Many people in Jefferson, Colorado, heard about the Trayvon Martin case, a situation involving a black teenager who was shot and killed by a man last year. The incident made national headlines and the topic was often seen through the lens of racism, something that many believe was involved in the shooting. Regardless of this, the family filed a wrongful death claim against the homeowners association of the subdivision where Martin was killed. Reports indicate that the teen’s family has chosen to settle and may be receiving a sum of $1 million or more.
The man who shot the teen was in charge of the Neighborhood Watch program for the subdivision. His decision to open fire on Martin has been hotly debated since the incident occurred. Before firing, the man phoned police and informed them that the teen looked suspicious. He was then confronted by Martin and the man said that he shot the teen in self-defense. The investigation reported that Martin was unarmed at the time. The shooter is set to go to trial in June and has been charged with second-degree murder
The civil suit was filed against the homeowners association some time after the shooting, which occurred on February 26 of last year. Reports indicate that a few weeks after the incident, the association acquired an insurance policy valued at $1 million. This is why many are speculating that the wrongful death settlement will be somewhere around this figure. The issue is that the documents declaring the settlement have the value blacked out. This is because the parties involved agreed to have the dollar amount kept secret, a stipulation that can apparently be made during a wrongful death claim.
If you or someone you know has a potential wrongful death claim, a lawyer should be sought out. Legal professionals can help potential plaintiffs determine whether their suits are worth pursuing and how successful they might be.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Trayvon Martin’s family reportedly settles wrongful-death claim,” Michael Mello, April 5, 2013