Caitlyn Jenner Pays $800,000 to Settle Lawsuit from Family Injured in 2015 Malibu Crash
Caitlyn Jenner Pays $800,000 to Settle Lawsuit from Family Injured in 2015 Malibu Crash
Caitlyn Jenner has agreed to pay $800,000 to a family of five that was injured in a 2015 crash in Malibu. According to a news report in the Daily Mail, Jenner rear ended a Lexus driven by Kim Howe sending the woman’s car into oncoming traffic when it struck a Hummer H2 driven by Peter Millesi-Wolf, which was carrying four of his family members. Howe died at the scene. Jenner will pay $100,000 each to Peter and Lea Wold-Millesi and another $50,000 to each of their two sons, one of whom was only four weeks old at the time of the crash.
Severe Injuries Sustained
The biggest payout, $500,000, goes to the grandmother, 73-year-old Elga Maurer. Jenner has already settled a lawsuit brought by Howe’s stepchildren. Maurer was sitting in the back of the Hummer when the crash occurred and sustained a cervical spine fracture to her neck. Peter Millesi-Wolf, a Grammy-nominated pianist and composer, suffered nerve damage to both his hands and wrists while his wife, a model and lyricist, sustained injuries to her legs, neck and back.
According to the report, insurance will pay a part of the settlement and Jenner will be required to cover about $250,000 in attorneys’ fees. Jenner is not facing criminal charges in connection with this crash, but an investigation by the LA County Sheriff’s Office found that she was driving too fast, a finding that opened her up to blame in civil lawsuits. In addition, Jenner filed a lawsuit relating to the car crash accusing paparazzi photographers of distracting her.
Resorting to the Civil Justice System
This car accident case involving Caitlyn Jenner is an example of how injured victims can seek justice and fair compensation through the civil courts even if the defendant has not been criminally charged. The standard to prove criminal negligence (that the defendant was negligent with intent) can be extremely challenging. However, in the civil courts, the bar to prove negligence is not as high.
This is why victims and their families may have a much better chance of obtaining compensation and holding the wrongdoers accountable in the civil justice system. As one can see in this case, the family suffered life-changing consequences as a result of an accident that occurred in a fraction of a second. We hope this settlement helps them move forward and heal physically and emotionally..
