Nearly five years after 23-year-old Ryan Dallas Cook was killed in a Santa Ana car crash, his family and Hyundai have agreed on the terms of their Orange County, California wrongful death agreement. Cook died on October 19, 2005, after a vehicle driven by then-Hyundai executive Youn Bum Lee struck the motorcycle he was riding on the Costa Mesa Freeway (I-55). Cook, who was thrown off his motorcycle and onto the pavement, was then run over by other cars. Lee, who was drunk and driving without his lights on, then fled the crash site.
In their Santa Ana wrongful death complaint, Cook's relatives sued the automaker and Lee for Cook's California wrongful death. Not only did they accuse Hyundai of encouraging employees to drink excessively while at company functions, but also, they contend that Hyundai executives tried to help Lee avoid police.
After leaving the Santa Ana, California car accident site, Lee parked his car in the Hyundai parking lot outside its Fountain Valley offices. He then left the country for South Korea. He was eventually extradited back to the United States where he later pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving a crash site. Last year, Lee was sentenced to nine years in prison.
The terms of the Santa Ana wrongful death settlement are confidential.
Orange County, California Wrongful Death
There may be more than one party who should be held liable for your loved one's death. Granted, filing a Santa Ana wrongful death complaint won't bring your family member back, but it can cover costs, losses, and damages incurred. Your civil case would be unrelated from any criminal case. This means that even if the negligent party isn't convicted of a crime for causing your loved one's passing, you still may be able to hold them accountable through the civil court system.
Hyundai settles over death of motorcyclist, OC Register, September 17, 2010
Settlement Reached in Hyundai Exec's DUI Case, NBC LA, September 17, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Orange County, California Wrongful Death Trial Awaits Former Hyundai Executive For Fatal Santa Ana Motorcycle Crash, Californiainjurylawyersblog.com, December 9, 2010
The California Driver's Handbook
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