Zimmerman Law Offices Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Excel Ambulance Following Fiery Fatal Crash
Lawsuit brought on behalf of the passenger’s widow and children seeks damages for the loss of their beloved husband and father
April 9, 2018
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Attorney Thomas Zimmerman of the Chicago-based Zimmerman Law Offices today filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Excel Ambulance Service. The suit alleges negligence on the part of the driver and the ambulance company.
The case, Dora Williams, et al. v. Excel Ambulance Service, Inc., was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Prentis Williams (“Williams”) was employed by Excel Ambulance Service, Inc. (“Excel”) as an emergency medical technician (“EMT”). On March 31, 2018, Williams was a passenger in an Excel ambulance being driven by another Excel EMT, James Wesley (“Wesley”), while they were transporting a patient. Wesley crashed the ambulance into a building in Bellwood, IL. The ambulance caught on fire and all three men were killed.
A lawsuit was filed by Williams’s widow, Dora Williams, and his two children, Amanda Williams and Prentis Williams, II. According to the complaint, there were no skid marks at the site of the accident, leading investigators to believe that Wesley did not apply the ambulance’s brakes prior to the crash or swerve to avoid crashing into the building. The complaint also notes Wesley had numerous felony convictions, and he previously lost his driver’s license after causing a traffic accident in 2010 that resulted in serious injuries. Wesley regained his license in 2013, but was required to obtain specialized “high-risk” insurance, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that Wesley’s negligent driving caused the ambulance to crash, and that Excel was also negligent in allowing Wesley to drive an ambulance in light of his history of criminal conduct and reckless driving which posed a danger to others.
According to the family’s attorney, Tom Zimmerman, “Excel Ambulance should never have allowed an individual with James Wesley’s criminal background and dangerous driving history to transport patients in an ambulance. My clients suffered a devastating loss the day before Easter.”
A copy of the complaint is available upon request, and attorney Tom Zimmerman will be available for interviews.
Contacts
Zimmerman Law Offices, P.C.
Thomas A. Zimmerman, Jr., (312) 440-0020
[email protected]
77 West Washington Street, Suite 1220
Chicago, Illinois 60602
www.attorneyzim.com