We all watched as tennis star Venus Williams was torched in the press over the car accident in Florida that left one man dead and his wife injured. But the interesting thing is that it turns out she most likely isn’t guilty of anything, and this is going to be an interesting case to watch. Is Venus Williams being sued unfairly?
Last week lawyers for the family suing her demanded phone records for the day of the car accident. What this tells me is that they’re looking for a contributing factor that could implicate Venus Williams. The police have already admitted that she did not do anything they can ticket, despite original reports (which frankly, were irresponsible and sensationalist). Immediate statements claimed Venus Williams had violated the right of way, causing the accident. Police recklessly announced that she was at fault, before reversing course and admitting she was driving lawfully. Oddly enough, it was TMZ that helped set the record straight, not the Palm Beach Gardens police department.
Accounts of the incident through Venus Williams and her attorney describe a situation where she proceeded legally through a green light but was forced to stop in the middle of the intersection due to another car turning in front of her. The surveillance video that caught the car accident from a distance shows exactly how it happened and is in line with the statement.
From the video, it appears that Venus Williams did proceed on green and braked to avoid hitting a car turning in front of her. It’s during this pause where she is struck by the plaintiff, a woman who was driving the car. The plaintiff was injured and her husband was killed during the impact.
Did the family of the deceased decide to sue because the first reports from the police inaccurately accused Venus Williams of being at fault until it was further investigated? After the police retracted their first statement and corrected the record, should the family have dropped their lawsuit?
As both a defense and personal injury attorney, I see both sides of the case. If I had a client come to me after being injured in a car accident, you better believe that I will want to have every factor and possibility explored to make sure my client is represented to the highest possible standard.
But at the same time, I also represent clients like Venus Williams who find themselves on the other end of a very aggressive lawsuit that could easily be considered misguided.
The point worth making is that everyone deserves their day in court. If you feel you’ve been harmed, you don’t have to wonder if you have a case. You don’t have to be your own judge and jury. Talk to an attorney and let them help you decide if you have a case.
At the same time, if you’re sued, you have a right to be defended and have a chance to make a strong case for your defense in court.
Will Venus Williams come out the other side of this case with a win? It’s too soon to tell, but this case is definitely going to be worth watching. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the Palm Beach Gardens police department didn’t end up with more than a slap on the wrist for the mistake of making a statement before the facts were verified.
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