NEW ORLEANS — A widow is suing the U.S. government, alleging its negligence led to the death of her husband in a vehicle crash.
Shinnah Brown filed a lawsuit Nov. 7 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against United States of America, alleging that defendant's employee failed to maintain proper control of a motor vehicle.
According to the complaint, on May 7, 2014, Brown's husband Kirtland A. Rush Jr. was injured in a vehicular accident when U. S. Coast Guard employee Cordell S. Viehweg, who was operating a rented vehicle, negligently collided with Rush's vehicle at an intersection in Orleans Parish. Rush died three days later, the lawsuit states.
As a result of her husband's death, the suit says, Brown was caused to suffer grief, mental anguish and stress, loss of love, consortium and support and hospital, medical and funeral expenses.
The plaintiff alleges the United States' employee failed to yield right of way and failed to see what should have been seen.
Brown seeks trial by jury, compensation for all damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, costs of court and all other relief the court deems appropriate. She is represented by attorney David T. Lawson of Morris Bart LLC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-16157