Victim's Husband Sues Brandy Over Fatal Crash

106. 101. #6

How can you say that? A husband has lost his wife and children have lost their mother, and you wrote, "they just act like they can't get on with their life." Well, maybe it is difficult. I've never lost someone so close, but I can only imagine how hard it would be. Children NEED their mother. A husband trying to raise children NEEDS his wife. Their family - all that they knew - came to a screeching halt. It is incredible to me that you say they are just "in it for the money." What else can Brandy do for them? She can't bring the dead mother and wife back. She can only compensate them monetarily. And they have financial needs. I have two children (maybe you don't - I don't know), and it costs a lot of money to raise children. It is hard and I cannot imagine doing it alone. Add the financial burden of losing an income, and the stress could be overwhelming.

So, yes, the family is entitled to sue Brandy. I would do the same. And saying that they deserve reimbursement for funeral expenses only is saying that the woman's life had zero value. Can you place a dollar value on life - no, not really. However, an economist could surely testify as to loss of earnings by not having the mother's income, services (cooking, cleaning, child care). And there is the immeasurable loss of not having your mother there to tuck you in at night as a small child, not there to watch your baseball games, not there at your school awards banquet or your graduation, wedding and any other big event in your life. It is a void. An enormous void whether that void was caused by accident or not.

Negative comments on this board against the family show a real lack of compassion toward someone who has already suffered a tremendous loss. I also feel sorry for Brandy, because I'm sure she feels terrible and that it was an accident. However, she cannot change the past. This law suit, however, should not be viewed as a negative against the deceased's family.

Posted at 2:00PM on May 4th 2007 by JZ

**** What a beautiful and eloquent posting!!!

Posted at 2:50PM on May 4th 2007 by Julie

107. 97.
First of all I would like to say this was an ACCIDENT it could have happened to ANYBODY & EVERYBODY......its tragic that someone died but again accidents happen and sometimes people die in accidents....i agree w/ most of you who say that they are only suing her b/c she is a celebrity....$50 million get real....who has that kind of money...what if this happened to an ordinary joe.....would they still be suing for $50 million...i doubt that a suit would even be filed.....i doubt that anybody would have given it any attention, it would have just been classifed as another accident which caused death end of story.
I agree that the victims family should not be 'put out' for the expenses of the funeral & hospital etc. but suing for $50 mil is going a little overboard.....just b/c your wife was killed by a celebrity who may or may not have this kind of cash doesnt automatically entitle you to become a millionaire.....if you want to be a millionaire try 'DEAL OR NO DEAL'......
i'm sure that brandy feels bad enough about this whole situation as it is making her pay money isnt going to solve anything.....it doesnt bring back this dude's wife and it wont stop future traffic accidents from occuring.

Posted at 1:08PM on May 4th 2007 by Kris

Kris - you are pathetic and I pray that you never have to go throught what this family is going through. Truly.......you are heartless.

Posted at 2:53PM on May 4th 2007 by Becky

108. 66. In California - almost everyone in a car accident is sued - no matter how it happened. Everyone here wants what I call "lotto by lawsuit". Even the average person gets sued here and if the driver is traveling alone and the other car has more than one person - the lawsuit amount escalates.

We even have jerks who sue cities and counties for "bad road design" when their drunk driver family member runs through a stop sign, stop light or railroad crossing and gets killed. The problem is the lawyers and the judges that don't throw this crap out.

And not to be mean - but a person who worked as a file clerk making 25K a year doesn't have a lawsuit value of $50MM. As a matter a fact, I think they shouldn't be able to sue for more than the individual could buy a life insurance policy for...and trust me, it would be hard to get an insurance company to underwrite a $1MM policy for someone making 25K... again, I don't mean to sound heartless...after all, someone did die and that is a loss to the family.



Posted at 1:09AM on May 4th 2007 by janis joplin


~~~~~ What an ignorant post. A human life is not LESS valued if they make less money. So what if someone is killed when they are young and are making less money. I earned my degree later in life and my income went up substantially. This poor lady never had the chance to make more money, as she's buried. Brandy said "it's my fault" over and over at the accident with witnesses. She's already paid for a few expenses. Anyone in this situation with young children would sue.......... You'd spin this differently if it was YOUR husband or family killed. GROW UP

Posted at 2:58PM on May 4th 2007 by Rebecca

109. Wait a stinking minute! Don't be so quick to let her off the hook so quick. She didn't slow down, she didn't stop, she didn't move out of the frikken way, she just plowed right into them! That's good she's getting sued. 65 MPH and you couldnt even see the car in front of you? So you just plow right into them, is that the answer? Stupid Brandy. I hope this ruins your career you talentless piece of crap. You killed someone.

Posted at 3:18PM on May 4th 2007 by DUDE

110. To the never ending posts by Marty Columbus OHIO.... to how many different sites are you going to post that lame support of Paris Hilton? I think by now we all get it, you like her. Now, please just let it go, you're not going to convince me to buy anything from her.

Posted at 3:17PM on May 4th 2007 by sk8rgurl

111. My spelling and grammar are usually not that bad. I was typing so fast out of frustration. God please forgive me! Everyone likes to put blame on lawyers because of this image that has been created.
I would like any one of you to go through something like this and then see how much you appreciate what lawyers do for victims.
A very close friend of ours was hit by a drunk driver 5 yrs ago. The driver was an illegal Alien with no insurance. Our friend lived for three weeks and subsiquently died from her injuries. After 3 yrs of fighting with his own insurance company her husband recieved a lousy 25,000. Her medical bills alone totaled a little over 3 mil. He is now bankrupt with 7 yr old twins to raise on his own. They lost their home, a wife, a mother and everything they knew. By the way, the drunk driver served 2 months and was deported. Without his lawyer fighting the insurance company he would have recieved their 1st offer of 12,000. Tell me, how is that fair?
Yes lawyers do make $$ on cases. sometimes they work up to 16hr days on their cases. They go to school for seven yrs to be able to do what they do. I would like to see any of you try to do it yourselves.

Posted at 3:30PM on May 4th 2007 by Angelina

112. #104 Thank you.

#66 "Janis Joplin"

Your opinion seems to hinge on the fact that the mother earned a meager $25,000 per year. You obviously know nothing about economics. This was a fairly young woman with a life expectancy of quite a few more years. Assuming she worked to 65 (which the SS Adm. now expects many will), she'd have plenty more years ahead of her multiplied by $25,000 annually plus the cost of living raises. And perhaps this woman was furthering her education (do we know?), which could have increased her earning potential greatly.

In addition, there is loss of consortium. That is the legal term for her husband's loss of companionship. He has also lost his partner and is tasked with all of the cooking, cleaning, child care, etc., etc., etc.

There is, as I posted earlier, the childrens' enormous loss of not having the benefit of growning up with their mother. What in the world is that worth? Hmmm. It is hard to put a price tag on that.

Is all of that combined worth $55 million? I don't know. Perhaps a jury should decide that. However, the fact that you base this woman's "worth" on her salary of $25,000 annually speaks volumes about you! She was a human being whose life was cut very short. I cannot image being ripped away from my children. I wouldn't have wanted to die before I had children but I must say - now that I'm a mother - I worry what would happen to my children if something happened to me. It changes EVERYTHING.

This family is entitled to compensation. And, yes, above and beyond what this woman earned in a single year. Just add up $25,000 per year for 35 years and see what you come up with! AND that excludes so much more economic benefit. Get your facts together before you start "deciding" what that poor family should or shouldn't be entitled to. The reality is that NO ONE should have to suffer what happened to them, including YOU! However, you were fortunate enough not to be in their shoes. I challenge you to THINK about that.

Posted at 3:33PM on May 4th 2007 by JZ

113. I've driven the 405 for 30 years. This was a horrible accident. 65 is the legal speed limit and is actually much slower than most people drive!!!! Brandy is a victim, she hit a stopped car in the middle of one the most busy freeways in the country. No one could be prepared for a completely stopped vehicle in the middle of a busy freeway. The DA needs to think very hard about what it's really like to drive the 405 and not react to her celebrity status. Sometimes accidents happen

Posted at 11:08PM on May 4th 2007 by LA Driver

114. Brandy DID NOT touch that woman's car! She hit another car, which then hit another car, and so on. To go after the celebrity in a pile-up is absolutely WRONG! That's singling out one person because they are a celebrity. How about the other people that caused the pile-up? I hope the family doesn't get a DIME over the insuarnce policy. Greed is a sin An accident isn't.

Posted at 4:08AM on May 5th 2007 by Mr Rogers

115. Amen.....la driver and mr rogers

Posted at 8:33AM on May 5th 2007 by jodinflorida

116. #112 JodinFlorida

You clearly don't understand insurance law. You could have a brain injury, broken back, two broken legs, multiple surgeries, etc. caused by someone else's negligence. However, you are entitled to the policy limits. Such serious injuries could require multiple surgeries, long hospital admissions, rehabilitation and permanent impairment. And, yes in Florida, you would be entitled to the policy limits of the at-fault driver. And if that driver only carrier $25,000 in BI coverage (bodily injury), then that is what his/her carrier would be obligated to pay you. Then, you could (only if you carrier what is known as UM - under or uninsured motorists coverage) make a claim against your own carrier because the at-fault driver didn't carry enough insurance.

Even if the limits for each were 100k for a total of 200k, that wouldn't begin to touch your medical bills. And even if your insurance carrier paid those bills, they legally have a right of subrogation - which legally means that they are entitled to make a claim against your case for reimbursement of medical bills paid.

That has nothing to do with the inability or the ability of the lawyer. It has everything to do with the law. And the law allows people to carry very little insurance. One's only recourse is to sue the tortfeasor (at-fault driver), which in this case Brandy is in the unique ability to kick in to the settlement. And she should.

YOU do not understand the system, and YOU are speaking out of utter ignorance. You should be approaching lawmakers to change the laws if you are so displeased. However, it is clear that you don't even understand the process of which you are so unhappy with. California may be slightly different, but perhaps only slightly. Nonetheless, this family has suffered a loss. A significant loss whether you like lawyers or not.

And if you ever find yourself bed ridden because of someone else's negligence, I know (and don't post otherwise because it will only be B.S.), you'll call a LAWYER to help you. Yes, there are bad lawyers. There are bad doctors too. And bad people in all professions. However, thank goodness there is a system where people can seek to gain some relief when something so terrible happens to them.

So everyone posting here who thinks the family should be oh so noble and leave Brandy alone, I will attempt to get a mailing address so that YOU can send in money to help support this family - especially you JodinFlorida. Yeah, that's what I thought. You love to run your mouth about what you "think," but aren't willing to contribute.

Posted at 9:43AM on May 5th 2007 by JZ

117. this is so retarded it's not like getting all that money is going to revive her forget 50 million i'd give then 50 thousand

Posted at 2:20PM on May 5th 2007 by Daisy

118. JZ.....you idiot....i never said a single thing about insurance laws or what is covered when something terrible happened.......i would never send a contribution to help someone who at a time you would think would be devastasted, immediately jumped on the sue wagon....you don't seem to understand.....this man does not have to pay any of the bills......if the at fault drivers insurance, his own insurance, and possibly life insurance policy don't cover expenses, he can file bankruptcy.....oh, by the way, i may have to consult with an attorney at some point in my life, but i have personally been involved in two traumatic instances that were not my fault, and have never spoken to an attorney in my life......95% of lawyers need to be shot!!!!!!

Posted at 10:37PM on May 5th 2007 by jodinflorida

119. Come on people....It was an ACCIDENT!!!!! I'm sure she has vehicle insurance that will cover any medical & funeral expenses. Neither the Husband or Parents are going to have to pay for anything. Yes, a woman died, but Brandy wasn't drunk or on drugs....It was an ACCIDENT. It could happen to anybody. She is doing everything necessary to cooperate with the police and she has even said she was sorry...It's not like she doesn't know she was responsible for this womans death. And one more thing...do yall really know how much money she has????
KEEP YOUR HEAD UP BRANDY...EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT.

Posted at 12:38AM on May 8th 2007 by SWEETNESS

120. #118 JodinFlorida

I realize you didn't say a thing about insurance coverage, because it is clear that you don't understand the system which you are attacking. Your original post mentioned that "all lawyers should be shot." That statement alone says a lot about you, but it also reveals that you think the lawyers make the law and are, therefore, responsible for a system that you don't understand or agree with. And they don't. So it is laughable that you call someone else an idiot. You are ignorant in the true sense of the word.

And I know you wouldn't send money to this family. Thank you for admitting this, Captain Obvious. Your writing reveals how cold and selfish you are. And, no, it isn't believable for a minute that you have had "traumatic" things like this happen to you. Otherwise, you'd understand. Or perhaps you just have a lack of humanity. Either way, you are lacking important insight into what life is all about.

And, for your information, the accident occurred on December 30, 2006. Now, several months ago. The first lawsuit was filed on January 30. What waiting period would be sufficient for you? How many missed paychecks would the husband have to live without before YOU, a non-contributor, would "feel good" about a lawsuit? Perhpas he and his children would like to eat now, instead of months or years later, imbecile. The electric bill comes every month, so does rent or mortgage and daycare is paid on a weekly basis.

Your comments are ridiculous. If you are going to take a position, know why you are taking that position. Don't post a lot of crap about what you think, believe or feel with no facts to back it up. It outs you as the idiot!

Oh yes, and I assume you are now well versed in bankruptcy law, since you know that he could "just file bankruptcy." And what damage would that do? What impact would that have? You fail to realize that this would further bolster his claim against Brandy, by having this accident force him into financial ruin. So, yes, you are the only idiot here. Thanks for proving that yet again.

Posted at 10:05PM on May 6th 2007 by JZ