A paraglider has crashed into the Fox River killing 50 year old Jeffrey Carpenter. HIs wife, Audrey Carpenter, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday in Cook county.
Jeffrey Carpenter went on a mundane paragliding trip near Ottawa, from Skydive Chicago. The everyday flight took a turn for the worst when the paraglider crashed into the river. Jeffrey Carpenter drowned, still in his harness. Audrey Carpenter has filed suit against the pilot for negligence. It is alleged the pilot violated FAA rules by operating the paragliding without sufficient training or experience. Nor did the pilot properly inspect the aircraft before take off. The suit also piloted the craft over water without a proper plan in place which would prevent the craft from sinking, lessening the chance of passengers drowning. Fox River has a strong current; and at the time of the current the water level had reached upwards of 20 feet higher than normal.
The Lawsuit is claiming negligence and wrongful death and seeks upwards of $200,000 in damages. To succeed o a negligence claim, Audrey Carpenter must prove the pilot owed a duty of care to Jeffrey; that the pilot breached said duty and that breach was the cause of the Jeffrey’s death.
A fun trip can easily turn into a nightmare. Our attorney’s at Meyerkord & Kurth have decades of experience dealing with negligence and wrongful death claim. We are willing to stand by you in your darkest hour. If you or a family member is injured do to negligence of another please give us a call at (314) 300-3000 or (800) 391-4318 for a no-obligation assessment of your potential medical malpractice claim.