Actor's daughter files suit after California crash

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of Paul Walker's 16-year-old daughter alleging that the Porsche he was a passenger in the night that he and its driver died was defective. The suit claims that the 2005 Carrera GT lacked necessary stability control and had defective rubber fuel lines, and if it had those features, Walker would have survived the crash. An attorney for the girl claimed that the car was dangerous and did not belong on the street.

In response, a representative from Porsche Cars North America said that the company was saddened by the crash, but that reckless driving ultimately caused the accident. A police investigation concluded that the car was going between 80 and 93 miles per hour at the time of the accident, which was unsafe for the road conditions at the time.

The investigation also determined that Walker was not using drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash, he was wearing his seat belt and that there were no mechanical issues with the car. However, the family claims that its investigators determined that the car was going no faster than 71 miles per hour and may have been traveling as slow as 40 miles per hour. They say that the significant damage to the car was caused by the use of weak materials and side bars with poor welds.

Those who have lost a family member in a car accident that was caused by another driver or a mechanical defect may wish to discuss with an attorney the advisability of filing a wrongful death lawsuit. An attorney can often determine who should be held responsible through a review of the police investigation report and other available evidence.