On July 1, seven friends and members of New Jersey’s ‘Last Chance Motorcycle Club’ were enjoying a motorcycle ride together when tragedy struck. A pickup truck driven by a highly intoxicated man collided directly into the group of motorcyclists. Ultimately, the motorcycle accident resulted in two fatalities and caused four of the bikers to be seriously injured. Only one escaped unharmed.
Now, the injured motorcyclists and the widows of the bikers who did not survive the accident have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the pickup truck. In the suit, the plaintiffs allege that the driver was intoxicated, and that he is therefore responsible for the accident and the resulting injuries and deaths.
Specifically, the lawsuit states that the driver was negligent for failing to stay alert, for failing to stay in his lane, for failing to drive at the speed limit, and for failing to drive sober. The driver is also facing criminal charges of vehicular homicide while driving drunk and aggravated assault.
In addition, the plaintiffs have named three taverns in the wrongful death suit, claiming that they were negligent for continuing to serve alcoholic beverages to the visibly intoxicated driver. The suit states that the workers should have noticed that the driver was drunk, and that they were “grossly, willfully and wantonly negligent” to serve him alcohol despite his apparent drunkenness.
To date, neither the driver nor the bars have responded to the lawsuit.
If you have lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence, please contact Breslin & Breslin for a free consultation with one of our wrongful death attorneys.
Source: The Morning Call, “Motorcyclists, widows sue driver and bars over Bangor crash that killed 2,” Frank Warner, Feb. 8, 2012
