Picture: Handout The family of a women's rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. The gate had been unsecured for the previous two weeks, despite national park requirements that prohibit gates from swinging, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Nakajjigo's family sued the government for the largest federal award ever asked for in both state and national history, according to plaintiffs' attorney Randi McGinn, seeking $140 million in damages. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced . Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. "I'll respond as soon as I'm able," Jenkins said. "You bear no responsibility. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. (Julie Jacobson | AP file photo) A Denver man has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, against the National Park Service after a metal gate at Arches National Park collided collided with his car on June 13, killing his wife. Michaud and his in-laws are asking a federal judge for $140 million. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. Trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Newlywed woman decapitated by car park entrance gate blown open in high Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. The U.S. government has admitted responsibility for Nakajjigos death and for the emotional distress inflicted upon her husband, an attorney for the plaintiffs said. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Michaud said he and Nakajjigo were two weeks shy of closing on a condo when the accident occurred, with hopes of owning a house down the road. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park Awarded $10. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. On June 13, 2020, Nakajjigo, who was riding in the passenger seat as her husband drove them out of the park, was suddenly decapitated when the triangular, metal gate swung around and sliced into their rental car. In pink tops and white pants, women celebrate free period products becoming available in Utahs state buildings, Proposal to boost Utah bar licenses gets smaller with another round of cuts by lawmakers, Moab, Park City cry foul as Utah lawmakers target rules for vacation homes. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. The family had initially sought a total of $270 million in damages, before lowering the amount to $140 -- while the government only wanted to pay $3.5 million. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo's husband and parents initially filed a $270 million claim against the National Park Service in 2021 over her death Family of newlywed woman 'DECAPITATED by metal gate' at Utah national Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. 72 Join Insider . Esther Nakajjigo was driving with her newlywed husband on their honeymoon in Arches when an open road gate was swung by strong winds into their rental car. The wind whipped a metal gate round which sliced through the passenger door of the car and decapitated Esther. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. The lawsuit was filed about a year after Nakajjigo was killed in June 2020, when wind apparently caused the unsecured, metal gate on the parks main road to swing around and strike her and her husbands car, decapitating her. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Ms McGinn described Nakajjigo as a prominent womens rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women around issues such as education and healthcare. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. On June 13, she was needlessly decapitated by a metal gate that swung into the couples car as they were exiting the Arches parking lot on their way to go get ice cream, according to a wrongful death administrative claim exclusively obtained by NBC News. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. At other points, he dabbed at his eyes; he lived like a student before meeting Nakajjigo, he said, but she turned their apartment into a home. SALT LAKE CITY The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. He said he didnt deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgment, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. Family sues after newlywed is killed by gate at Arches park Trial begins for woman decapitated at Arches National Park Esther First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death She was always willing to help, he said. Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. Outside's long reads email newsletter features our strongest writing, most ambitious reporting, and award-winning storytelling about the outdoors. Continuing her work brings him hope; he's already started a nonprofit in her name, the Esther Nakajjigo Foundation. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and safety measures in our national parks, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Michaud said in, on Monday. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, their attorneys said they were seeking $140 million (115m) in damages from the government accounting for Esther's earning potential. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Yet park employees could have done a lot, the claim alleges, including taking note during inspections of the gate that it posed a danger and putting an inexpensive padlock on it. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. The family of a womens rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Ms Chang described the part of the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo as being like a metal spear or a lance and hit the car in literally a split second. SALT LAKE CITY The family of human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated in an accident in Arches National Park, has sued the National Park Service. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. The suit was filed last. The. It's really a full-time job," he said. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. Lindsay Whitehurst/AP Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together, he said. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. The French national said he and his wife, who had only been married for three months and lived in Denver, Colorado, had been on a hike and had lunch before driving out of the park. He was "instantly covered with blood," the complaint says. He spoke, too, about the difficulty of sending his wife's body to Uganda in a cardboard box; how only her hands, one of them broken, were visible at her funeral; and how he moved to a new apartment after the accident, unable to bear the reminders of the life he'd shared with Nakajjigo. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. Disputing the family's claims the victim was on track to become the CEO of a non-profit who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. While much less than they were initially seeking, the family was clearly pleased with the results -- with attorney Zoe Littlepage calling the amount "the largest verdict from a federal judge in Utah history.". By age 25, when she died, she had accomplished more than most people do in an entire lifetime and had much more to do with her life, court documents state. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? Nakajigos family and Michaud are suing the U.S. government for negligence as well as negligent infliction of emotional distress on the part of Michaud, who had to witness the grisly scene. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020 Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda has filed a $270 million administrative claim against the National Park Service after she was killed by an . Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. The National Park Service has not commented in relation to the new lawsuit but has previously released a statement expressing sympathy for the young womans death. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. Monday's closing arguments focused heavily on the differences in testimony made by several economic experts, two of whom projected that Nakajjigo would have earned at least $9 million in her lifetime and the third who estimated Nakajjigo would have made between about $750,000 and $938,000. None. The women's rights activist from Uganda was 25 when, during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020, she was beheaded by a metal gate that blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of the car she was riding in. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. Activist Esther Nakajjigo's family beg Ugandan government to return A woman who had married her husband only three months ago has died after a horror crash saw a car park gate swing through the couple's car and cut off her head. The family of a Ugandan young girl child activist, Esther Nakajjigo who died in the United States of America (USA) have asked government to help them repatriate her body, to be accorded a decent burial. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving around Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. 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As they were leaving the park on June 13, 2020, heavy winds apparently blew the metal entrance gate into the passenger side of the vehicle, striking and killing Nakajjigo. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. Human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. "We want you to know, on behalf of the United States, this accident and Essie's death was the responsibility of the United States," Nelson told Michaud. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. The claim alleged that had park employees used an $8 padlock to secure the gate from moving in the breeze, it could have avoided the victim being "needlessly decapitated.". Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her. "The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition," the claim states, as reported by CBS Denver.. $270 MILLION LAWSUIT But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history, the Associated Press reported. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, NBC News reported. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. in the two-plus years since his wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, was hit and killed by an unsecured gate while the couple was leaving Arches National Park. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Arches National Park Being Sued For $270M After Gate Decapitated Guest But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. / CBS Colorado. What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature. She met Ludovic Michaud in Boulder, Colorado, when she went there for a leadership accelerator program in 2019, and the two of them married in March 2020. IE 11 is not supported. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda, Randi McGinn, the familys attorney said in a statement. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act, Passengers injured as turbulence rocks plane. Testimony ends in trial of Ugandan woman decapitated in Arches National Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. Denver woman's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". $140M trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, likened her to a nonprofit CEO for an American charity and said she would have likely made millions throughout her life. New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks, Suspect in Dylan Rounds disappearance charged with murder. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case.
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