Mississippi Woman Sues Department of Justice for an Accident She Says Caused Her Husband’s Death

A Mississippi woman has brought a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) after her husband died two years following a car crash with a DOJ vehicle. The Clarion Ledger says that on October 22, 2014, Yolanda Jones and her husband, Kenneth Jones, were driving in Jackson when their vehicle was struck from behind by a DOJ vehicle. As a result of the crash, Yolanda Jones said she suffered severe pain in her neck, left shoulder, and left arm.

Unfortunately, Kenneth Jones suffered an injury to his neck, head, and back, as well as cervical radiculopathy as a result of the collision. Two years after the incident occurred, Kenneth Jones passed away. Now, several years after the accident, Jones’ wife has decided to file her lawsuit against the DOJ claiming that the “employee was negligent in failing to keep a proper lookout and failed to keep a proper distance between vehicles.” The lawsuit also claims the employee was operating the DOJ vehicle in a reckless manner.

While Jones did file an insurance claim for the incident, the DOJ “neither accepted nor rejected the insurance claim, according to the lawsuit.” Jones is now seeking $250,000 for her husband’s estate and $75,000 for herself.

 

How long after a car accident can I file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in Mississippi?

 

After a person has been involved in an accident with another party in Jackson, MS who they believe was responsible for causing it, they are permitted to file a personal injury lawsuit in an effort to recover compensation for their injuries/losses. The surviving family of a victim who was killed would need to file a wrongful death lawsuit if they wanted to try and recover compensation for damages associated with their loved one’s death. Not only would a victim or their surviving family need to prove why they should be awarded damages (i.e. money that serves as a form of relief for the impact the accident has had on them), but they must also file their lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, which is the timeframe they are allotted to bring their lawsuit against another party.

For most personal injury cases, a victim has three years from the date of the accident or the date the injury became known to file their lawsuit. For wrongful death lawsuits, the timeframe ranges from one to three years.

Now, if you were involved in an accident in Jackson, MS a few months ago or even a few years ago and you are now finding out the impact has caused you to suffer injuries you were unaware of at the time, the Jackson, MS accident lawyers at Ballard Law, PLLC can help you decide if you are still legally permitted to file a lawsuit. If you are, the skilled accident lawyers at Ballard Law, PLLC would be happy to help get the process started.

 

You can reach Ballard Law, PLLC at:

 

108 S. President Street

Jackson, MS 39201

Phone: 769-572-5111

Website: www.ballardlaw.ms