Famous actor Paul Walker and his friend died in a fiery wreck in November 2013. Now, the other man’s wife is seeking financial compensation from Porsche, claiming that design flaws in his vehicle caused the pair to perish in the tragic crash. The woman is seeking compensation through a wrongful death suit against the high-end automaker. The victim in this case was reportedly a trained race car driver who would have known how to handle such a powerful vehicle; the Porsche model is designed to reach speeds of more than 200 mph.
News reports show that the lawsuit is arguing that the car’s suspension system failed, causing the driver to lose control and strike several trees. The woman explains that her husband was traveling at the legal speed of 55 mph in his 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, although investigators say the vehicle may have been speeding. Those officers say the vehicle may have been traveling as fast as 94 mph when the collision occurred.
In any event, the woman argues that the car should have been outfitted with an appropriate crash cage and other safety features that could have prevented the fatal wreck. Modifications to the gas tank could have saved the men’s lives, according to the suit. Engineers from the automaker have already evaluated the vehicle; they have apparently determined that the car did not have any mechanical problems.
Although investigators are providing information that contradicts the woman’s claim, it is critical to remember that the burden of proof is not nearly as high in civil court as it is in a criminal proceeding. The plaintiff must only establish through a “preponderance of the evidence” that the defendant was negligent. It is therefore possible that the woman could still receive compensation for the fatal accident, even though some evidence seems to harm her case.
Source: USA Today, “Porsche sued over crash that killed Paul Walker” No author given, May. 12, 2014