The family of Debra Davis has reached a Foxboro, MA wrongful death settlement with Kraft Group over the tragic traffic crash that happened after a concert at Gillette Stadium in 2008. The terms of the deal are confidential.
Davis, a 20-year-old Milton woman, and her friend Alexa Latteo, a 19-year-old Mansfield resident, were killed when the vehicle that Latteo was driving on July 26, 2008 crashed into a tree after the New England Country Music Festival. Both women died in the Foxboro car crash. A third woman riding in the rear seat survived with serious injuries.
Davis’s parents claimed that the stadium’s security was so lax that underage drinkers were able to consume alcohol in the parking lot even though they didn’t have tickets to attend the event. (A policy had been specifically implemented at the stadium in 2007 to deter such behavior.)
Public venues can be held liable for injuries/deaths resulting from negligence by the property owner/manager/staff that could/should have prevented the incident from happening. Security personal are responsible not just for preventing violent crimes and robberies but also ensuring that the rules and regulations are obeyed. When failure to fulfill these obligations cause a safety hazard that results in injury or death, there may be liability found.
The stadium did not serve alcohol to Latteo or Davis, but also it did nothing to make sure minors didn’t drink on its grounds even though underage drinking is illegal.
Dram Shop Liability
It is important to know that there can be liability in Massachusetts when it comes to overserving alcohol or serving liquor to minors if a Boston injury accident results. The Dram Shop liability theory addresses commercial establishments (stadiums, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and country clubs) that served liquor to patrons who already had too much to drink and/or minors who were given alcohol and became inebriated enough to cause injury to a third party. The Social Host Liability theory targets hosts in private homes that overserved liquor to an adult or a drink to a minor who then hurt a third party.
Settlement reached in lawsuit over crash deaths after 2008 concert at Gillette, Boston.com, November 4, 2013
Woman Files $10 Million Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Patriots Following Husband’s Death at Gillette Stadium, NESN/AP, August 21, 2013
More Blog Posts:
MA Judge Allows Lawsuit to Move Forward on Gillette Stadium Fatal Crash, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, December 14, 2012
Halloween is The “Deadliest” Night of the Year for Child Pedestrian Accidents, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 31, 2013
Gordon College Freshman Dies in Car Crash in Lakeville, MA, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, April 3, 2013