The family of a Bradley University sophomore, who died more than three years ago in a fatal college prank, has settled a wrongful death lawsuit with three of his roommates.

According to papers filed in Peoria County Circuit Court, the family of Sheridan Dahlquist will receive $300,000 from insurance policies held by his roommates Ryan Johnson and Nicholas Mentgen, as well as Mentgen’s parents, Ronald and Jeanne Mentgen. The insurance policy of David Crady, who also lived at the house, will pay out $100,000, for a total settlement of $700,000.

The lawsuit, filed in August 2009, alleged negligence and “willful and wanton misconduct,” claiming the four friends “disregarded the safety and welfare of [Dahlquist] and started a fire in [his] bedroom…” The four roommates had been drinking with Dahlquist and playing pranks with fireworks the night of his death. The three men stuck two roman candles beneath Dahlquist’s bedroom door and shot about 10 balls of fire into the room. The room caught fire and Dahlquist was killed.

For more information on wrongful death lawsuits, please contact the Pennsylvania Wrongful Death Attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., by calling 610-667-7511.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the maker of the well-known alcoholic energy drink Four Loko.

According to court documents, a Florida couple has filed a lawsuit against the drinks’ manufacturer, Phusion Projects, claiming their son fatally shot himself after drinking three cans of the beverage. The lawsuit contends that Florida State University sophomore Jason Keiran shot himself after a 30-hour partying binge with his roommates on September 17.

The family’s attorney says “[Keiran] started to act crazy. He pointed the gun at his head and everyone else. He said ‘I realize I’m freaking you guys out, take the gun away from me.’” The 20 year-old FSU student then shot himself.

The medical examiner’s office has yet to determine whether Keiran’s death was an accidental shooting or suicide.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims family and friends.

The child who was struck by a school bus in Pennsylvania last Wednesday has died, police say.

The unidentified boy died Tuesday, the same day he would have finished the first grade. According to officials with the Pennsylvania state police the  six-year-old boy was run over by the same school bus that drove him home. He was struck near his house on Ferncroft lane. Superintendent Lawrence Mussoline said the boy got off the bus a few hundred yards up the street from his house. As the bus started driving  away, he began running alongside it and darted in front of the bus when he saw his mother.

“The entire district is grieving with the family,” Mussoline said. “We are a very large district but we care deeply about each one of our students. This is a very tragic day. Speaking with everyone across the district, heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Upper Uwchlan Police Chief John DeMarco declined to identify the school bus driver. There is no word on whether a wrongful death lawsuit will be filed.

The city of Easton, Pennsylvania, is looking to repeal a court decision that would leave the city itself to pay for a $5 million court settlement.

The city originally opted to settle in the 2005 wrongful death and civil rights case of an accidentally-shot police officer. The slain man was in the police headquarters building when a fellow officer accidentally shot and killed him. While the city settled for $5 million, they also had expected their insurer to pay for the lawsuit. According to the insurer, Scottsdale Insurance Co., they had informed the city numerous times over the years of the case that they would not be responsible for covering the costs of the settlement. Last month, a 3rd Circuit panel of judges agreed, supporting the company’s right to turn down the settlement costs.

The panel cited that the insurance covered civil rights cases, but did not cover work-related injury claims, which described the incident in question.

The city noted that they are repealing the decision, and could look to the Supreme Court if they cannot find a willing appellate court to take the case. Public funds would be used to pay for the settlement’s compensation.

If you or someone you love has been affected by a wrongful death, there may be unconsidered legal options to bring you peace of mind. Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., today by calling 610-667-7511 to discuss your claims with a legal professional.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office is reopening a case that never resulted in any arrests and never turned up a body.

Etan Patz, then 6 years old, went missing on May 25, 1979, and was never seen again. The missing person investigation launched one of the largest missing child campaigns in U.S. history, including the beginning of featuring missing children’s pictures on the back of milk cartons and, on the anniversary of Patz’s disappearance, the first National Missing Children’s Day.

Although investigators were capable of finding significant evidence against Jose Antonio Ramos, a vagrant who dated one of the boy’s babysitters, the evidence was not great enough to convict him. Ramos is currently in prison, serving a sentence of 20 years for sexually abusing a young boy.

The Patz family was able to level a civil suit against Ramos, being rewarded $2 million for the wrongful death of their son. They are optimistic that this cold case can be solved with renewed attention and new investigators.

A wrongful death is enough of a tragedy to go through. Let legal professionals help you with your case today. Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death attorneys of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., today by calling 610-667-7511.

A Las Vegas jury awarded the plaintiff of a malpractice suit $500 million over a case involving the distribution of a sedative that encouraged reusing syringes. The result led to an outbreak of hepatitis C, namely in that of one previous plaintiff from the since-closed Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center was awarded $5.1 million in damages. The suit was leveled against Teva Parenteral Medicines and Baxter Healthcare to provide compensation for the outbreak of the deadly virus.

Some believe that such a suit would influence the already high cost of health care, raising the price of pharmaceuticals for the average customer. Others have argued that these companies can been required to pay such high settlement amounts in lawsuits, as the companies are so large that absorbing the loss should not be a major issue passed on to consumers.

The decision stands to the appealed by Teva and Baxter.

Outbreaks of virulent viruses due to the mistakes of another create nightmarish situations for families and patients. Especially when the cause comes from reused syringes, what seems to be helping can come to destroy. Knowing your rights can protect you and your loved ones in such dire situations. In the worst cases, knowing your rights can protect your claim to compensation and peace of mind. Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., by calling 610-667-7511 today.

Two truck drivers were killed Monday in a 5-vehicle collision on a dangerous stretch of road near Pleasantville, Pa., authorities said. Police said the 40-year-old tractor-trailer driver was hauling tubs of ice cream eastbound down the mountain when he hit the back of a car. The truck fell on its side, slamming into the tanker head-on, authorities said.

The tanker, driven by a 41-year-old man, was carrying refrigerated liquid carbon dioxide. The first truck then hit two more cars that were driving westbound behind the tanker. Authorities said that the driver of the first car suffered major injuries, and the driver of one of the cars following the tanker sustained moderate injuries, but no one in the other car that was hit sustained injuries. It was not made clear if the accident was the result of driver error.

The city of Camden, Penn., has agreed to pay a $2.25M settlement over the wrongful death of three boys. On June 22, 2005, three boys were reported missing, launching a police investigation that included helicopters, boats, and bloodhounds. The three boys were found deceased in the trunk of the car they were playing in.

According to the police, the first responding officer failed to sufficiently search the car itself before moving on to other possible locations. From an admission from the officer, the car itself was not searched internally.

The suit against the city charged the police department with negligence. The settlement stipulated that each family will receive $75,000 for their tragic losses.

A 31-year-old Amish mother and her two young daughters were killed around noon on Saturday in a house fire near New Wilmington, Pa., authorities said. A state fire marshal said it looked like the woman was trying to start a fire in the wood-burning stove when the blaze started.

Authorities found the bodies in the kitchen and adjacent rooms. The father and two nephews, who live with the family, were away at the time of the accident. Authorities have ruled the fire accidental. A passing motorist called to report the fire, but was unable to enter the house because of the heavy smoke. Authorities were unsure as to why the family was unable to escape the home. Firefighters blame the wood-burning stove for the fatal house fire.

A 50-year-old worker died Saturday afternoon in a Bristol Township, Pa., warehouse when a forklift pinned him inside a van, authorities said. The man was operating a forklift, loading cargo into a van when the cargo got jammed, reports say. He got out to adjust the load and the load slipped, authorities said. He had left the forklift in gear, so it lurched forward and trapped him against the load.

Investigators originally thought someone else might have caused the accident and fled the scene, but police later determined that he was alone in the warehouse at the time of the accident. The victim of the workplace accident was already dead when emergency personnel arrived.