Children of Murder Victim Prepare to File Lawsuit Against Murderer’s Employer
The nine children of a woman killed by her ex-husband have filed their intention to bring a lawsuit for wrongful death. Tamara Seidle had been divorced from Philip Seidle for three weeks, after 23 years of marriage, when Philip shot Tamara in the middle of the day in Asbury Park, with police officers standing nearby. Philip, himself a former member of the Neptune Police Department, had been accused numerous times of domestic violence offenses during his career. The local police had been called to the Seidle’s home 18 times over the course of the couple’s marriage on claims of domestic abuse. Nevertheless, Philip received only minor disciplinary consequences for these actions, and continued to be permitted to carry a firearm despite these numerous claims of using excessive force. The lawsuit, which requests $10 million in damages, claims that the Neptune Police Department failed to follow established protocol on handling domestic violence complaints against officers, and that it did not sufficiently evaluate whether or not Philip was fit for duty. Additionally, since Philip had made a threat against Tamara earlier on the day of her death which was reported to a 911 dispatcher, the lawsuit claims that the police department improperly handled the call for help, and failed to ensure Tamara’s safety against a known threat.
What does a wrongful death lawsuit do?
A wrongful death lawsuit allows the heirs of an individual wrongly killed to recover damages both on behalf of the individual who died, and on their own behalf. In a normal personal injury lawsuit where, say, a negligent driver broke the victim’s leg in an accident and caused her to miss work, she could sue that driver for the pain and suffering he caused her when her leg broke, as well as for the income she lost from being able to work. In a wrongful death lawsuit, a personal representative of the deceased person will essentially stand in the shoes of the deceased to request payment of those lost wages and pain and suffering, as well as claims for the loss of financial support on behalf of family members who relied on the deceased person’s income, loss of companionship and care, and loss of household services, such as childcare and maintaining the house.
If you have lost a loved one and believe that another party’s negligent or wrongful behavior was responsible, contact the compassionate and skilled Wayne personal injury law firm Massood Law Group for a consultation on your claims at 973-696-1900.
