What Came First? The Wrongful Death Lawsuit or the DUI Manslaughter Case?
Drunk driving often leads to criminal charges, but if a driver causes an accident while driving under the influence of alcohol, the people injured in the accident also have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. Fatality DUI collisions can result in a DUI manslaughter conviction for the driver, as well as a wrongful death lawsuit. Usually, the criminal case resolves before the civil case does. If the driver pleads guilty to the criminal charges or is convicted at trial, it is an automatic win for the plaintiffs, but if the driver is acquitted or pleads no contest, there is still a chance that the civil court might rule in favor of the driver that caused the accident. Of course, nothing goes as expected in Florida. A man who caused a fatal accident in 2010 continues to appeal his conviction for DUI manslaughter, but he long ago paid an eight-figure settlement to the victim’s family. If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident and need help navigating the legal labyrinth, contact a Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney.
At Fault Driver Continues to Insist That There Is Reasonable Doubt About His Guilt, Even After Paying Multimillion Dollar Settlement to Victim’s Family
John Bailey Goodman was once a local celebrity. He was a professional polo player and the heir to a fortune arising from his father’s household appliance business in Texas. The younger Goodman owned a polo club in Palm Beach County. One night in 2010, he was driving near his club, when he ran a stop sign and collided with Scott Patrick Wilson’s car. The collision caused Wilson’s car to land upside down in a lake, and Wilson drowned. He was 23 years old.
Wilson’s parents hired a lawyer to help them pursue a wrongful death claim. They eventually received a $40 million settlement. The money came from insurance, not from Goodman’s personal assets. Meanwhile, Goodman’s criminal case dragged on for years.
Goodman was convicted of vehicular homicide in 2012 and received a 16-year prison sentence, but he appealed. In 2013, the court ordered a new trial and allowed Goodman to post bail, so he could be free while his appeal was pending. He posted $7 million bail and remained on house arrest until his 2014 trial, which also resulted in a conviction. In 2023, he again requested a new trial, after spending several years in prison; the judge did not count the time he had spent on house arrest as part of his sentence. In February 2024, the judge refused Goodman’s request for a new trial. Perhaps he believes that, even though there is sufficient evidence for the insurance company to pay the victim’s family millions of dollars, there is still reasonable doubt about his guilt.
Set Up a Consultation Today
A personal injury lawyer can help you get justice in a drunk driving accident case. Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-9919 to explore your potential recovery options today.
Source:
wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/wellington/john-goodman-twice-convicted-of-dui-manslaughter-denied-new-trial
