We would like to say congratulations to D. Scott Carlile & Casey Q. Carlile of Carlile Law Firm LLP for their big win. In 2013, a woman was stabbed to death by her estranged husband with their children in the next room. The couple was conducting a visitation at a local hotel. The perpetrator of this crime was sentenced to 99 years in prison in 2015.
When we think of personal injury cases, we don’t think of murder cases. What brought this case to the personal injury stage? During the attack, the 9-year-old daughter of the victim attempted to dial 911 to get help. The child was not aware that you had to dial 9 and then 911 because they were in a hotel. The child went out into the hallway and attempted to get help from hotel employees but was misunderstood and disregarded. A couple in a neighboring room eventually called for help after hearing disturbing noises.
The family of the victim sued the father as well as the hotel for the victim’s death. An expert trauma surgeon reviewed all of the medical evidence available and his opinion was that the injuries were survivable, but delayed medical care contributed to her death.
The case eventually settled in mediation after a jury verdict. The hotel was held 20% responsible for the amount of $9MM of the $42MM verdict. This case changed our country by the creation of Kari’s Law. The bill signed into law in 2018, requires all multi-line phone systems to allow users to dial 911 directly without dialing any additional digit, prefix, or code.
This law is going to keep us all safer. When emergencies happen seconds count, and this law ensures that no one has to experience the devastating frustration that the victim’s daughter felt and still lives with today.
Everyone here at Advocate Capital, Inc., would like to say thank you to the team at Carlile Law Firm LLP not only for their amazing work for their client but being a part of keeping us all safer when we travel.
Executive Client Manager
