Hiring A Car Accident Attorney Yields $100K Settlement for Family of Man Killed in Car Crash

The parents of a 20-year-old Missouri man who was killed in August of 2016 when his car was struck head-on by another driver has reached a $100,000 settlement in a wrongful death case filed by the family.

The victim, Graden Lovelace, of New Haven, Mo., was driving eastbound on U.S. 50 near the Business 50 West junction in Moniteau County when his car was struck by a car being driven by Joshua F. Blankenship of Sedalia, according to a Nov. 17 story by The News Tribune of Jefferson City, Mo. Blankenship’s car had crossed the centerline of the highway before striking Lovelace’s car.

The impact of the crash caused both cars to erupt in flames and Lovelace was pronounced dead at the scene, the paper reported. Blankenship, who is now 29, received serious injuries in the crash and was taken to a hospital. Lovelace was wearing a seatbelt in his car, while Blankenship did not, according to a Missouri State Patrol report.

The $100,000 settlement was approved by a Moniteau County judge, while Blankenship still faces a charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter in connection with the crash that killed Lovelace. The manslaughter case is scheduled for a hearing in December after he was named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Lovelace’s father in February.

In a related civil suit, Lovelace’s parents, James Lovelace and Shonda Boyer, are suing two Jefferson City, Mo., bars, Spectators and The Mission, alleging that they served alcohol to Blankenship on the night of the crash even though he was already visibly intoxicated.

Under the Dram Shop Act, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol can be sued when damages, injuries or deaths are caused by visibly intoxicated individuals who were served alcoholic drinks in those establishments.

Legal cases like this one occur around the nation every day and are examples of similar kinds of car crash cases that MyPhillyLawyer attorneys regularly work on tirelessly for our own clients. Often, we are not able to discuss the cases we are actively working on due to confidentiality requirements, so we discuss other relevant cases in the news such as this one to illustrate the legal situations people find themselves in every day.

When you need a car accident lawyer, we here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in any kind of fall, workplace injury, wrongful death or car crash in Philadelphia or anywhere in the United States. We pledge to make sure that you and your family get the compassionate, dogged and experienced legal representation that you deserve and expect from a professional legal team which works hard to uncover every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Talk to a Philadelphia car crash attorney at MyPhillyLawyer by calling 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

When Winning Matters Most, Call MyPhillyLawyer.

Listen to Court Radio every Sunday at 7 a.m. with me, attorney Dean Weitzman of MyPhillyLawyer, on Philadelphia’s Old School 100.3 WRNB, Boom 103.9 or on Praise 107.9 WPPZ FM. Listen to Court Radio online or on the radio every week for the latest on legal topics and to get answers to your legal questions. In addition to addressing the topical issues of the day, we’ll answer caller questions on a wide range of legal issues.