On Aug. 31, it was reported that the parents of a Georgia teenager filed a wrongful death claim against a Hooters restaurant after he was struck by a vehicle while leaving the establishment. The teenager was struck and killed in May 2016 when he was attempting to cross the street in order to return to the hotel.
The accident occurred in front of the Hooters location in Pelham, Alabama. The 18-year-old was reportedly staying in town on a work-related trip. In the lawsuit, the parents claimed that the establishment sold the underage man alcohol without ever asking for his I.D. The medical examiner’s report corroborated these claims by reporting that the man had a blood alcohol content was at .24 percent at the time of his death.
The attorney for the teenager’s parents stated that the restaurant broke the law by first providing the teen with alcohol and then continuing to provide it even though he was at the point where he showed obvious signs of intoxication. The lawsuit named the corporate franchisor, the owner of the Pelham location and a server as defendants in the lawsuit. The parents were seeking unspecified punitive damages from the defendants.
When a fatal accident is caused by the negligent or reckless acts of another person or entity, the surviving family members of the decedent may want to have the assistance of counsel in preparing and filing a wrongful death lawsuit against that party. Damages sought in these types of civil actions can include the costs of funeral and burial, loss of companionship and other applicable amounts.
Source: WIAT, “Parents of teen fatally struck by vehicle file wrongful death lawsuit against Pelham Hooters“, Haley Rhinehart, Aug. 31, 2016