ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – Three weeks after his 18-year-old daughter sped away in his Porsche and swerved to her death, Christos Catsouras figured out why he had not been allowed to see her body. Photographs of the 2006 crash were leaked by the California Highway Patrol and posted on the internet. Catsouras said he initially found 35 websites, and later hundreds more, that showed the photographs. Some of them had captions mocking his daughter. Catsouras pleaded with police to help him but all he was told was that he could file a complaint.
The case is now in court but has not yet gone to trial. In 2008, an Orange County Superior Court judge threw out the lawsuit on the grounds that the agency had not breached any legal duty to the family. In January, the state of California’s 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana reversed the decision. For the first time in California, the court established that the surviving family members have a right to sue for invasion of privacy in these cases.
The case could establish precedent in similar situations throughout the state. CHP officials have said they “feel for the Catsouras family” and have taken unspecified remedial measures since the incident. However, they also say that accident scene pictures are frequently used to deter reckless driving. The Catsouras family has three other daughters who have all been cautioned that they should be careful when using the internet since the pictures are still out there.
Our hearts go out to the Catsouras family. Regardless of what is decided in this case, it is devastating from a family to go through an accident and then this kind of horrific emotional pain. If you have been involved in a tragic accident, the lawyers at Berman & Riedel, LLP are here to help you.
Our lawyers handle personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout the state of California. You can contact the firm to set up a case consultation at any time. There is no charge for your first meeting. You may also go to www.bermanlawyers.com to learn more about personal injury and wrongful death law.
