This is insane...

Jstas

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-07-27-wrongway-ny-crash-suit_n.htm

Basically, the dude on the right in this picture:



is Daniel Schuler. He's the widower of the late Diane Schuler who, in a drunken and high stupor, drove a minivan bearing Daniel's offspring as well as Diane's brother, Warren Hance's children, Emma, 8, Alyson, 7, and Kate, 5, the wrong way down the Taconic State Parkway where they collided with an SUV occupied by Michael Bastardi Sr., Guy Bastardi and Daniel Longo. All parties involved were killed except for Daniel's son Bryan who is now disable.

Daniel, seems to believe that his wife was not at fault and is now suing the state as well as Diane's brother, Warran Hance, who owned the minivan she used to kill or injure 9 people with, for negligence and culpability.

Know what else? A relative of one of the victims in the SUV is suing the sister of the SUV's driver, alleging that the late driver's estate bears some responsibility for him being hit head-on by Diane Schuler.

Wrong-way driver's husband sues state, others over crash
By Colin Gustafson, The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News

The husband whose wife killed herself and seven others in a horrific wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway is suing the state, claiming poor highway upkeep and signage are solely to blame.

Toxicology reports released days after the July 26, 2009, collision determined Diane Schuler of Long Island, N.Y., was drunk and high when she crashed her minivan into an SUV occupied by three men.

But her husband, Daniel Schuler, contends it was the state's "negligence, carelessness and recklessness" in its design and maintenance of the highway that "solely" caused fatal injuries to his daughter, Erin, 2.

His lawsuit, filed Monday in the New York Court of Claims, is on behalf of the estate of Erin and his son, Bryan, 5, the sole survivor.

In a separate lawsuit, Dean and Angela Tallarico, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, sued the estate of wife Diane Schuler on Friday in state Supreme Court, arguing that she bears the responsibility.

Schuler claims that the state "negligently allowed" unsafe conditions; "failed to properly mark and/or delineate the appropriate lanes"; and failed to put up proper warning signs such as flashing arrows, barriers and cones. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages for financial and emotional hardship, noting Bryan Schuler is disabled after the crash.

Also killed were the three occupants of the SUV: Michael Bastardi Sr., Guy Bastardi and Daniel Longo of Yonkers.

Michael Bastardi Jr., who lost his father and brother in the crash, said Tuesday that Daniel Schuler is blaming "everything and everyone except his wife."

"He's just avoiding the true reasons on why this all happened," the younger Bastardi said. "It's pathetic and it's an insult to all of us."

Daniel Schuler's attorney, Kevin Grennan, did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

The New York Post reported Tuesday that Daniel Schuler also filed a separate lawsuit last week in state Supreme Court against Warren Hance, whose daughters Emma, 8, Alyson, 7, and Kate, 5, were killed. That case argues that because Hance owned the minivan that Diane Schuler was driving, he is in part liable, according to the Post.

The Journal News could not independently confirm the Post report Tuesday.

Kevin Conklin, a Mamaroneck lawyer representing the Bastardi estate, declined to comment on the possible lawsuit against Hance.

In the Tallaricos' lawsuit, attorney Steven Grant said Tuesday that the Freehold, N.Y., couple still suffers from "physical and obviously psychological injuries" two years after the crash.

Grant declined to specify the type of injuries his clients received, saying only that they "pale in comparison to the real tragedy of the day," referring to those who were killed.

In late 2009, Michael Bastardi Jr.'s sister Roseann Guzzo filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Schuler's estate and Hance. Depositions still have not been taken.

Last month, Longo's brother, Joseph, also sued, not just Schuler's estate and Hance, but also Guzzo, alleging that Guy Bastardi bore some of the responsibility for the crash. Guzzo's lawyer, John Kelly, recently told The Journal News he wouldn't expect anyone to prove negligence on Bastardi's part.

"You can't blame the driver of a car that's hit by someone driving the wrong way," Kelly said.

"The signs aren't the problem on the highway. It's the people who drink and drive," Guzzo said.

A spokesman with the state Department of Transportation did not return a phone call regarding Schuler's claim.

It's enough to make Jesus, Himself cry.

SDA1C

Everyone is suing because there's a movie on the horizon. Pretty typical these days I'd say.:frown:

Ron-P

Well, this just goes to show the direction society is heading, putting the blame on anything and everyone else rather than on one's self. Sadly it's getting more and more like this.

Joe08867

Not to mention she was drunk and high at the time of the accident.

But it's not here fault.

WTF!!!!

Have we all gone mad?????

tonyb

Ron-P wrote: »

Well, this just goes to show the direction society is heading, putting the blame on anything and everyone else rather than on one's self. Sadly it's getting more and more like this.

Very true, and that mentality is widespread for sure.

cstmar01

The movie will be called the Sued because well its that dumb.

WilliamM2

Maybe we should all sue. I was traumatized when I heard the story. I'm now afraid to drive drunk and high while in the wrong lane with a carload of kids. Someone should pay for that!!!

tonyb

WilliamM2 wrote: »

Someone should pay for that!!!

Jstas should....for posting such a story that mentaly turned us all into marshmellows.:biggrin:

shawn474

John, there is an HBO special on it that I watched last night. Sad as hell what happened. I didn't get to watch the whole thing but have it on DVR to finish.

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/theres-something-wrong-with-aunt-diane/index.html

The medical examiner claimed her BAC was .19 and that she had high levels of THC in her system. Her husband and sister dispute those findings but offer no reason why she had those levels in her system. Seems just like a terrible tragedy and mistake and the families are blinded by the incredible grief.

Jstas

tonyb wrote: »

Jstas should....for posting such a story that mentaly turned us all into marshmellows.:biggrin:

I don't have any money.

Jstas

shawn474 wrote: »

John, there is an HBO special on it that I watched last night. Sad as hell what happened. I didn't get to watch the whole thing but have it on DVR to finish.

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/theres-something-wrong-with-aunt-diane/index.html

The medical examiner claimed her BAC was .19 and that she had high levels of THC in her system. Her husband and sister dispute those findings but offer no reason why she had those levels in her system. Seems just like a terrible tragedy and mistake and the families are blinded by the incredible grief.

That is even sadder that there is a documentary on it.

mrbiron

stuwee

That's almost as bad as the man in Australia on a business trip gets a hooker, during the act, the overhead lamp falls and hits him on the head causing numerous abrasions and a 'supposed' concussion, he's suing his employer for on the job related injuries, stating he was in fact, working at the time. The hooker testified this was true, and the jury awarded the settlement. :rolleyes: