Wrongful Death Suit Filed Against TN School Board for Death of 9-Year-Old Student

A mother and resident of Gallatin recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sumner County Board of Education for the death of her 9-year-old daughter, according to The Tennessean. The lawsuit alleges that the school board is partially responsible for the tragic death. The daughter was a third-grade student at Benny Bills Elementary in Gallatin, and was killed in a car accident caused by her stepfather after leaving an after school program. The stepfather had reportedly been drinking the entire day when he picked up the young victim, and he crashed his Chevy pickup into a tree after failing to negotiate a turn. The stepfather fled on foot, leaving his stepdaughter trapped and very seriously injured. The girl was later pronounced dead at an area medical center.

The stepfather, in this case, pled guilty to leaving the scene of an accident involving death, driving with a revoked license, and aggravated vehicular homicide; he was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Though the stepfather has already been convicted, the mother of the young victim has now filed a civil lawsuit against the Sumner County school board, claiming school officials were negligent in their duties when they allowed the girl to leave school with an intoxicated step-parent who apparently was not on the approved transportation list. In addition, the suit claims that the school’s

Unity program leader smelled alcohol on the stepfather’s breath but allowed the little girl to go instead of contacting the mother.The mother hopes that by filing this lawsuit, she may prevent future tragedies from happening to other students.

In the event, a family member or loved one dies unexpectedly, the first question that may be asked by surviving relatives is “could the death have been prevented?” If you are a Tennessee resident who has lost a loved one in an unexpected accident that you feel was caused by the negligence of another party, the wrongful death lawyers in Chattanooga with Massey & Associates, P.C. can help. We aim to hold any at-fault parties legally accountable. To see how our legal team can help you during this difficult time, call (423) 697-4529 for a free consultation.