Thursday, November 26, 2015

Paul Walker’s Father Is Suing Porsche for His Son’s Death


Paul Walker, pictured here in the seminal 2000s film The Fast and the Furious. Photo via Flickr user dfirecop

The father of deceased movie star Paul Walker is suing Porsche over alleged negligence and wrongful death in the high-speed crash that killed the Fast & Furious actor in 2013.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the lawsuit draws upon other cases against the car company over allegedly unsafe features of the Porsche Carrera GT—the model of car Walker was a passenger in when he died.

Aspects such as the car's stability control system and reinforced side doors have been called into question by a number of lawsuits against the car company. Walker's father, who's the executive of his son's estate, launched the lawsuit following a similar one in September from the actor's sister, Meadow Walker.

Walker, who died at age 40, was riding in the car driven by friend Roger Rodas, 38. At some point in the ride in Santa Clarita, California, the car lost control and spun out before careening off a tree and hitting a lamppost. Both men died following impact.

Ride Or Die: A Tribute to Paul Walker

The September lawsuit from Walker's sister claimed wrongful death on the grounds that the seat belts were improperly designed and prevented Walker from escaping the burning wreckage of the Carrera GT. The suit denies claims from the police that the car was travelling over the legal speed limit of 45 MPH at 93 MPH.

Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) responded to the lawsuit earlier this month by dismissing the sister's claims, arguing that car had been "abused and altered," which resulted in Rodas' loss of control.

"PCNA alleges that Mr Walker knowingly and voluntarily assumed all risk, perils and danger in respect to the use of the subject 2005 Carrera GT, that the perils, risk and danger were open and obvious and known to him, and that he chose to conduct himself in a manner so as to expose himself to such perils, dangers and risks, thus assuming all the risks involved in using the vehicle," the Guardian reports.

Walker's father is suing for an unspecified amount in damages.

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