Tragic California Wrongful Death Case
In the California Bay Area, five women, including a bride, were killed while on their way to a bridal shower when their limousine – a 1999 Lincoln Town Car – suddenly caught fire on a San Francisco bridge. Four other passengers escaped with injuries including burns and smoke inhalation and two were in critical condition. Investigators do not believe the fire was caused by a collision and are looking into other causes. They are planning to review previous inspections of the vehicle to determine whether it had any prior issues.
Conflicting Testimony
It is known that the fire started in the rear of the vehicle and the women were screaming at the driver to stop the vehicle as the passenger compartment filled up with smoke. There is conflicting testimony between one of the survivors and the driver surrounding the details thereafter. The driver told authorities that he helped pull four women through the partition to safety, but the survivor said that, once the driver finally stopped the car, he escaped himself and did nothing to help them.
Product Liability Factor
The limousine was operated by Limo Stop of San Jose and was driven by Orville Brown. The vehicle was carrying one more passenger than allowed by regulation, but officials have not commented on whether that played any role in the tragedy. According to Automotive Information Systems, the vehicle is prone to significant engine problems, including failure of the catalytic converter. As the investigation continues, product liability may be found against the manufacturer, service and repair shop, owner of the vehicle, or some combination of the three.
Top Auto Accident Attorneys in Los Angeles
The Boesch Law Group is familiar with automobile fire cases and has experience litigating against major automotive manufacturers for product defects which resulted in catastrophic injuries. If your loved one has been the victim of a vehicle fire, it is important to retain an attorney who specializes in wrongful death and automotive litigation. To learn more about how the lawyers at The Boesch Law Group can help you through this difficult time, call to speak to one of our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys today: (310) 578-7880.
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