crashed in upstate New York, killing 20 people. The federal National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), is investigating the cause of the accident along with state police.
Current reporting
It is always difficult to separate fact from rumor in the wake of an accident, but here is a summary of the current reporting.
- The company, Prestige Limousine Chauffeur Service, was hired to help celebrate a young woman’s 30th birthday on Saturday, October 6th, 2018.
- One eyewitness report stated the vehicle sped through an intersection somewhere around 60 miles per hour before crashing into a parked SUV in a restaurant parking lot.
- Everyone in the vehicle died as well as two pedestrians. 20 people in total.
- The crash occurred about 30 miles west of Albany, New York.
- The limousine driver appears to have been improperly licensed.
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that the lengthened limousine violated federal law.
- The NTSB reported that the company had five vehicle inspections, 4 of which resulted in vehicles taken off the road.
Stretch limousine safety concerns
The cause of the crash is not yet known but NBC reports that authorities are examining the vehicle’s airbag control module, which may have recorded critical information about the cause of the crash.
It has long been known that after-market vehicles converted into stretch limousines often do not have proper safety features such as side air-bag, reinforced rollover protection bars and accessible emergency exits. People have asked Governor Cuomo to look further into limousine safety.
What can the family members do?
Family members and loved ones of the victims will feel this loss for the rest of their lives. There is no justice when a life is taken. All there is to offer a grieving family is compensation.
Family members who have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence have the option to sue for wrongful death if the following elements apply:
- The death of a human, caused by the negligence of another
- Surviving family members suffer monetary injury
The victim’s loved one’s need to focus on themselves. One of the best ways to do that is to put the case in the hands of a team of attorney’s who can collect evidence and build a case for compensation on their behalf.
