Accidents happen is the phrase many people use when it comes to auto accident, trucking crashes and motorcycle wrecks. But for a person to die in a non-traffic-related car fire, now that’s a real tragedy. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers representing victims who have been hurt or killed as a result of another person’s negligence, we have seen our share of pain and suffering.
Over the past year or so, car companies such as Toyota, General Motors and Ford have been plagued by numerous safety recalls. Many of these recalls have been initiated by the government following fatal accidents that have taken the lives of many innocent people. Elderly drivers, parents and children, even experienced police officers have died in what some people have said were accidents caused by defective or poorly-designed vehicle components or systems.
In cases involving defective equipment, a products liability suit may be indicated. Depending on the source of the defect, one or more parties may be named as defendants in the suit. For automobiles, a part can be designed by the auto company, but manufactured by a second or third tier supplier.
Last month a sad story came to our attention of a mother of three who died in her family vehicle at home when the car caught fire and burned in the Washington, D.C. area. According to news reports, 37-year-old Ashley Westbrook Turton, was the wife of a senior White House advisor. The incident that took her life occurred on a Tuesday morning in early January.
Based on news articles, Turton’s vehicle was parked mostly inside the family’s garage when reportedly caught fire. According to a D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman, most of the fire was contained to the garage area, however the cause was still under investigation at the time of the article.
Some reports suggest that the fire resulted from what sources said was a slow-speed collision, since there were no apparent skid marks. A neighbor who was interviewed said that the car burst into flames as it was backing out of the driveway behind the family’s home. Reports indicated that the woman was on her way to the airport to catch an early morning flight when the accident occurred around 5am. No one else in the home was hurt as a result.
Lobbyist, mother of three dies in D.C. car fire, WTOP.com, January 10, 2011