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Death of man struck by train leads to 'bizarre' civil case (Injury by flying body parts!)
The Chicago Tribune ^ | December 29, 2011 | Steve Schmadeke

Posted on 12/29/2011 11:28:30 AM PST by CedarDave

Ruling in what it called a "tragically bizarre" case, an appeals court found that the estate of a man killed by a train while crossing the Edgebrook [Illinois] Metra station tracks can be held liable after a part of his body sent airborne by the collision struck and injured a bystander.

In 2008, Hiroyuki Joho, 18, was hurrying in pouring rain with an umbrella over his head, trying to catch an inbound Metra train due to arrive in about five minutes when he was struck by a southbound Amtrak train traveling more than 70 mph.

A large portion of his body was thrown about 100 feet on to the southbound platform, where it struck Gayane Zokhrabov, then 58, who was waiting to catch the 8:17 a.m. train to work. She was knocked to the ground, her leg and wrist broken and her shoulder injured.

A Cook County judge dismissed Zokhrabov's lawsuit against Joho's estate, finding that Joho could not have anticipated Zokhrabov's injuries.

A state appeals court, after noting that the case law involving "flying bodies" is sparse, has disagreed, ruling that "it was reasonably foreseeable" that the high-speed train would kill Joho and fling his body down the tracks toward a platform where people were waiting.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: amtrak; bizarre; chicago; illinois; proximatecausation; trains; wgids
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Zokhrabov's attorney said that while the circumstances were "very peculiar and gory and creepy," it ultimately was a straightforward negligence case.
1 posted on 12/29/2011 11:28:34 AM PST by CedarDave
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To: CedarDave

Have we heard from any of the candidates their position on tort reform?


2 posted on 12/29/2011 11:32:38 AM PST by NonValueAdded ("At a time like this, we can't afford the luxury of thinking!")
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To: CedarDave

I understand she is suing for an arm and a leg.

Hey Now!....tip your waitresses people...I’ll be here all week.


3 posted on 12/29/2011 11:35:43 AM PST by RoarkMan (no tag line entered)
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To: CedarDave

Why would his family be liable? This makes no sense.


4 posted on 12/29/2011 11:37:24 AM PST by Alissa
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To: CedarDave

Cases like this should be thrown out of court. You see the train coming, you see lights flashing. The fact that he had an umbrella is a distraction. He tried to beat the train and lost.


5 posted on 12/29/2011 11:37:24 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: CedarDave
The man made a record breaking post-mortem flying tackle. He's guilty of negligently being killed. Or something.
6 posted on 12/29/2011 11:41:11 AM PST by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: Alissa

Apparently young Mr. Joho should have been able to anticipate that if he were to accidently be hit by an oncoming train as a result of poor judgement on his part, that flying body-parts (his) would be dangerous and might hit and injure innocent bystanders.

I think that’s it.


7 posted on 12/29/2011 11:45:12 AM PST by SuzyQue
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To: count-your-change

intentional grounding, loss of down and 15 yard penalty.


8 posted on 12/29/2011 11:46:21 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB (Congress: Looting the future to bribe the present.)
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To: Alissa
Why would his family be liable? This makes no sense.

I imagine its the same as driving too fast for conditions on an icy road, lose control and crash into another car. You are responsible for the injuries you cause, even though you may have been killed in the crash, and your estate can be sued for damages.

9 posted on 12/29/2011 11:46:44 AM PST by CedarDave
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To: Alissa

His family isn’t liable, his estate is. He was grossly negligent and an innocent person was injured as a result of his negligence. That person has a claim against his estate.


10 posted on 12/29/2011 11:47:14 AM PST by iowamark
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To: CedarDave

It’s Illinois, so now he can vote democrat in 3 different places at once.


11 posted on 12/29/2011 11:48:25 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB (Congress: Looting the future to bribe the present.)
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To: Alissa

It’s his estate, not his family that is responsible; a subtle difference in the case of an 18 year-old perhaps. Sad all around though


12 posted on 12/29/2011 11:51:13 AM PST by muir_redwoods (No wonder this administration favors abortion; everything they have done is an abortion)
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To: Alissa

“Why would his family be liable? This makes no sense.”

Sorry, but if you do something stupid, killing yourself and a family member of mine, I’m going after your estate.


13 posted on 12/29/2011 11:52:03 AM PST by trumandogz (If Rick Perry cannot secure his name on the Va. ballot, how could he be trusted to secure America?)
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To: CedarDave

What would Mrs. Paslgraff say??


14 posted on 12/29/2011 11:54:18 AM PST by Wallop the Cat
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To: CedarDave

If he hadn’t already lost his ass to the train, he sure as hell lost it in court. /:8^)

I’ve got a million of them. BAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ED


15 posted on 12/29/2011 11:58:06 AM PST by husky ed (FOX NEWS ALERT "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead" THIS HAS BEEN A FOX NEWS ALERT)
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To: CedarDave

Anything to get ahead...


16 posted on 12/29/2011 11:58:06 AM PST by Lando Lincoln (But that's just me.)
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To: Wallop the Cat
Looks like the Illinois Court adopted the reasoning of the dissent in the Palsgraf case.

Etiam non princeps sed usque ad genua, Principis Pacis!
17 posted on 12/29/2011 11:58:40 AM PST by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines RVN 1969 - St. Michael the Archangel defend us in Battle!)
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To: trumandogz

So now standing by the wayside minding your own business is “doing something stupid?”


18 posted on 12/29/2011 11:59:35 AM PST by Wallop the Cat
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To: WOBBLY BOB
Amtrac can sue the man's estate too since he caused mental distress to the crew, why...I can sue him since I feel bad just reading about it, Everybody can file a lawsuit!

In ten years I expect my share of his damaged umbrella.

19 posted on 12/29/2011 12:00:56 PM PST by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: Alissa

His family would not be liable, his estate would be. It was his negligence just before he was gathered to his people that was the cause of the lady’s injuries.


20 posted on 12/29/2011 12:07:06 PM PST by Busywhiskers ("Once you have wrestled, everything else in life is easy" -Dan Gable)
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