Tag Archives: death

Woman Dies Trying to Escape Morgue

Frozen alive

No one expects to find themselves trapped in a morgue freezer while they are still alive. “A California family who claims a loved one was prematurely declared dead, and then “frozen alive” while trying to escape a morgue freezer, has filed a lawsuit against the hospital”. In 2010, 80 year-old Maria de Jesus Arroyo was pronounced dead from a heart attack at White Memorial Medical Center in Boyle Heights, CA. At this time she was laid out for her family to pay their respects, then was put in a body bag and taken down to the hospital morgue. She was then placed in a refrigerated compartment, awaiting pick up by the mortician; this is where the nightmare began. Read More

Tragedy In Paradise

Deadly coast

Imagine being on a beautiful vacation in Hawaii and come to find there was a tragic accident in this beautiful oasis. For the Madoff family that is exactly what happened. Tyler Madoff, a 15-year-old boy was swept out to sea during a Hawaii hiking and kayaking tour. A wrongful death lawsuit was filed and has finally been settled. Terms of the settlement reached with Bold Earth Teen Adventures and Hawaii Pack and Paddle were sealed. Continue reading →

The Legal Issues of Death

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Time is ticking

Death isn’t simple. The period prior to one’s passing may involve a great deal of prolonged, complicated preparation for the event, and once one dies, a series of legal issues need to be addressed and resolved to settle even the simplest of estates. The death of almost every adult in the United States will generate the need for someone to take care of the decedent’s personal finances, handle asset and, possibly, probate issues in addition to burial arrangements.

The executor of an estate may need to work closely with insurance agents, bankers, employers, stockbrokers, accountants, lawyers, funeral directors and government agencies such as Social Security. In some cases, the list of parties with which to deal will prove even more extensive.

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Fatal Philadelphia Duckboat Crash Settled for $17 Million

Though it walks two worlds, it is a master of none

A duckboat is a particular kind of bus that can travel by both land and sea. Typically seen in cities like Philadelphia and Boston, which have prominent and accessible rivers, the boat/bus hybrid is particularly useful for tour companies, the novelty of amphibious sightseeing being extremely attractive to tourists. Rarely do these duckboats cause a problem. Their pre-planned and short water routes don’t get in the way of bigger ships, and on land they operate just like normal buses. Back in July 2010, however, bad luck and negligence conspired conspired to end this reputation of relative safety. A duckboat stalled in the water. A tugboat captain pushing a barge turned down his emergency radio and looked away to answer a phone call. The two vessels — one helpless, one aimless — collided. The duck boat tumbled underneath the barge, bringing two Hungarian tourists to a watery grave. Yesterday, after two years of negotiations and court maneuvering, lawyers associated with the case announced that they had reached a settlement with the tug- and duckboat companies.