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Southern California family wins $10.45 million verdict in lawsuit

On Behalf of | Oct 7, 2014 | Workplace Accidents |

A civil court jury recently decided that CBS Television Studios must pay $10.45 million in damages to the family of a security guard killed on the set of a popular television show. The decedent’s family filed the wrongful death lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2012.

The suit stems from an incident that occurred in 2011, reportedly. The 52-year-old security guard was working on the set of the show when he was struck by a studio van transporting the show’s cast. According to authorities, the van’s driver passed out and lost control of the vehicle. While CBS initially claimed that the the accident was caused by a medical emergency, the lawsuit contended that CBS should not have let the driver operate studio vans since he had a medical condition that made him susceptible to passing out.

The family of the decedent, an emigrant from San Salvador, named CBS and the driver as defendants in the suit. The jury awarded the victim’s widow $4 million. The verdict also awarded his three children $2 million apiece.

There are approximately 4,380 workplace deaths each year in the United States, according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Families of people who die in workplace accidents must cope with more than just emotional devastation. In many cases, bereaved families must also struggle with financial burdens following their loved one’s passing, especially if the decedent had contributed significant income to the family household.

That is why many bereaved families consult with a personal injury lawyer, who may review the circumstance of the case and advise whether a wrongful death lawsuit seems tenable. If so, certain family members of the deceased accident victim may seek compensation for the economic damages they suffered as a result of their loved one’s death, as this particular case exemplifies.

Source: The Wrap, “CBS Hit With $10.4 Million Judgment Over “NCIS” Set Death,” Tim Kenneally, Sept. 30, 2014

Source: Los Angeles Times, “Jury awards $10.4 million in death of security guard for ‘NCIS’“, Richard Verrier , October 01, 2014

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