The family of Andrew James Canada is suing the Victory Outreach Church for his wrongful death. Canada, 53, died when the church van he was in went off a highway. The driver of the van had been operating the vehicle with a suspended license.
The 15-passenger van lawsuit is alleging multiple counts of negligence. The family says the church should never have allowed him to drive the large vehicle.
The motor vehicle crash occurred in May 2013 while returning from the evangelical congregation’s annual conference. According to the complaint, the driver, Malcolm Purnell, went off the road and lost control of the vehicle. The van then buckled, its windows shattered, and flipped over four times, and ejected nine of its 11 passengers along the interstate. Five men, including Canada, died at the scene. Six others received treatment at local hospitals.
Purnell admitted to police that he had been tired. He said he did not recall whether he fell asleep at the wheel or if something else caused the catastrophic 15-passenger van collision.
15-Passenger Van Crashes
Not everyone can operate a 15-passenger van. These extra large vehicles can be tough to navigate and it is important that the person operating this type of van is experienced and properly trained—especially when responsible for transporting so many people. By virtue of how many passengers a 15-passenger van can hold, the number of injuries and deaths may be numerous, even in a single-vehicle crash.
In Massachusetts, please contact our 15-passenger van law firm today.
Even when used as intended, 15-passenger vans can be dangerous when fully loaded with bags and passengers. This type of van is at higher risk of being involved in a single-auto rollover accident than most vehicles. Overloading can prove deadly.
Aside from training and experience, the driver of a 15-passenger van should be alert, well-rested, sober, and not distracted by text messaging or talking on the cell phone when operating the vehicle. There may be more than one party who should be held liable for what happened to you or your loved on.
Contact Altman & Altman LLP today.
Family of man killed in van crash sues church, Baltimore Sun, June 28, 2014
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