Family Plans to File California Wrongful Death Lawsuit
| September 8th, 2014
When a person is killed as the result of another person’s negligence or error, the family of the victim may have a right to seek compensation from the party who is responsible for their loss. Proving such a case can be difficult though and can require the plaintiffs to show violations of the law on the part of the defendant. A family from Half Moon Bay is planning to file such a California wrongful death lawsuit after an 18-year-old woman was shot and killed by a San Mateo County Sheriff’s Deputy during an altercation. Furthermore, they feel there is sufficient evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the deputy they believe is liable for their loss. A story from NBC Bay Area News explains the victim was mentally ill and was refusing to take her medication, which prompted her family to call a medical dispatch through 911. Instead of an ambulance being called though, dispatchers alerted deputies after learning the woman was in possession of a knife. When the deputy arrived at the scene, the victim allegedly lunged in the deputy’s’ direction and he opened fire, killing the teen. While officials maintain the deputy was within his rights to defend himself, the family claims the officer took unnecessary actions and violated the victim’s Fourth Amendment rights, which limits law enforcement’s authority to use force. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California personal injury attorneys are aware of the difficulties that can accompany the loss of a loved one, which is why we are hopeful a decision in this case will bring a sense of closure to the family of the victim.
