After a gate closed, her husband and their family are now seeking $140million.

This week, the National Park Service and the relatives of a woman who was killed by an inadvertently installed security gate started a trial. There is a significant disagreement about how much damages should be awarded to the victims' loved ones.

According to NBC News, Ludovic Michaud, 25, was driving to Utah's Arches National Park with Esther Nakajjigo, 25 to get ice cream. On June 13, 2020, a gate swung into his car and cut Esther Nakajjigo's head. According to the claim, if park workers had used an $8 padlock that prevented the gate moving in the breeze, the victim could have been "needlessly decapitated."

"The end of the gate, which looked like a lance, pierced their car's side and cut through it like a hot knife through butter." Michaud was barely able to avoid the gate, and was left covered in blood from his wife.

Michaud's and Nakajjigo’s families initially requested $270 million in damages. However, they asked for $140 million from Salt Lake City courts this week. According to the AP Randi McGinn, an attorney representing Nakajjigo, argued that she could have brought in thousands, if no less than millions of dollars annually, had she lived.

Nakajjigo, a woman's rights advocate in Uganda, founded a non-profit community health center with the money she received from college. She also created two reality TV shows that focused on empowering women. According to reports, one series had a weekly audience in excess of 6.3 million.

"For lack of an $8.00 basic padlock our world lost an exceptional warrior for good; an influential young woman who was destined be our society's future Princess Diana or Philanthropist Melinda Gates," read the initial claim made by Nakajjigo and his family.

Assistant U.S. attorney Jeffrey Nelson stated Monday that "we don't know with any degree of certainty what she planned," adding that Nakajjigo was working at a restaurant as a host around the time of Nakajjigo's death. He claimed that the appropriate amount to be paid would only be $3.5 million. According to AP the U.S. attorneys have not denied that park officials caused her death but they dispute the amount of damages that should be awarded.

Nakajjigo, who had received many international awards and accolades, came to America to continue her education. She met Michaud via a dating app. Three months before her death, they were married in a courthouse ceremony.

Michaud instead met his wife's family, who had traveled from Uganda to visit him in the States. This was before the trial began.

John Nakajjigo, Nakajjigo’s brother, told KUTV that he has always wanted to meet him.

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Title: U.S. Govt. Only Wants to Pay $3.5 Million to Family of Woman Decapitated at State Park
Sourced From: toofab.com/2022/12/06/esther-nakajjigo-arches-national-park/
Published Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2022 17:39:52 +0000

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