The mother of a 19-year-old girl who was killed in a Tennessee train accident recently filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit, naming several defendants in the case. As reported by WRCBTV.com, the 17-page complaint, filed in Hamilton County Circuit Court recently, names Hennen Restaurant Group LLC, Tim Hennen, Corrine McDonald Hennen, Michael Luhowiak, McDonald Farms LLC, and Norfolk Southern Railway Company as defendants in the lawsuit.
The complaint alleges that the Hennens provided the 19-year-old victim with alcohol at a birthday party at their downtown eatery, and the mother asserts that they knew her daughter was not of legal drinking age because she was an employee of the business. In addition, the complaint notes that Michael Hennen, who was also killed in the train accident, acted negligently when he took the intoxicated 19-year-old to the train tracks and “convinced her to lie down.”
The lawsuit also claims that the poorly lit farm crossing at McDonald Farms also contributed to her daughter’s death, as there was no sign to warn unfamiliar guests on the property that the passing trains would not sound a warning horn. Norfolk Southern and McDonald Farms reportedly entered into an agreement that trains would not blow a whistle or horn as it approached the train crossing.
The mother says because there was no horn blown, neither Hennen nor her daughter were awakened in time to get off the railroad tracks.
Norfolk Southern is also named as a defendant, as the mother claims the engineer and conductor aboard the train did not keep a proper lookout. The lawsuit requests that the estate of Hannah Barnes be awarded $25 million as a result of the wrongful death of the young girl.
Losing a loved one will always be one of the most difficult things a family will experience, and when the loss is unexpected, a family will likely be left with more questions than answers. The wrongful death attorneys in Chattanooga with Massey & Associates, P.C. understand how hard it is to cope with the sudden loss of a loved one, and have the legal knowledge and resources to help conduct a thorough investigation to find answers and hold at-fault parties responsible. To see how we can assist you during this difficult time, please call (423) 396-0720 to schedule a free consultation.
Gary Massey, Jr., is a well-known courtroom advocate practicing law in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Gary is a native of Tennessee who began practicing law in 1998. He graduated from Cumberland School of Law where he was ranked in the top 3% of his class and was an editor of the Cumberland Law Review.
